Randal Cremer Primary School

RANDAL CREMER PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 12 th May 2000

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RANDAL CREMER PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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RANDAL CREMER PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ormsby Street Shoreditch London

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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: Mr Asgar Hussain

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18th – 22nd November 1996 Randal Cremer Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Peter Howlett Registered inspector Geography The school’s results and achievement History How well are the pupils taught ? Equal Opportunities How well is the school led and managed? Ann Moss Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well the school cares for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Hazel Callaghan Team inspector Science Religious Education Under fives English as an additional language Peggy Waterson Team inspector English Design and technology Physical Education Special educational needs Philip Mann Team inspector Mathematics How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Information Technology Art Music Randal Cremer Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

WES World-wide Education Service Ltd Canada House 272 Field End Road Eastcote Middlesex HA4 9NA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Randal Cremer Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a larger than average primary school for boys and girls aged three to 11 years old. It has 276 full- time pupils on roll, and 52 children under four who attend the on-site nursery part-time.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney, in an area of considerable deprivation. Pupils have a variety of backgrounds and many come from homes with some degree of social and economic disadvantage. Over 70 per cent of pupils are eligible to free school meals; this is a very high proportion and well above the national average. Many pupils are housed in temporary accommodation and this is a contributory factor to the relatively high proportion of pupils who join or leave the school during the academic year: only half the Year 6 pupils who took the National Curriculum tests last year started their Key Stage 2 schooling at Randal Cremer. Many of these pupils joining the school have very little English and this has an impact on standards, particularly at Key Stage 2. Pupils come from very diverse backgrounds and the proportion of pupils with English as a second language is very high in comparison to the national picture. The

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

school identifies 190 pupils with English as a second language and of these nearly 90 are at an early stage of English acquisition. There are 25 different languages; the most frequent, other than English, are Turkish, Yoruba, Arabic and Vietnamese. Children’s attainment on entry to the nursery varies, though overall it is well below average and on entry to full-time education it is still below average. Approximately 16 per cent of pupils are considered by the school as having special educational needs. This is a little less than average. Four pupils have statements of special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Randal Cremer is an improving school, albeit from a low base. Standards are rising in English and mathematics, particularly in the Early Years and at Key Stage 1. The school is an orderly and happy place and provides a sound education for its pupils. The school has a number of good features and these outweigh its weaknesses. Teaching is satisfactory overall, although there is undue variation in quality; while there is much good teaching and some of very high quality, there is also some unsatisfactory teaching. The school is well led and managed and has a clear focus on raising standards. Taking these factors into consideration the school gives satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards in literacy and numeracy are rising, particularly within Key Stage 1 • Children under five achieve well because the teaching is consistently good • Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress at Key Stage 1 because of the good provision • Pupils have positive attitudes to school and behave well • The school has good arrangements for promoting good behaviour and attendance • The school is good at monitoring pupils’ academic progress • There is very clear and effective educational leadership from the headteacher

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in literacy at Key Stage 2 • Provision for and standards in information technology • The time given to some subjects, to increase the breadth of the curriculum, the provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development and the range of extra-curricular activities • Too many pupils arrive late for school • The quality of teaching The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Randal Cremer Primary School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory progress since the previous inspection in November 1996. It has addressed most of the issues and taken effective measures to improve standards in English and mathematics. The rate of improvement is better than that found nationally. In 1999 the school received Government recognition as one of the ten most improving primary schools in London due to its performance in the national tests. However, it has not raised standards in information technology or in design technology. The school has been rigorous in its efforts to resolve the low rates of attendance and poor punctuality. Attendance is now close to average, though punctuality is still unsatisfactory. The school has sound procedures for monitoring the curriculum though some co-ordinators do not have sufficient opportunities to monitor provision in their own subjects. The headteacher and governors are firmly focused on raising standards and the school is well placed to improve

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1997 1998 1999 1999 well above average above average A B English E E E C average below average C D mathematics E C E B well below average E

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STANDARDS

The table shows that in the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 results were well below average in all three core subjects, although in mathematics a significant proportion achieved above the level typically expected of 11-year-olds. When compared to schools that have pupils from similar backgrounds, performances in the tests were average in English, above average in mathematics and below average in science. The school has made significant efforts to close the gap with national results. Starting from a low base in 1996, the upward trend in pupils’ performances in English, mathematics and science tests is better than the national trend. The school has set realistic targets for future improvements. Year 6 pupils are well placed to meet these targets , though if this is the case, standards will still be considerably below average. Standards that pupils currently achieve in English, mathematics and science are below average, but represent satisfactory levels of

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STANDARDS

achievement for most pupils. Pupils’ attainment in religious education, history and geography are typical for their ages. Pupils do not achieve well in information technology, physical education, art and design and technology and standards are lower than typically expected at the age of 11.

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STANDARDS

The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 have also risen at a rate greater than that found nationally . In the 1999 tests results were still low in reading but above average in writing and well above in mathematics . Current standards are average in English and above average in mathematics. Randal Cremer Primary School - 9

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like coming to school. The children are responsive and interested, taking part in all the activities provided for them. Most are keen and eager to learn, and work and play well together.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Although some pupils enter school with challenging behaviour , the school is a quiet and orderly place. Pupils generally behave well at lunch times and break times. There are occasional outbreaks of inappropriate behaviour when the children are not directly supervised or if the teaching is unsatisfactory There has been a high exclusion rate over the past years, but this has now been significantly reduced.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is good. Relationships within the school are good. Pupils generally show respect for each other and their teachers.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory. The rate of attendance is improving and is not far short of the national average. Punctuality is unsatisfactory.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall good satisfactory satisfactory 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 AND LEARNING

Teaching is satisfactory overall, though there is undue variation in quality across the school ranging between excellent and unsatisfactory lessons. Overall, some 45 per cent of lessons were good or better but one in ten observed lessons were unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching is good, and often very good, in both the nursery and the reception classes, so children’s achievements are good. Teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and pupils make appropriate progress in their leaning and good gains in acquiring basic skills. The quality of teaching is unduly varied at Key Stage 2. While there were some excellent lessons and 30 per cent of lessons were good or better, there was also too much unsatisfactory teaching. Teaching of literacy is satisfactory and teaching of numeracy is good and pupils make satisfactory gains in their learning of basic skills. Teaching of science and religious education is satisfactory but teaching of information technology is unsatisfactory. There

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

are shortcomings in the teaching of some of the foundation subjects.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teachers manage pupils well and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, which ensures they can concentrate on their learning. However, in some instances, lesson objectives are not sufficiently thought out and not always made clear to pupils. Although teachers are conscientious in lesson planning, they do not always provide work to challenge pupils of the different abilities. Randal Cremer Primary School - 10

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Provision for under fives is good. In both key stages the school rightly gives high priority to teaching literacy and numeracy but some of the remaining subjects are not given due weighting: the full information technology curriculum is not covered and there insufficient time for music, design and technology, art and physical education.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory, but targets within individual education plans are not specific enough and teachers do not take sufficient account of them in their lesson planning. Classroom assistants provide effective support with group work and have a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision for children under five and at Key Stage 1 is good. It is satisfactory at Key Stage 2 although there is no specialist teacher support for pupils in this key stage. In some classes, there is insufficient planning to ensure that activities are appropriately matched to pupils’ needs.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral development and satisfactory provision for their social development. The provision for cultural and spiritual development is unsatisfactory. There is a wealth of diversities of culture within the school and opportunities to celebrate these fully are lost. The school is not encouraging pupils to reflect on their experiences.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has good procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare and has high standards of pastoral care. There are good procedures in place to promote positive behaviour and attendance. Arrangements for judging pupils’ progress and helping pupils do better are good in English , mathematics and science but unsatisfactory in information technology. Randal Cremer Primary School - 11

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong leadership and her positive vision, high expectations and determined approach give clear direction to the work of the school. She is well supported by some key staff and governors. In particular, the co-ordination of provision for the early years, special educational needs and mathematics is good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body plays an active part in the management of the school and governors are appropriately involved in planning, decision making and policy making. Governors are knowledgeable about the school but their role in monitoring the work of the school is underdeveloped. The school does not meet its statutory responsibilities in ensuring the school provides the full information technology curriculum.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher looks carefully at the schools’ results in comparison to national and local performance data. The school makes effective use of this information to evaluate the standards achieved, identify the areas of weakness and implement effective strategies for further improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Financial planning is good . Educational priorities are clearly identified and supported by prudent financial planning. Staffing levels are good and the school benefits from experienced support staff. The accommodation and resources are adequate. The school monitors its spending effectively and appropriately applies the principles of best value in its decision making. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school • Their children make good progress • Behaviour is good • Good teaching • They are confident about approaching the school • Their children are expected to do their best • The school is well led and managed • The quantity of homework • More activities outside lessons

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally happy with the school. The positive responses to the parents’ questionnaires were also reflected in the comments at the parents’ meeting. The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the parents. Many teachers make appropriate use of homework to support pupils’ learning but practices are not consistent. In comparison to similar schools the school does not provide a good range of extra curricular activities. Randal Cremer Primary School - 12

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

1. Over the last four years the school’s results in the Key Stage 2 national tests have risen at a rate greater than that found nationally. In the 1999 tests the results were still lower than in most schools but the pupils’ performance equalled that of pupils in similar schools in English and was better in mathematics. In science the pupils did less well. Standards of work seen in the current Year 6 reflect the test results: in English, mathematics and science attainment is lower than typically expected at the age of 11. There is no significant variation in the relative performance of boys and girls.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

2. The school has set realistic targets for further improvements bearing in mind the low base from which the school is working. For example, the target is close to 60 per cent to achieve or exceed the expected levels in English. Year 6 pupils are well placed to meet these targets this year. However, if this is the case, standards will still be considerably below average. Nevertheless this is a satisfactory level of achievement for most pupils. The cohort has changed considerable throughout Key Stage 2, owing to the high levels of mobility. A large proportion of the pupils entering the school at Key Stage 2 are at the early stages of English language acquisition.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

3. Over the last four years the school’s results in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 have also risen at a rate greater than that found nationally. In the 1999 tests results were still very low in reading but above average in writing and well above in mathematics. In comparison to similar schools, results were average in reading but very high in writing and mathematics. In reading, results were particularly low because the proportion of pupils who achieved at the higher levels fell well short of the national picture. Standards in reading have improved and are now close to national standards as more pupils are achieving at the higher levels. Standards of work seen in the current Year 2 are average in writing and above average in the mathematics. The school’s targets for the end of key stage assessments reflect the school’s continuing trend towards raising literacy standards and in particular, maintaining the good standards in numeracy.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

4. In 1999 the Government Office for London officially recognised the school as one of the top ten most improving schools in London. The school’s success in improving results at both key stages is due to a number of factors, not least of which is the strong leadership from the headteacher. The headteacher and staff have tackled successfully the behaviour issues to create the conditions in which effective learning takes place. The school’s clear emphasis on literacy and numeracy and implementation of the national strategies, effective support for pupils with English as a second language and good early years provision have all helped to raise standards.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

5. Children enter full-time education in the term they will be five. Prior to that most attend the school’s nursery on a part-time basis. Children enter the nursery with a range of attainment, which is generally well below that found nationally. Many children come from Randal Cremer Primary School - 13 homes where English is an additional language and a significant proportion of these children have no knowledge of English on entry to the nursery. Children achieve well in developing their literacy and numeracy skills and most attain the expected standards by the time they are five. Children make satisfactory progress in their physical and creative development and many reach expected standards by the time they are five. Children have limited opportunities to become aware of the world around them before entering the school. They make good progress in this area of learning and most children achieve the expected

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

standards by the time they are five years of age.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

6. In English, the clearly defined structure of the literacy hour is having a positive impact on standards. Reading development is well managed throughout the school. Daily guided reading sessions, which start in Key Stage 1 and continue throughout the school, enable pupils to make satisfactory progress. Support for less able pupils, and for those for whom English is a second language, is good when it is specifically targeted such as in the reading recovery programme. However, standards are still below average by the end of Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 1 pupils have regular opportunities to write at length and this enables them to achieve well and attain good standards. At Key Stage 2 pupils there are limited opportunities for extended writing in other subjects. By the end of the key stage, standards in writing are below average. Standards of handwriting and presentation are below average. In both key stages pupils listen attentively to their teachers; however, their

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

speaking skills are below those expected nationally.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

7. In mathematics, standards of numeracy especially in mental mathematics are above average by the end of Key Stage 1. The majority of pupils are working at the expected level in written calculations. Pupils achieve well as they develop their understanding of place value, carry out regular calculations in the form of problems, and gain confidence in the sequencing of numbers and developing an understanding of the properties of common geometrical shapes. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are below average though pupils have satisfactory understanding of place value, decimals and the use of brackets in computation. Teachers take appropriate opportunities to develop pupils’ numeracy skills in science. In relation to their prior attainment pupils’ achievements are satisfactory at Key Stage 2.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

8. In science, pupils make satisfactory gains in their learning and their achievements are satisfactory at Key Stage 1. They attain standards similar to those expected for their age. By the age of seven, they classify materials, know that materials have different properties and can make a simple electrical circuit. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are below average. Most pupils in Year 6 have a satisfactory understanding of the need to make a fair test, but only a small proportion understand the process of controlling variables and the use of a control in experiments.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

9. In information technology, standards are below average and pupils’ achievements are unsatisfactory because of the shortcomings in the school’s provision. By the end of both key stages, attainment is below average as pupils do not have the opportunity to study all aspects of the subject. At Key Stage 2, pupils are beginning to develop word-processing skills. However, progress is unsatisfactory and the pace of learning slow because pupils are often unfamiliar with the options that applications have to offer. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop aspects such as information handling skills, the use of spreadsheets or the use of advanced search routines available on some CD-ROMs. Randal Cremer Primary School - 14 10. In religious education, standards have been maintained since the previous inspection and are in line with the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils’ achievements in terms of acquiring

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

knowledge and understanding the major world faiths are satisfactory. Likewise pupils’ achievements in history and geography are satisfactory and standards are broadly in line with expected levels.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

11. In art, skills are developed well with the under fives and are satisfactorily extended and built upon throughout Key Stage 1. However, pupils do not refine their skills at Key Stage 2, their progress is unsatisfactory and standards are below typical levels for their ages. In design and technology, pupils’ experiences of designing and making are extremely limited and standards are below average. In physical education, standards in the lessons seen were below those expected for pupils of similar ages. Pupils are not achieving well because there is little development of skills. In music, no judgement on standards at the end of Key Stage 2 was made because only one lesson was observed.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

12. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve well in the early years and at the Key Stage 1. A large proportion of children in the nursery start school with very little knowledge of spoken English. Staff use a variety of strategies to support their understanding and a language support assistant provides effective support for children. At Key Stage 1, a language support teacher works closely with teachers to plan pupils’ activities so they are carefully linked to their work in class. She also supports those bilingual pupils who are often reticent in answering questions in front of the class. Their achievements are often good. However, currently at Key Stage 2 there is no specialist teacher support for bilingual pupils and progress is not as rapid. Class teachers are well aware of the needs of bilingual pupils and they provide some measure of support. In some classes, however, there is insufficient planning to ensure that activities are appropriately

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

matched to pupils’ needs. There is often insufficient opportunity for bilingual pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills in class discussions.

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THE SCHOOL’S RESULTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

13. Pupils with special education needs make good progress when they are taught through well-structured programmes such as Reading Recovery, Additional Literacy Support and the Phonological Awareness Training programme. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils who are supported by primary helpers within the classroom make satisfactory gains in their learning. However, targets in individual education plans are often too broad for teachers to set appropriate tasks or assess progress accurately.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

14. The good standards of behaviour and positive attitudes to learning throughout the school have been maintained since the previous inspection. The children are responsive and interested, taking part in all the activities provided for them. They are keen and eager to learn, and work and play well together. They share their knowledge and skills confidently with the class, and this has a positive effect on learning.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

15. The children settle happily and enjoy school. They are confident and establish good relationships with other children and adults. They are encouraged to think of other people and to be polite. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good, but they would benefit from being encouraged to show more initiative and to take more responsibility. The pupils’ response to the values and standards set by the school is positive throughout the school. They develop Randal Cremer Primary School - 15 very good habits of working as soon as they enter the nursery, and they learn to settle down quickly to tasks and to persevere with them throughout the lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

16. Pupils’ behaviour in and around the school is generally good, but there are occasional outbreaks of boisterousness and inappropriate behaviour when the children are not directly supervised or if the teaching is unsatisfactory. This shows a certain lack of self-control. The behaviour of the children under five is very good. All the children are well behaved at lunchtime and the school is generally an orderly and happy community. The children clearly understand what is expected and respect the rules and conventions that exist to safeguard them. The rewards and sanctions systems are well established and incidents of bullying and racism are rare. The quality of inter-personal relationships is good. The children treat each other with courtesy and respect and willingly undertake routine tasks to keep classrooms tidy and to act as monitors. However, they would benefit even more if they were given more opportunities to work co-operatively in lessons. In religious

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

education lessons pupils demonstrate respect for each other’s beliefs and interests. There has been a high exclusion rate over the past years, but this has been reduced to two over the past two terms as a result of the school’s effective approach to the management of pupils’ behaviour.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

17. Pupils are able to make good progress in their personal development. There is no formalised scheme of work for their personal, social and health education, but these subjects are introduced across the curriculum at every opportunity so that the children grow confidently in their awareness of themselves and others. Pupils’ self-esteem is regarded as important, and has a positive effect on their learning. Their work is valued and this enhances their personal and social development. The school council helps the children to listen to others and to present their ideas in a variety of ways.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

18. The children’s attendance levels are just satisfactory, although they are below the national average. There has been an improvement since the previous inspection, and the school is working very hard towards improving the levels even more. Punctuality is unsatisfactory. The school is monitoring attendance and punctuality figures efficiently, and any unexplained absences are rigorously followed up. Registration procedures are conducted meticulously, and every opportunity is used to signal the importance of attendance and punctuality for continuity and access to the curriculum to be positive. Lessons begin and end on time.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. However, there is undue variation in quality across the school, ranging from a few excellent lessons to some unsatisfactory lessons. Overall, 45 per cent of observed lessons were good or better but one in ten observed lessons was unsatisfactory. These figures represent a small improvement on the previous inspection. The quality of teaching is good, and often very good, in both the nursery and the reception classes. Teaching is satisfactory at Key Stage 1. Teaching was good in nearly half the lessons taught by permanent staff but recruitment problems mean the school has also got to rely on agency teachers so reducing the impact of this good teaching. There are shortcomings in teaching at Key Stage 2 because the quality of teaching is unduly varied. While there were a few excellent lessons, only 30 per cent of lessons were good or better and there was too much unsatisfactory teaching. However, most of the instances of

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

unsatisfactory teaching were associated with one teacher and the management of the school is fully aware of this through its own monitoring procedures. The quality of learning is good in the reception and nursery classes, so children’s achievements are good. At Key Randal Cremer Primary School - 16 Stage 1 pupils show good interest and concentration, respond well to their teachers and make appropriate progress in their learning and good gains in acquiring basic skills. At Key Stage 2 progress made by pupils is generally satisfactory, but in some lessons the more able pupils are not challenged enough.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

20. Teaching of English is satisfactory in both key stages. Most literacy lessons were satisfactory, but there are some shortcomings in the implementation of the literacy strategy. Sometimes the content of lessons is inappropriate for developing pupils’ skills, because the shared text is too demanding and many pupils find it hard to cope. Sometimes the pace of the different parts of the literacy hour slackens and this leads to a slow rate of learning. Teaching of mathematics is generally good. The quality of teaching in numeracy lessons was good with instances of high quality teaching. Teachers have a secure understanding of the national numeracy strategy and how to teach numeracy skills. So, for example, teachers provide clear explanations to help pupils understand that they can frequently solve problems in several ways. Teaching of information technology is unsatisfactory. There is insufficient development of pupils’ computer skills and teachers make limited use of

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

information technology to enhance pupils' learning in other subjects, including numeracy and literacy. Teaching of science and religious education is satisfactory. The inspection team saw limited teaching in other subjects but there are shortcomings in the teaching of art, design and technology, music and physical education.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

21. The school has maintained the good quality teaching of the under fives since the previous inspection. Teachers have high expectations for their children’s good progress and their effective learning has resulted in high achievement. The nursery, in particular, is a stimulating learning environment which enhances children’s good progress in learning. The teachers have a good understanding of the needs of these young children and are very effectively supported by the expertise of the nursery nurses and classroom assistants. This very good working relationship is one of the strengths of the early years’ provision and leads to very good planning of children’s learning. Detailed schemes of work ensure good progression of skills and knowledge throughout the early years. There is an appropriate range of sufficient resources. Teachers use these effectively in both the nursery and the reception classes to promote children’s learning.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

22. Teaching of basis skills is good in the nursery, reception classes and at Key Stage 1, so that pupils are achieving well and often reach good standards, given their low levels of prior attainment. Teaching of basic skills at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. Some teachers set homework that supports pupils’ learning in the form of regular reading or mathematics, but practices are inconsistent. In general, teachers’ marking of homework is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

23. At both key stages most teachers manage their pupils well. Teachers generally have good relationships with their pupils and the learning atmosphere in most classes is harmonious. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, which ensures they are able to concentrate on their learning.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

24. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge in English, mathematics and science and are generally confident in teaching literacy and numeracy; this enables them to demonstrate and explain correctly. Some teachers’ knowledge of science is insecure, which leads to a lack of clarity in their explanations. For example, in one lesson, the teacher gave incorrect information leading to pupils’ misunderstanding. The teachers generally lack confidence to teach music and the departure of the school’s music specialist has had an adverse effect on the range of opportunities for pupils. In physical education some teachers are insecure in Randal Cremer Primary School - 17 their subject knowledge so they do not make effective teaching points to develop pupils’ specific skills.

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HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

25. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory but there are some shortcomings. In mathematics, pupils enjoy the variety of tasks and are keen to do well, though the activities are not always sufficiently challenging for the more able. In science, most teachers plan their lessons carefully so that there are clear objectives for what the pupils are to learn and be able to do. In science lessons teachers usually share these targets with the class, so that pupils focus effectively on the activities provided. However, pupils are not always clear about the purpose of lessons. For example, in art there is a general lack of clearly defined expectations and pupils are not shown what to aim for and do not have a clear idea of a well-produced piece of work. As a result, pupils do not build on their previous knowledge and understanding. Teaching is better where the work set matches closely the needs of each pupil. In some mathematics lessons for the older pupils in Key Stage 2, there was an

p.17

HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

unsatisfactory match of the work set to pupils’ abilities.

p.17

HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

26. Most teachers are good at asking questions. For example, good questioning in mental mathematics sessions are often conducted at a brisk pace and this motivates pupils to respond positively. In religious education lessons pupils respond well to the teachers’ enthusiasm and teachers effectively promote pupils’ interest and curiosity and encourage their tolerance and respect for others.

p.17

HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

27. A strength of science teaching is the effective focus on the development of pupils’ skills of enquiry and investigation. In science lessons, teachers promote pupils’ interest and stimulate their thinking through the use of experimentation and investigation. Consequently, most pupils enjoy science and are eager to learn. Teachers use stories in religious education lessons to promote pupils’ interest and stimulate questions. In one lesson, the teacher’s very good subject knowledge in the use of artefacts enabled pupils to gain a good understanding of the purpose of religious artefacts in Judaism. However, teaching methods can sometimes be inappropriate or lack variety. For example, in information technology lessons teachers demonstrate word-processing skills to very large groups, so that a significant number of pupils are unable to see the screen. In some geography and religious education lessons too much direct instruction from teachers meant

p.17

HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

that pupils sat passively for too long. In a good art lesson the teacher gave pupils opportunities to evaluate their work. However, this does not happen in physical education lessons so pupils do not develop their skills. Teachers do not always make effective use of resources to stimulate pupils’ interest and curiosity, for example in some geography and religious education lessons.

p.17

HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

28. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Support staff help to provide good learning opportunities for these pupils. They are particularly effective when providing individual support to pupils using the well-structured Phonological Awareness Training reading programme, or in Additional Literacy Support groups. These sharply focused activities enable pupils to make good progress. In the Reading Recovery programme there is good teaching to specific targets with the result that pupils make clear gains in the small steps outlined in their individual programmes. The success of this programme owes much to the work of volunteers. Primary helpers also support small groups of pupils with special needs in classroom activities. When tasks are appropriate, progress is satisfactory. Where teachers’ planning fails to take account of the different levels of ability within the class the set activities can be too difficult for them and they

p.17

HOW WELL PUPILS ARE TAUGHT?

make insufficient progress. Whole-class teaching, such as shared reading in the literacy hour, is not always accessible to some pupils. This is because of the level of difficulty of Randal Cremer Primary School - 18 the text and a lack of appropriate strategies to ensure the involvement of pupils of all levels of ability.

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

29. The curriculum provided for children under five is good both in the nursery and in the reception classes. Teachers provide effective learning opportunities, relevant to the needs of these young children, planned according to the areas for learning appropriate for children of this age. Planning based on the Desirable Learning Outcomes ensures progression in children’s learning. Teachers plan activities that are stimulating and focus on developing linguistic, mathematical, social and emotional skills. There is an effective balance between focused teaching of knowledge and skills and children’s self-chosen activities. Teachers carefully plan these activities to reinforce specific concepts. The only weakness in the provision occurs when teachers do not sufficiently explain or support the self-chosen activities during structured play sessions in reception. When this happens, children make less progress than they could.

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

30. The overall curriculum at both key stages is not broad and balanced. The school does not meet statutory requirements to teach the full information technology curriculum, which does not yet receive an appropriate allocation of curriculum time. The school allocates a generous amount of time to the core subjects of English, mathematics and science but this has the effect of limiting the time available for the foundation subjects. Pupils do not receive sufficient worthwhile learning experiences in some subjects such as art, design and technology, music and physical education. In an effort to overcome this, the school alternates half-termly with subjects such as art and design technology or history and geography. This is not entirely successful because there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to build upon what they have already learnt. The curriculum for religious education is satisfactory and collective worship meets statutory requirements. Provision for personal,

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

social and health education is satisfactory. Pupils receive sex education within science lessons and there is provision for teaching drugs awareness to the older pupils. In some classes teachers cover aspects of personal and social education in circle time. However, this is not a consistent practice throughout each key stage. The school does not provide swimming lessons for pupils at the present time due to circumstances outside its control.

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

31. Curriculum planning is satisfactory but has some shortcomings. The English and mathematics curriculum follow the national framework. The school has detailed schemes of work in science and religious education with clear expectations for what pupils should achieve by the end of each year. The school has long and medium-term plans that outline broad subject areas to be covered over the year. These help to ensure some breadth to the curriculum. However, within the foundation subjects there is a lack of planning documentation that outlines subject specific skills and knowledge to be covered by pupils as they progress through the school. In physical education and design technology the schemes of work consist of discrete activities and do not offer teachers progressive activities building on previously learned skills. In history and geography there is a broad list of topics but no detailed schemes. The school intends to review many of these schemes

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

in the light of the new Curriculum 2000.

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HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

32. The school has made a sound start in the introduction and development of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. There is a consistent format for weekly planning for literacy and numeracy that all teachers use appropriately. In general, teachers are implementing the daily literacy and numeracy hours successfully. Lessons are appropriately organised and pupils are familiar with the daily classroom routines that Randal Cremer Primary School - 19 accompany these activities. However, opportunities for pupils to develop these basic skills through other subjects are more variable. The school has not thought out how to teach literacy skills across the curriculum in relevant and meaningful contexts, so that all pupils can consolidate what they have learned and further develop their skills. For example, while teachers develop numeracy skills satisfactorily within science they miss opportunities to

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

promote the development of literacy skills, as pupils often copy write from the board. Teachers do not use information technology effectively to support these two curriculum areas. Staff are not yet familiar enough with the relevant software to use information technology effectively to support learning in literacy, mathematics or in other subjects.

p.19

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

33. All pupils have equal access to the full curriculum, including those with special educational needs and the many pupils receiving additional language support. Pupils with special educational needs are fully integrated in classes. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory across the school and the school meets statutory requirements. The school has effective measures to promote discipline, including sharply focused weekly targets , set in consultation with pupils. Where withdrawal from class takes place the content of the sessions is appropriately linked to the pupils’ individual needs. Learning support is adequate but pupils’ individual learning plans are not always sufficiently sharply focused to enable teaching to build systematically on pupils’ existing knowledge and understanding. In general, targets within individual education plans are not specific enough and teachers do not take sufficient account of them in their lesson planning.

p.19

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

Statutory requirements for pupils with special needs are met.

p.19

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

34. Classroom assistants support group work throughout the school and have a positive impact on pupils’ progress. They are kept informed of pupils’ needs and so can offer good support for pupils’ learning in the classroom; many have received specific training and this further enhances their effectiveness. There are inconsistencies in the provision for higher-attaining pupils, partly due to the absence of an agreed policy. Some teachers offer appropriate activities for the “faster workers”. The provision of more challenging tasks for higher- attaining pupils is better at Key Stage 1.

p.19

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

35. The school provides weekly mathematics and English booster lessons after school for Year 6 pupils and these are well attended and have a positive impact on standards. A number of visits to places of interest and by visitors to the school further enhance the curriculum. These include the Year 6 residential trip to the Kingswood Centre in Norfolk, and visits to Gilwell Park where pupils have to cook for themselves. Each class also enjoys a termly trip relevant to class work. The school has few links with the wider community though it makes good use of the Jeffries Museum close by to help stimulate learning in history. The school welcomes visitors, including the local vicar, police and fire service on a regular basis. The school does not provide a range of extra-curricular activities to widen pupils’ experience or help to develop an increased range of skills. Recently the school had a choir and recorder group that met weekly. At present the school offers guitar lessons as an

p.19

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

36. The school makes satisfactory provision for the personal development of its pupils. There is no formal personal, social and health policy, except for the children under five. In the nursery and reception classes, teachers use this policy to good effect. Provision for moral development is good. Staff strongly promote pupils' moral development throughout the school. The children understand what is expected of them and are taught principles that enable them to distinguish right from wrong. Pupils show respect for each other’s opinions in lessons, value each other’s work and look after school property. Randal Cremer Primary School - 20 37. Provision for social development is satisfactory. The school is a caring community, and staff encourage pupils to take their full part in activities, which leads to the widening of pupils’ personal and social interests and experiences. They accept each other readily with

p.19

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

mutual benefit. They have responsible attitudes to work and to the school. The attitudes and behaviour of the staff towards each other and to pupils, set a very good example. Pupils are aware of the wider community and raise funds successfully for charities such as The Red Cross. This is a school that values people. However, pupils’ social learning and investigative skills are impeded by the shortcomings in the provision for ICT and the library.

p.20

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

38. There is very little provision for the development of spiritual awareness. Pupils are very appreciative of any new experiences, but the school does not encourage them to reflect on these experiences in a way that develops their spiritual awareness and self-knowledge. Many opportunities remain in assemblies and lessons to challenge and extend intellectual curiosity, give time for reflection and to create a greater spiritual awareness within the whole school.

p.20

HOW GOOD ARE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

39. The provision for cultural development is unsatisfactory. The children study other religions in religious education and other lands in geography. There is a display of Jewish artefacts in the hall and teachers have given pupils a demonstration of these artefacts. However, there is a wealth of diversities of culture within the school and opportunities to celebrate these fully are often lost.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has good procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare and has high standards of pastoral care. The monitoring and recording of pupils’ personal development are satisfactory overall, and those for monitoring and improving attendance are good. Staff have high expectations for good behaviour, and there is a stringent and well-structured regime for behaviour management. Each member of staff has a shared understanding of this regime and it is fully and fairly implemented. Effective measures are also in place for eliminating oppressive behaviour.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Teachers and support staff all make a significant contribution to providing a caring atmosphere and a safe environment for learning for all pupils. They know the children well, recognise their needs and respond to them well. The designated member of staff in charge of child protection is very experienced and follows the guidelines rigorously. The working environment is safe; there is good supervision of pupils at work and at play. The health education programme is being used to support pupils by, for example, circle time. Emphasis is put on raising self-esteem and politeness. The children are confident in their dealings with each other and in approaching any member of staff. Responsibility for health and safety is clearly defined and understood and two members of staff are fully up-to-date in first aid training. However, there has been no formal risk assessment of the school buildings recently.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school has good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science. These include the regular use of standardised tests in English and mathematics and regular ongoing assessments in science. Individual portfolios of pupil’s work clearly show what pupils know, can do and understand. These portfolios contain regularly updated examples of work and include information about where the pupil should make further progress within the subject. Assessment arrangements in information Randal Cremer Primary School - 21 technology are unsatisfactory. There are little formal assessments in the foundation subjects and religious education.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Assessments of pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science are rigorous. Teachers carefully annotate and date assessed work, before placing it into individual pupil portfolios. They indicate clearly the National Curriculum levels of attainment. Teachers generally know what levels their pupils are attaining though they do not always make effective use of this information to ensure a good match between planned work and pupils’ abilities. Assessment routines are manageable, relevant and useful. The school makes appropriate use of the assessment information, for example, to group pupils for English and mathematics and to help to target specific groups of pupils for additional work in aspects of English and mathematics. The school development plan outlines how the school plans to develop the use of assessment information to set individual pupil targets in a further drive to raise standards.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The assessment of pupils on entry into the school provides an accurate picture of their attainment, and teachers use this information to help plan for the next stage of their learning. Assessment arrangements for children under five are good and teachers are skilled in matching the tasks to the children’s needs. Teachers assess children’s progress regularly and knowledge of their progress supports teachers’ planning. For example, teachers in the reception classes group the children into three groups according to their age and ability for literacy and numeracy and adapt their teaching to match the needs of these three groups. Teachers carefully match questions and tasks to the children’s existing knowledge and understanding so that they can provide good support and enable them to succeed. Similarly in the nursery, good knowledge of the children’s needs enables the teacher and nursery nurse to effectively develop their speaking and listening skills as well as other concepts

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

whilst working on a one-to-one basis with each child.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school identifies pupils with special educational needs or language needs effectively and organises appropriate support. The special educational needs register is accurate, regularly reviewed and updated. The targets on pupils’ individual education plans identify pupils’ specific needs but are often too broad for the next steps in learning to be clear and measurable. Staff need to break them down into smaller, more measurable steps. However, targets aimed at modifying behaviour are sharply focused and therefore more effective. Ongoing assessment of the progress of pupils involved in specific learning programmes, such as Reading Recovery, enables pupils to make steady progress. However, there are shortcomings in the arrangements to support pupils with statements of special educational needs, though these are outside the control of the school. A shortage of specially trained staff in local agencies means that the statementing process takes longer than it should.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Once a statement has been issued there is often a delay in the provision of learning support staff, and specialists such as speech therapists are not always available. The perseverance of the special educational needs co-ordinator has ensured that appropriate provision for pupils with statements is currently in place.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school continues to have satisfactory links with parents. Parents feel well informed and relationships between the school and the parents are good. Parents feel welcome in the school, but are generally unable to make a formal commitment to helping in the classrooms. They do help with the Reading Recovery scheme, but, overall, the contribution of parents to children’s learning at school and at home is limited. However, they do make a valuable contribution to the pupils’ learning by helping on trips and by raising money for Randal Cremer Primary School - 22 the school. The small but very active parent teacher association has been able to contribute towards, for example, buying books and decorating the playground.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school works hard at inviting parents to come in, and the quality of relationships between parents, staff and governors is good. Parents speak highly of the systems of informal communication with the head teacher and staff, and the information about day- to- day matters and school events. They also appreciate the very informative school brochure that contains detailed advice on, for example, attendance, the behaviour policy and expectations for homework. Links between parents and the nursery and reception classes are particularly strong. Written reports to parents are satisfactory; they contain appropriate information about the progress of the children. Parents like the fact that these reports reflect their children well. Parents regard all staff as very approachable and appreciate that they seem to have a thorough knowledge of their children. Parents are also pleased with the way their children settle happily and are eager to attend school. They appreciate the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

procedures for induction for the early years, and the processes for transfer to secondary school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The parents receive a satisfactory amount of information about the curriculum and the teachers’ termly topics, and the school has recently started to send out regular newsletters. The use of home-school agreements also contributes to pupils’ learning at school and at home, but the setting of homework is inconsistent in some subjects and in some classes. The parents’ views of the school are positive. The number of pupils on roll has greatly increased in the last few years demonstrating this good opinion of the school in the local area.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The attendance rate at the school is improving, but the school is still having difficulty in organising the children to be in school on time. Some of the parents are not supporting these efforts, and punctuality continues to be a problem despite the efforts of the school.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The school keeps parents well informed about procedures for the identification of, and provision for, pupils with special educational needs through the school’s prospectus and the annual governors’ report to parents. The school invites parents to attend annual review meetings and support is good.

p.22

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

51. The leadership of the school community provided by the headteacher is good. She gives strong leadership and her positive vision, high expectations and determined approach give clear direction to the work of the school. Although the school does not have a substantive deputy headteacher at present, she is well supported by some key staff and governors. In particular, the co-ordination of provision for the early years, special educational needs and mathematics is good.

p.22

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

52. At the time of the previous inspection the headteacher provided the school with strong and effective leadership. The inspection report acknowledged the achievements made by the then recently appointed headteacher in the short time that she had been at the school. However, the HMI monitoring visit in June 1998, while noting that the head teacher gave a firm steer to the work of the school, judged leadership to be broadly satisfactory but with some weaknesses in management. The school responded constructively to the contents of this monitoring report, addressing the shortcomings and resolving the staffing issues. The headteacher continues to maintain the clear sense of purpose and commitment to moving the school forward, improving the quality of provision and raising standards. Randal Cremer Primary School - 23 53. There is a shared commitment to raising pupils’ achievements. In particular, there is a very

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

strong emphasis on improving pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. To achieve this, the school has worked hard to improve the climate for learning and create positive expectations of pupils’ behaviour and esteem. It has been largely successful and the school is now an orderly community where instances of poor behaviour are rare and effective learning takes place in most lessons. This has helped to underpin its efforts to raise standards. The school has a range of effective strategies to raise standards, including the implementation of the national literacy and numeracy strategies. In March 1999 the Government Office for London congratulated the school as one of the top ten improving primary schools in London, because of the rate of improvement in its national test results.

p.23

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school is well managed. The school has an effective programme of professional development with an appropriate balance between meeting the needs of the individual professional needs of staff and the priorities of the school. The management makes effective links between the school improvement plan and the staff development programme. This helps the school meet its identified priorities. Procedures for the appraisal of staff are appropriate and there are good arrangements to support teachers new to the school. Staffing levels are good. The school has a good number and mix of suitably qualified teachers to teach the subjects of the National Curriculum. However, there are gaps in the subject knowledge of individual teachers in science, music, physical education and information technology. Although the school has some difficulties with recruitment it currently benefits from a stable staff. The Governors consider that good staffing levels are

p.23

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

a priority in raising standards. The number of support staff and the aggregate hours they work are above average. Many of the classroom assistants have received specific training and they offer effective learning support to pupils.

p.23

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

55. The early years provision is very well organised and managed. Staff work together very effectively to evaluate the standards achieved, identify the areas of weakness and implement effective strategies for further improvement. For example, standards of attainment were found to be below the local education authority average in the baseline assessment in aspects of language and mathematics. The implementation of focused teaching activities in these identified areas has led to improved standards and high achievement.

p.23

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

56. The management of provision for pupils who have English as an additional language is satisfactory. Recent changes in funding arrangements have involved the school in restructuring the provision, and this process is not yet completed. However, there are clear plans to further develop and improve support for these pupils. Detailed action plans for the last four years show a good awareness of the different areas that needed improvement and targets for their further development. The school has started to implement plans for the management and training of the new language support team. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) effectively manages the school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs. The school fully implements the Code of Practice, giving all pupils equal access to the curriculum. The special needs register is accurate, regularly reviewed and updated. The SENCO effectively monitors the school’s provision for pupils with

p.23

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

special needs. For example, he monitors the individual achievements of pupils in the Reading Recovery programme, reviewing their progress against specific targets. He works closely with class teachers and support staff. He keeps support staff well informed so they make a positive contribution to the learning of these pupils. Randal Cremer Primary School - 24 57. The management of the curriculum is satisfactory. Co-ordination of mathematics is good and leadership of English and science is satisfactory. The school has a sensible approach to curriculum development and a management plan for future developments is in place. However, the development of some subjects is not helped by the lack of co-ordinators. Currently, there are no co-ordinators for music, history, geography and religious education, while the school has only recently appointed a co-ordinator for information technology. The arrangements for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching by the headteacher are

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

systematic and rigorous. All staff are observed on a regular basis and receive appropriate feedback. There is also systematic monitoring by the co-ordinators of the three core subjects. However, monitoring procedures are not yet embedded in school practices. For example, the school’s evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation of the literacy strategy lacks rigour. Other subject co-ordinators have insufficient opportunities at present to carry out this aspect of their role.

p.24

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

58. The governing body supports the work of the school and plays an active part in the management of the school. For example, the designated governor with responsibility for special educational needs meets the SENCO fortnightly and there are regular reports to the governing body. There are well-defined and appropriate committees with clear terms of reference. Governors are appropriately involved in planning, decision making and policy making. Governors value the professional leadership of the headteacher and there is an effective working relationship between the professional management and the governing body. Governors are knowledgeable about the school but they do not sufficiently monitor the work of the school. The school does not meet its statutory responsibilities to teach the full information technology curriculum.

p.24

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

59. The school makes good use of its financial resources to support pupils’ needs and promote the aims of the school. The school development plan identifies an appropriate range of targets for improvement and sets out a detailed course of action to fulfil each one. The costs for improvement in time and money are clearly identified. Financial planning is good. For example, the governing body has made appropriate plans for the use of its large carry forward figure in last year’s budget, namely, to fulfil its aims for extending the number of support staff to assist pupils in their learning.

p.24

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

60. Staff use the computer system for budgetary control satisfactorily. They provide the governing body with up-to-date information which provides them with a broad view on all aspects of the school finances, enabling them to monitor the school's spending effectively. The day-to-day management and administrative systems are effective. The clerical and administrative staff work together very well as an efficient team providing good support for the headteacher, parents, pupils and staff alike.

p.24

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school uses the funds it receives for specific purposes appropriately. The school effectively uses funds to support pupils with special educational needs and to support pupils with English as an additional language. In addition, it supplements these funds from the school's budget to provide additional support staff for these pupils. Recent changes in the allocation of funds from the local education authority for provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language has resulted in reduced staffing at Key Stage 2. The school is consequently in the process of further developing this provision with the appointment of additional staff.

p.24

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

62. There are sound procedures for securing best value for money through competitive tendering for goods and services, and governors are aware of the need to review and evaluate their spending decisions. The impact of the financial decisions on standards is Randal Cremer Primary School - 25 regularly discussed in governors’ meetings. Co-ordinators are involved at an informal level in monitoring the quality of spending in their subjects.

p.24

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

63. Much of the school has been redecorated recently and it provides a pleasant environment for pupils and staff. The school is clean and well looked after. There are a few useful small rooms, used for small group work, which require some repairs and redecoration. The reading recovery room provides a pleasant working environment for individual and group work. Classrooms vary in size: all are at least adequate and some are large. Many teachers create stimulating learning environments for their classes, in particular, children in nursery and reception classes work in a good learning environment. However, this is not always the case as some teachers have given insufficient attention to classroom organisation and display. The school has three halls, which are rather small for whole class gymnastics lessons. A library is being developed but is not yet in use. It is too small and tucked away to function effectively as a resource to develop independent learning. The small swimming

p.25

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

pool, which has recently been refurbished with the aid of funds from city banks, requires further work before it can come into use. The school therefore does not offer swimming. An excellent, well-equipped computer suite is not in use for technical reasons with the result that the provision for information technology remains unsatisfactory.

p.25

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

64. The school has made good efforts to improve pupils’ play areas that are enhanced by colourful murals and sculptures. A small quiet garden contains picnic style seats. The infant playground is marked with attractive grids to facilitate focused play. The nursery is well served by a grassed play area, a hard area for wheeled toys, and climbing apparatus above a safety surface. The governing body has given due attention to security arrangements.

p.25

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

65. Resources to support pupils’ learning are satisfactory in most areas of the curriculum but reading books and equipment and instruments in music and art are inadequate. There are sufficient books for the effective teaching of reading in guided groups but stocks of non- fiction books are low and generally in poor condition. Attractive, appropriately resourced classroom book corners are lacking and, together with the absence of a library, mean that there are few opportunities for extending pupils’ reading experiences, or for independent research. Whilst resources are broadly adequate for most subjects, they are not plentiful and most curriculum areas lack the range and quality to enliven teaching.

p.25

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED?

66. Taking the fact that the pupils enter the school with standards of attainment that are well below those found nationally and that as a result of the implementation of clear targets to improve their achievements, they make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress through the school, the school is judged as providing satisfactory value for money. Randal Cremer Primary School - 26

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The headteacher staff and governors should:-

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Meet statutory requirements to teach the full information technology curriculum and raise pupils’ achievements by:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• implementing the scheme of work to ensure progression in the development of pupils’ skills, giving staff further training where necessary (paragraph - 135) • developing appropriate ways of assessing pupils’ progress (paragraph - 42) • ensuring there is adequate use of ICT to support pupils’ learning in the other subjects (paragraph - 133) • time-tabling the new computer suite to make maximum use, including during literacy and numeracy hours (paragraph - 134) • setting appropriate targets for pupils the end of each key stage (paragraph - 43).

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing more opportunities for pupils to do extended writing across the curriculum (paragraph - 89) • teaching handwriting in a structured way and encouraging pupils to improve the presentation of their work (paragraph - 89) • improving resources for reading (paragraph - 65) • evaluating the effectiveness of teaching of the different elements of the literacy hour by individual teachers (paragraph - 92) • providing more opportunities for bilingual pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills in class discussions (paragraph - 95).

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Improve the quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 by helping teachers to :-

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• achieve a consistently good standard in lesson planning so that learning objectives are clear and explained to pupils and work is appropriately matched to the different abilities of the pupils (paragraph - 25) • make better use of a variety of resources to interest and stimulate pupils (paragraph - 27) • acquire the appropriate subject knowledge, particularly in science, music and physical education (paragraph - 24).

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Broaden the curriculum at both key stages by:-

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• giving sufficient curriculum time to the teaching of physical education, art, design and technology and music so as to provide sufficient worthwhile learning experiences (paragraph - 30) • putting schemes of work in place for all subjects that reflect national guidance (paragraph - 31) • improving the quality of spiritual and cultural provision for pupils (paragraph – 38/39). Randal Cremer Primary School - 27

p.26

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Maintain efforts to improve pupils’ punctuality. • Increase the involvement of the governors in monitoring the work of the school. • Improve the range of learning resources in art and music. • Make targets in individual educational plans more specific. • Make sure that self-chosen activities during structured play sessions in reception are appropriately explained to children and supported. • Appoint co-ordinators for all national curriculum subjects and religious education and provide more opportunities for all co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate provision in their subjects. • Develop a policy for personal and social education. • Put in place arrangements for annual risk assessments. Randal Cremer Primary School - 28

p.27

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35

p.28

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.28

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.

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 277

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 143

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y[ ] – Y[ ]

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 44

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 4

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 191

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 69

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 37

p.28

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.28

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Randal Cremer Primary School - 29

p.28

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 25 18 43

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 19 20 23 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 18

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 77 (68) 84 (79) 95(100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 20 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 13 15

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 67 77 86 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.29

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 23 17 40

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 12 15 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 9 8

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 50 (54) 60 (80) 55 (69) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 12 14 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 8 11 9

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 50 (58) 63 (70) 53 (61) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Randal Cremer Primary School - 30

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 37 Black – Caribbean heritage 2

p.30

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 54 Black – African heritage 9

p.30

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 61 Other minority ethnic groups

p.30

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.

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.4 Financial year 1998-99

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 625430

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6.5 Expenditure per pupil 2388

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A Balance brought forward from previous year 54420

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 63676

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.1

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.6

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3.0

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Randal Cremer Primary School - 31

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 66 26 6 0 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 56 34 4 2 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 66 20 6 4 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 62 24 6 2 6

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 30 0 2 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 70 26 2 0 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 28 8 2 8

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 56 30 6 2 6

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 26 8 2 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 46 32 8 4 10 Randal Cremer Primary School - 32

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. Children under five are taught in the nursery and in two reception classes. The school admits children into the nursery in the year in which they are four and they attend part- time, either in the mornings or afternoons. They transfer to the reception in the term before their fifth birthday.

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. Although children enter the nursery with a range of attainment levels, generally their standards of attainment are well below those found nationally. Children’s personal and social skills are broadly average, but in the development of their early language and mathematical skills, children’s attainment is well below that expected. Many children come from homes where English is an additional language and a significant proportion of these children have no knowledge of English on entry to the nursery. The school has maintained the good provision for children under five since the previous inspection. Children achieve well, especially in their acquisition of language, knowledge and skills of mathematics, and in their knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.32

Personal and social development

69. The teachers are skilled at developing children’s good behaviour and positive attitudes to work. There is a consistent approach in both the nursery and reception classes, which builds the children’s high self-esteem and the desire to do well. The school effectively plans a structured development of children’s personal and social development throughout their early years education. Teachers take many opportunities during story reading and circle time to discuss feelings, being fair and kindness. They actively support the children in the development of friendships and in learning how to play happily together.

p.32

Personal and social development

70. In the nursery, adults have high expectations for the children’s learning. The teacher provides good opportunities for them to make their own choices and to organise themselves in their chosen activity; consequently, children make good progress in developing their personal and social skills. They take turns patiently, mostly sharing their toys and equipment without fuss. Children persevere with their activities with satisfactory levels of concentration and ask for help appropriately when they are not sure what to do. They respond well to the adults’ expectation to work sensibly and for helping to clear away at the end of a session. They are able to care for themselves when using the toilet or washing their hands. Children develop effective relationships with the other adults, such as students, who come to work in the nursery.

p.32

Personal and social development

71. This good progress continues in the reception classes; children act responsibly and have good levels of interest in their activities. Their attention span is good and they are eager to learn. Children have a secure sense of what is right and wrong and show good levels of respect for each other. Most work steadily with good levels of perseverance and concentration. Behaviour in lessons is very good. When attending whole school or Key Stage 1 assemblies, they are exemplary in the way they walk from the classroom to the hall and in their attention and good behaviour during the assembly. Teaching is good and most children achieve the expected standard by the time they are five years old. Randal Cremer Primary School - 33

p.32

Language and Literacy

72. Children’s achievement in developing their knowledge and understanding of the English language and developing their literacy skills is good in both the nursery and reception. Teachers and nursery nurses provide a good range of opportunities to develop their understanding and build their confidence, so that they learn effectively. In the nursery, adults model language well and use effective questioning to stimulate the children’s interest and desire to talk about their experiences. Many children for whom English is an additional language are rather shy and slow to talk. The nursery staff are effective in developing their speaking and listening skills, so they improve their knowledge of spoken English. They provide good support for children of different levels of attainment. The nursery teacher is skilled in enabling the children to understand what is being said and in the development of new vocabulary. Children have a strong interest in books and gain pleasure from hearing

p.33

Language and Literacy

stories. Higher attaining children recognise that the text has a purpose and comment on the letters they see, especially those letters they recognise from their own name. All children hold the books correctly and turn the pages appropriately. Many children recognise their own written name and older children in the nursery are developing a good awareness of letter sounds.

p.33

Language and Literacy

73. In the reception classes, children continue to develop their interest in books and stories well. Teachers use stories as the starting points of much of their learning and promote children’s enjoyment of books effectively. Children who have not yet started to read the text still offer ideas about the characters in the story and suggest what may happen next. Higher attaining children recognise a growing number of words and use the pictures and their knowledge of letter sounds to help them read unknown words. Most children read and write their own names correctly. Teachers are using the basis of the Literacy Strategy effectively to support their teaching. A good proportion of children are gaining confidence to write their own ideas, using their growing knowledge of letter sounds to help them. Higher attaining children write sensible sentences with many words written correctly. Others copy what the teacher has scribed for them, carefully writing recognisable letters. A

p.33

Language and Literacy

few have started to understand and use capital letters and full stops correctly. Children respond well to opportunities to ‘try and write it’ for themselves and children make good progress in developing their writing skills. Those for whom English is an additional language continue to make good gains in their learning and many achieve the expected standard for their age in reading. Teaching is good and most children attain the expected standards for language by the time they are five years of age.

p.33

Mathematics

74. Children in the nursery make good progress in their acquisition of knowledge and skills of mathematics. By the time they transfer to the reception classes, they count reliably up to five and many are confident in counting to 10. They recognise the written form of the number and are developing their understanding of its value. Many children match the correct number of objects to numbers up to five with satisfactory accuracy. Children are developing a growing understanding of mathematical language such as biggest, smallest and positional language, such as on, under, in front of and behind. This good attainment and progress in learning are due to the teacher’s high expectations and the many opportunities made by staff to practise and build children’s understanding. They use everyday activities to reinforce children’s counting skills and recognition of numbers, shape and colour. Children enjoy rhymes and songs, which are used to good effect.

p.33

Mathematics

Randal Cremer Primary School - 34 75. The children’s mathematical skills continue to progress well in the reception classes. Higher attaining children recite with accuracy to 30 and sometimes more. They have a satisfactory understanding of mathematical vocabulary such as more and less, bigger and smaller. Most of the children add and subtract numbers up to 10, but find difficulty in understanding the concept of counting on when finding how many altogether. Teachers are beginning to use the Numeracy Strategy to support their teaching and promote children’s confidence, when using mathematical concepts as ‘what number comes before’ and the effect of doubling numbers. Teaching is good and most children achieve the expected standards in mathematics by the time they are five years of age.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Children come from many different backgrounds, religions, cultures, languages and traditions but many have limited opportunities to become aware of the world around them before entering the school. However, they make good progress in both nursery and reception because of the good teaching and most children achieve the expected standards by the time they are five years of age.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. Staff in both the nursery and the reception classes provide many opportunities to experience a wide variety of activities that effectively promote children’s interest, their questions and knowledge. This term, children have been learning about growing things. They have planted seeds and watched them grow. In reception, children are fascinated by the collection of butterfly chrysalis as they wait for them to develop into butterflies. Many explain how the butterfly changes in its cycle of development before the beautiful butterfly emerges. In the nursery, children have enjoyed looking at tadpoles and their understanding of the changes that frogs grow through is reinforced in play with the aid of pictures and models. They continue to develop their vocabulary when discussing the concept of oldest and youngest.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. In both nursery and reception, children have appropriate opportunities for role-play. Staff work with them effectively to develop their use of appropriate vocabulary and understanding of what happens in activities such as ‘the doctor's surgery’ and in the ‘animal hospital’. Children’s early concepts of history and geography are satisfactorily developed through exploring ideas in a variety of topics. One reception teacher commented that very few children had been to a museum before and that they really enjoyed their visit to a local museum and wanted to return.

p.34

Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. Computers are available for children to use as a choice of activity and their confidence and expertise in using the mouse to control events on the computer screen develops satisfactorily. In the nursery, programs are often linked to the concepts children meet in other activities, such as their recognition of simple shapes. However, in reception teachers make insufficient use of computers to further develop children’s language or numeracy skills. Children have satisfactory opportunities to work with construction equipment in both nursery and reception, but the development of concepts of designing and making for a purpose are insufficiently developed.

p.34

Physical development

80. Teaching is satisfactory. Children in the nursery make satisfactory progress in developing their skills of cutting, sticking and using various crayons, pencils and paint, which they use with satisfactory control. Teachers provide a wide range of opportunities to develop these Randal Cremer Primary School - 35 skills further, such as cutting shapes out of playdoh for the youngest children, and for the oldest, cutting out rectangle shapes, which they have previously coloured. Children work with good levels of concentration and usually with good levels of care, which results in good achievement. Frequent opportunities to play with small apparatus, such as balls and skittles, develop children’s hand and eye co-ordination satisfactorily. The regular use of bikes and other large wheeled vehicles, which they steer around the play area, enables the children to develop satisfactory control and awareness of space.

p.34

Physical development

81. Physical education and dance lessons in the hall provide appropriate opportunities for reception children to develop a variety of movements with satisfactory mobility. They balance, run and jump with satisfactory flexibility and control. Children use a variety of tools appropriately and show satisfactory skill in cutting and drawing. Their formation of letters and numbers is usually good. Most children achieve the expected standards by the time they are five years of age.

p.35

Creative development

82. The quality of teaching is good as teachers provide many opportunities for children to explore ideas and express them in a variety of ways. The role-play area in the nursery and reception stimulates the children’s imagination and promotes their speaking and listening skills effectively. The doctor’s surgery had many patients, who were feeling poorly, being helped by caring nurses during the week of the inspection. Many children chose to listen to the story of Goldilocks on tape and re-enacted the tale with the use of cut out pictures. They enjoy singing and following the actions in songs and nursery rhymes.

p.35

Creative development

83. Dance lessons in the reception classes further develop children’s response to music, providing good opportunities for the children to develop their imagination and creative expression. Teachers use stories to provide the stimulus for children’s ideas. Teachers promote children’s art skills well, but there was little evidence of the children developing their creative ideas in art. Most children achieve the expected standard in creative development by the time they are five years of age.

p.35

ENGLISH

84. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are average. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are below average. Pupils' achievements are satisfactory at both key stages.

p.35

ENGLISH

85. In the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 1, the percentage of pupils achieving the expected standard was below the national average in reading, but in line with the national average in writing. Results in reading were in line with for those in similar schools and in writing were well above. Results in English at the end of Key Stage 2 were well below the national average; only half the pupils achieved the expected level in comparison with 70 per cent nationally. Standards were broadly in line with those of similar schools. At Key Stage 2, there has been an improvement in English test results over the last four years and standards are rising in comparison to the national picture. For example, the school has set itself a realistic target of close to six in every 10 pupils achieving Level 4 and above in the 2000 tests.

p.35

ENGLISH

86. Most pupils in reception classes achieve the desirable learning outcomes in language and literacy by the time they are five years old. They enter Year 1 having achieved standards close to expected levels. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1; inspection evidence indicates that overall levels of attainment by the end of the key stage are broadly Randal Cremer Primary School - 36 in line with national standards. Progress in Key Stage 2 is less secure and by the end of the key stage standards are below average, particularly in writing. Comparison of standards at the end of both key stages can be explained, in part, by the change in the composition of the cohort throughout Key Stage 2, owing to the high rates of mobility. A large proportion of these new pupils have English as an additional language. The school has adopted the National Literacy Strategy and the clearly defined structure of the literacy hour has helped

p.35

ENGLISH

to improve teaching, and ensure good curriculum coverage. This is having a positive impact on standards. However, its effectiveness, particularly in Key Stage 2, needs to be monitored and evaluated to ensure that pupils of lower prior attainment have full access to the curriculum and that opportunities for writing are extended. In Key Stage 1 pupils have regular opportunities to write at length and this enables them to make good progress in this aspect. There are fewer opportunities in Key Stage 2 for extended writing and, as a result, progress is slower.

p.36

ENGLISH

87. In both key stages, pupils listen attentively to their teachers and to the comments of their peers. However, pupils’ speaking skills are underdeveloped throughout the school and the standards achieved are below those expected nationally. Pupils have insufficient opportunities to work collaboratively. Some teachers have good questioning skills that enable pupils to develop their understanding and their ideas but, in most lessons, pupils have little opportunity to do more than give brief responses. Guided reading sessions promote discussion because the pupils are in small groups of similar ability; this develops confidence and enables teachers to focus their questioning appropriately.

p.36

ENGLISH

88. The school manages the development of pupils’ reading well. Daily guided reading sessions, which start in Key Stage 1 and continue throughout the school, enable pupils to make satisfactory progress in this area of the English curriculum. At Key Stage 1, the teachers choose texts appropriate to pupils’ abilities and the sessions have a clear focus. Teachers note pupils’ achievements and areas for further development in order to take the learning forward. In some classes in Key Stage 2 there is a weakness when pupils are sharing a text during the literacy hour. Chosen texts may be too difficult for a significant number of pupils, including pupils with English as an additional language. Consequently, they are unable to take a full part in the lesson and the subsequent writing task is then inappropriate. Support for less able pupils is good when it is specifically targeted such as in the Reading Recovery programme at Key Stage 1. Most pupils demonstrate an interest

p.36

ENGLISH

in books and many pupils read regularly at home, use the local library, and become keen and competent readers. Standards by the end of key Stage 1 are close to average. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are improving but still fall short of the national average.

p.36

ENGLISH

89. Writing is developed well in Key Stage 1; pupils achieve well and most reach average standards. At Key Stage 2, pupils have fewer opportunities for extended writing, either in English lessons or in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ writing skills, and the range of purposes for which they write, are not, therefore, being developed to the extent that the National Curriculum programmes of study recommend. Occasionally, extended writing is included in other subject areas but pupils’ experiences vary from class to class and year to year. Overall, standards are still well below average, because only a half of the current Year 6 are in line to achieve or exceed the expected standard. Standards of handwriting and presentation are below average and, by the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils are still printing. Pupils practise handwriting regularly, often using the day’s work on phonics and thus reinforcing their knowledge of letter sounds and spellings. However, there is no

p.36

ENGLISH

systematic teaching of handwriting, nor is there a school handwriting policy to support teachers. During the inspection no actual teaching of handwriting was seen and the standards achieved during practice sessions are not carried forward into pupils’ written Randal Cremer Primary School - 37 work. Pupils are taking insufficient pride in their work, although their attitudes to learning are generally good. Throughout the school, pupils learn weekly spellings and this helps to raise standards.

p.36

ENGLISH

90. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in both key stages. In the best lessons, teachers use good questioning skills to help pupils develop ideas and set tasks matched to pupils’ attainment, but with a degree of challenge. They share lesson objectives with pupils and use the plenary to assess whether objectives have been met. In some lessons, pupils referred to their individual targets and, when this occurs, the strategy is having a positive impact on standards. Most literacy lessons were satisfactory, a few unsatisfactory, but there were few instances of good lessons. Sometimes teachers allow themselves to be constrained by the structure of the literacy hour to such an extent that the content and pace of the lesson are inappropriate for promoting pupils’ learning. Sometimes the shared text is too demanding for a significant proportion of the pupils. When this occurs some pupils cannot cope with the writing task that follows. As a result, they spend too much time in

p.37

ENGLISH

unproductive activity. Pupils’ concentration is sometimes lost towards the end of the shared reading part of the lesson, particularly if the pace of the lesson has been slow and only a small proportion of pupils have been actively involved. However, most pupils work hard during group activities and listen to each other courteously in plenary sessions. In some of the most effective lessons, where teachers make the purpose of lessons clear to pupils and share the lesson objectives with them, they question pupils to assess whether they have acquired the knowledge, skills and understanding intended. However, this good practice is inconsistent because lesson planning often indicates the activities rather than specific learning objectives.

p.37

ENGLISH

91. The school has well-established assessment procedures in place. Teachers assess pupils’ written work half-termly and effective moderation procedures ensure these assessments are accurate. Individual achievement files which include the results of annual reading tests enables the school to track individual pupil progress and take remedial action if necessary. Support for pupils with special educational needs is good where the school provides a well- structured programme, such as Reading Recovery, the Phonological Awareness Training programme or Additional Literacy Support. The primary helpers are committed, know the pupils well and make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Support within the classroom is less satisfactory because pupils are sometimes being helped to complete a task that is too difficult for them. Teachers do not always provide appropriate tasks targeted to address their needs. Support for pupils with English as a second language is good at Key

p.37

ENGLISH

Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2.

p.37

ENGLISH

92. Management of the subject is satisfactory. The joint co-ordinators are conscientious and well informed. They maintain careful records and they manage their budgets well. The co- ordinators provide support and advice to colleagues and monitor teachers’ planning. However, the school’s monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the implementation of the literacy strategy lack rigour. Overall, the implementation of the literacy strategy is helping to improve standards in English throughout the school. Nevertheless, there are aspects of current practice which need to be modified in order to make the curriculum and its management even more effective. The curriculum is satisfactory as it is based on the national literacy framework and teachers broadly plan from the termly content of the strategy. However, these plans need to be adjusted to meet the specific needs of the pupils, so that they can work at appropriate levels. For example, teachers seldom provide different

p.37

ENGLISH

writing tasks for pupils at different stages of development. A school-based audit of the current position is intended to form the basis for planning for the next academic year. Randal Cremer Primary School - 38

p.37

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

93. A large proportion of pupils enters Randal Cremer with very little knowledge of English and the school sets great emphasis on providing effective support for these pupils. However, there has been a recent change in the funding arrangements to support pupils who have English as an additional language. The school now receives delegated funds directly to manage the provision. Support staff, previously employed directly by the local education authority to work in the school, have left. At the time of the inspection the school had only implemented part of its plan to employ further staff. Consequently, the quality of provision to support bilingual pupils, although overall satisfactory, has declined since the previous report.

p.38

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

94. Provision for children under five and at Key Stage 1 remains good. A large proportion of children in the nursery, for whom English is an additional language, start school with very little knowledge of spoken English. However, the school provides good support, so they make good progress in their learning. Staff know the children well and are quick to use pictures, resources and actions to reinforce their use of language and to support their understanding. A language support assistant, recently appointed to work in nursery and reception classes, can speak to many children in their own language. This provides essential support for children when they start school and are unable to comprehend the meaning of new vocabulary. The school provides good support for pupils in Years 1 and 2, in class and through the use of individual teaching and group withdrawal sessions. A language support teacher employed to provide expert assistance under the Ethnic Minority

p.38

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

Achievement Grant (EMAG) provides effective teaching. She also works closely with teachers in planning pupils’ activities so that these link to work in class. Frequently, the class teacher and the Ethnic Minority Achievement Support teacher (EMAS) share the whole-class introduction sessions in literacy, numeracy and science lessons. This is an effective strategy, because she can give good support, using other examples of expressions and vocabulary to clarify pupils’ understanding. The EMAS teacher also provides effective support to those bilingual pupils who are often reticent in answering questions in front of the class. She provides them with opportunities to share their ideas and so develop greater self-esteem and confidence. Group work focuses particularly on specific pupils’ needs within the overall focus of the class lesson. Appropriate targets for their learning identify the next stage of their acquisition of the English language as well as the usual concepts and

p.38

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

knowledge taught as part of the National Curriculum.

p.38

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

95. Provision for pupils who have English is an additional language at Key Stage 2 is no better than satisfactory at present. There is no specialist teacher support for pupils at Key Stage 2. The school has recently appointed a language support assistant to support pupils in Years 5 and 6, but at present there is no specific support for pupils in Years 3 and 4. The EMAS teacher provides some guidance and support to class teachers. Teachers are well aware of the needs of bilingual pupils, so they provide some measure of support. Most teachers check that pupils understand what they need to do in each activity. However, the pressures on class teachers to monitor and support all pupils in the class often results in those with the greatest need for language development being neglected. In some classes there is insufficient planning to match activities appropriately to pupils’ needs. There is often insufficient opportunity for bilingual pupils to develop their speaking and listening

p.38

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

skills in class discussions. Those who are slow to offer their ideas or answer questions are not sufficiently enabled to do so. Classroom assistants who work with pupils with special educational needs are very experienced. They also have good expertise in working with pupils who have English as an additional language. They provide assistance where Randal Cremer Primary School - 39 necessary, but this puts considerable pressure on their time, limiting support to those pupils identified as needing their help.

p.38

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

96. The management of the provision for pupils who have English as an additional language is satisfactory at present, but it is in the process of improvement. There is ongoing evaluation of the support provided and detailed action plans for the last four years show a good awareness of the different areas for improvement and targets for their further development. The EMAS teacher made an effective contribution to the development of these action plans. She has started to implement plans for the management and training of the new language support team. The headteacher has clear plans for the further development and improvement of support for these pupils. When the school appoints the additional staff, it plans to reorganise the present structure of support so that all bilingual pupils at Key Stage 2 have the benefit of essential support.

p.39

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

97. Sound systems for monitoring and assessing pupils’ progress are already in place. The EMAS teacher ensures effective identification of children’s language needs in reception. Many pupils have Turkish as their home language and she can speak with them in this language where necessary. The school seeks support from other agencies if other languages are required to make an effective assessment. At Key Stage 1, the EMAS teacher works with the pupils and establishes with the teachers what level of support they will need. This ensures that pupils make very good progress in the initial stage because of very well targeted support.

p.39

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

98. The school makes satisfactory use of its analysis of assessment data to track the progress of individual pupils and the overall achievement of pupils for whom English is an additional language. It has identified groups of pupils who are regularly under-achieving. In the nursery and reception classes, parents are already effectively involved in helping teachers identify their children’s needs and teachers work closely with parents so that the children benefit from this shared understanding. There are plans to further involve parents so they are aware of what their children need to learn and can encourage and support them more effectively.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

99. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are above average. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are below average. Pupils' achievements are good at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2.

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MATHEMATICS

100. Results in the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were well above the national average and also well above the results achieved by similar schools. Over 90 per cent of pupils achieved at least the national expected standard, Level 2. The proportion of pupils achieving at the higher levels was better than the national average with four out of 10 achieving Level 3 compared with two out of 10 nationally. Results have been rising and over the last three years have been above national averages.

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MATHEMATICS

101. The results at the end of Key Stage 2 tests in 1999 were below the national average but were high in comparison with similar schools. Six in every 10 pupils achieved the national expected standard of Level 4, whereas nationally it was seven in every 10. However, the percentage achieving the higher level 5 was higher than the national average. Over the past four years, results have steadily improved. There is a high mobility rate among pupils within the school and this contributes to the lowering of standards by the end of the key Randal Cremer Primary School - 40 stage. Analysis of the performance of pupils who have been at the school since Key Stage 1 shows that their standards are generally higher and close to average.

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MATHEMATICS

102. At Key Stage 1 there has been a continued improvement in pupils’ attainment since the previous inspection. This is especially evident in mental mathematics. Most pupils are working at the expected level in written calculations. By the end of the key stage, pupils can add and subtract numbers up to 100 using appropriate strategies. They are familiar with multiplication as repeated addition and can count in fives and tens. Pupils have a sound understanding of place value and simple fractions. They can partition numbers to help simplify addition and are learning about simple fractions. Pupils carry out regular calculations in solving simple problems, for example in telling the time and in deciding what coins to use to pay sums of money and calculating the change. They can construct simple bar charts and have appropriate understanding of the properties of common geometrical shapes and solids. In one class, pupils compare geometrical solids with

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MATHEMATICS

commonly found shapes such as spheres, cuboids and cubes.

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MATHEMATICS

103. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Years 3 and 4 demonstrate increased competence in their mental mathematics work. Pupils’ abilities to apply mathematical reasoning to problem solving are developing well. Teachers' comments are supportive and have a positive impact on the pupils’ confidence and enthusiasm. Pupils present their work well. However, by the end of the key stage, progress is less evident in the development of pupils’ numeracy and computational skills. Nevertheless, Years 5 and 6 pupils can multiply and divide 3-digit numbers by 10 and 100 and have satisfactory understanding of place value, decimals and the use of brackets in computation. The majority knows number facts by heart and use what they know to calculate answers mentally. Their grasp of mathematical vocabulary is satisfactory. Progress in the development of mathematics is slower with the current Years 5 and 6 pupils as their overall ability levels are lower. Throughout the key stage the high

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MATHEMATICS

pupil turnover and the comparatively low proportion of high achieving pupils in some year groups affects overall standards. This helps to explain the results in the tests and in work seen during the inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

104. The school has worked hard to improve the quality of teaching since the last inspection. The quality of teaching seen was good overall and included two lessons that were excellent. All teachers have a secure understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy and how to implement the numeracy hour. Teachers have welcomed the numeracy strategy and have good subject knowledge, explaining concepts well using appropriate language. They relate new learning to previously learned concepts. This allows teachers to provide clear explanations to help pupils to understand that there are frequently several ways to solve a single problem. For example, in a lesson with a Year 3/4 class, the teacher was introducing pupils to addition and subtraction of two-digit numbers. She was able to use previously learned mathematical facts about number partitioning to help her pupils to understand the processes and that there were several ways to reach the correct answer. Teachers motivate

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MATHEMATICS

pupils during mental mathematics sessions by ensuring their lessons have a good pace. Teaching is better where the work set matches closely the needs of different ability groups. Teachers conduct mental mathematics sessions at a brisk pace with good questioning. Pupils also enjoy the variety of tasks set and are keen to do well. In all the lessons seen, teachers’ planning was satisfactory or better. However, teachers do not sufficiently challenge the higher attaining pupils throughout both key stages. The quality of support for pupils with special educational needs is good and for those with English as an additional language is sound. Teachers manage their pupils well; they reassure and challenge them Randal Cremer Primary School - 41 through careful questioning. Teachers however, do not make enough use of information communication technology to support learning in mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

105. Throughout both key stages, pupils have positive attitudes and behave well in mathematics lessons. During the introductory mental mathematics sessions they are keen to give the correct answers. When moving from the introductory session of the lesson to the practical tasks, their behaviour is generally sensible and they are able to work very well together using any resources in a responsible manner.

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MATHEMATICS

106. The co-ordination of mathematics is good. The successful implementation of the numeracy strategy has helped ensure a balanced curriculum. Teachers have had much in-service training in connection with the numeracy strategy and this has helped to improve their teaching. The co-ordinator monitors the teaching of mathematics and how teachers plan and carry out the numeracy hour. This monitoring has included support from the local education authority’s numeracy consultant. The school has, through its monitoring procedures, been able to track coverage in mathematics and the progress of individual pupils accurately. However, teachers do not always make effective use this information to match the work set to pupils’ prior attainment. Targets for the percentage of pupils attaining the expected level in the National Curriculum tests at age 11 are realistic, set appropriate challenge and are based on pupil tracking and assessment information.

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MATHEMATICS

Resources for mathematics are just satisfactory.

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SCIENCE

107. Standards are below average by the end of Key Stage 2. Standards are average by the end of Key Stage 1. These standards are similar to those found at the previous inspection, but pupils generally show satisfactory levels of achievement.

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SCIENCE

108. In the 1999 National Curriculum teacher assessments at Key Stage 1, pupils attained standards that were below the national average. The higher attaining pupils performed satisfactorily as the proportion of pupils who achieved the higher than expected standard was similar to the national average. In comparison with schools considered to have pupils with similar backgrounds, results were above average. At Key Stage 2, overall results were well below the national average, but a similar proportion of pupils to that found nationally attained the higher than average standard of Level 5. In comparison with schools in a similar socio-economic area, standards were below average at Key Stage 2. However, results show a very good improvement over the last four years.

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SCIENCE

109. During the current inspection, the majority of pupils at Key Stage 1 attain standards similar to those expected for their age. Their achievements through the key stage are satisfactory. Children in reception attain standards similar to those that are expected at five and show a satisfactory awareness of living things around them, how they grow and develop. By the age of seven, pupils, including those who have English as an additional language, have made satisfactory gains in their learning. They recognise what is alive and what has never been alive, explaining clearly how they can tell. They classify with satisfactory understanding materials that are natural and those that are man-made. They know that materials have different properties and that some are transparent and others opaque. They know how to make a simple circuit and explain why it will not work if the wires are not correctly connected. Pupils name a variety of sources of light and are

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SCIENCE

developing a satisfactory understanding of how shadows are formed. They use simple Randal Cremer Primary School - 42 scientific language appropriately, although many need considerable support when writing about what they have found out.

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SCIENCE

110. During the inspection, the standards of work seen among the oldest pupils in Key Stage 2 were below average. This is because a smaller proportion than is found nationally is attaining the expected standards or higher. This, however, is a satisfactory level of achievement for many of the pupils. The cohort has changed considerably throughout Key Stage 2 owing to the mobility of many of the local families, which has disrupted the pupils’ learning. A large proportion of the pupils has English as an additional language, which impedes their full understanding of concepts and the vocabulary used. This year there is also a larger than average proportion of pupils who have special educational needs, who, although making satisfactory progress, are unlikely to attain the standards expected for their age. However, the average and higher attaining pupils have acquired a satisfactory range of scientific knowledge; they use their investigation skills appropriately to help them

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SCIENCE

make predictions, and collect and record evidence using tables and graphs. Higher attaining pupils make hypotheses about their results and draw sensible conclusions from their findings. Most pupils in Year 6 have a satisfactory understanding of the need to make a fair test. However, only a small proportion understands the process of controlling variables and the use of a control in experiments.

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SCIENCE

111. The quality of teaching at both key stages is satisfactory. Teachers generally have good relationships with their pupils and this leads to a harmonious learning atmosphere. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, which ensures they are able to concentrate on their learning. Most teachers plan their lessons carefully so that there are clear objectives for what the pupils are to learn and be able to do. Teachers usually share these targets with the class, so that pupils focus effectively on the activities provided. Teachers promote pupils’ interest and stimulate their thinking through the use of experimentation and investigation. Consequently, most pupils enjoy science; they are eager to learn and show what they have learnt. Teachers have generally satisfactory subject knowledge that enables them to demonstrate and explain correctly, but some teachers’ own knowledge is insecure, which leads to a lack of clarity in their experiments and

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SCIENCE

explanations. In one lesson observed the teacher gave incorrect information that was later reinforced, leading to pupils’ misunderstanding. A strength of the teaching is the effective focus on the development of pupils’ skills of enquiry and investigation linked to a consistent development of pupils’ understanding of recording experiments in a structured way. In general, teachers develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills appropriately but there is very little evidence of the use of information and communications technology to present results or to do research.

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SCIENCE

112. The curriculum for science is appropriately broad and well balanced. The introduction of a commercially produced scheme of work provides staff with clear guidance on the order in which to teach knowledge and skills. This was considered as essential by the co-ordinator since teachers in the past have not always provided appropriate activities to develop pupils’ learning systematically. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 designed simple circuits to light a bulb, work already completed effectively in Year 2. The new scheme of work also provides teachers with clear structure of assessments linked to the activities covered. The co-ordinator provides satisfactory leadership in his subject and he has provided training for staff on the new scheme of work. Pupils’ learning is now effectively monitored and teachers provide targets for their further improvement. The co-ordinator also monitors pupils’ progress through the regular scrutiny of pupils’ work. He has started to monitor the

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SCIENCE

quality of teaching through the observation of lessons. Randal Cremer Primary School - 43

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ART

113. Standards are at expected levels at the end of Key Stage 1. Standards are below nationally expected levels at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory in Key Stage 1 but unsatisfactory in Key Stage 2. Teachers develop well the skills of the children under five. Teachers continue to extend and build upon these skills satisfactorily throughout Key Stage 1, but progress is unsatisfactory in Key Stage 2. Scrutiny of displayed work of both observational drawings and creative work shows that there is a lack of refinement of skills in older pupils. The school has not maintained standards at Key Stage 2 since the previous inspection.

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ART

114. Only three lessons were observed during the inspection. Judgements are based on these lessons and on observations of displayed work and discussions with teachers and pupils.

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ART

115. Throughout Key Stage 1 the progression in the use of shading, perspective and detail is satisfactory. Pupils use an appropriate range of materials including pencils, pastels, paint and collage. Their understanding and skills of colour mixing and blurring and smudging pastel and chalk are satisfactory. However, their skills in collage making, including cutting and pasting are under-developed and there is a lack of three-dimensional and repeat pattern work. There are good examples where skills in art support learning in science. For example, in Year 2 pupils had produced some colourful illustrations in connection with work on animals. Year 1 pupils are being introduced to the primary colours and had produced a collage of colour mixing. Year 2 pupils had also looked at the work of Paul Klee and carried out colour mixing in his style.

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ART

116. At Key Stage 2 teachers have not adequately extended the range of artistic activities for pupils. There is little opportunity for individual creativity. This results in unsatisfactory gains in learning for pupils of all abilities. A minority of pupils in the younger classes make good progress in their observational drawing techniques and develop good observational work. In the Year 3/4 classes, pupils produce some attractive observational sketches of flowers and plants and extend this work, using pastel and experimenting with pastel blurring techniques. However, the teaching of skills in observational drawing with older pupils is not extended through the use of shading. For example, pupils do not use a range of pencils to explore a variety of tone within their sketches. The development of colour mixing is satisfactory. Pupils in Year 4/5 had produced a series of watercolours in the style of Van Gogh and these demonstrate a good range of tones in keeping with Van

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ART

Gogh’s technique. Collage skills are under-developed; pupils have a limited understanding of proportion and composition in the production of collages. In the Year 5/6 classes pupils had produced collages of human bodies in the style of Matisse, some of which were very effective. At Key Stage 2 there is an under-representation of three-dimensional and repeat pattern work.

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ART

117. In the few lessons seen teaching was satisfactory or better. The school has not identified the skills to be taught in each year group. In the better lesson, planning was more effective so that pupils were able to be more creative, and good use of resources enabled pupils to complete the task. In this lesson, the teacher provided appropriate opportunities for pupils to evaluate their work and managed their learning well because the pace of the lesson was brisk. However, in general teachers do not show pupils what to aim for, so pupils do not have a clear idea of what makes a well-produced piece of work. Pupils’ attitudes to art are good. They are able to share resources and work co-operatively. Randal Cremer Primary School - 44 118. The school alternates art with design and technology each half term and this limits pupils' experiences. There is insufficient guidance to help teachers plan so lessons lack clearly

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ART

defined expectations. Their planning for the progression of artistic skills is unclear and pupils do not build on previously learned skills. The school does not have an agreed approach to assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. There is a lack of monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning through the school. Art resources are just satisfactory and there is an adequate range of materials and tools for activities.

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

119. The previous inspection reported that standards were below average. Evidence from this inspection indicates that standards have not improved and that the quality of provision has deteriorated.

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

120. No lessons in the subject took place in either key stage during the week of the inspection. The school plans the teaching of design and technology for alternate half terms, in rotation with art. Judgements are based on evidence from discussions with teachers and pupils, from looking at displays of pupils’ work and from curriculum planning for the subject.

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

121. Overall, pupils have very limited experiences of designing and making. Curriculum plans do not identify the skills that pupils should build upon as they move through the school. Teachers choose tasks related to other curriculum areas. As a result, teachers give pupils some experiences of design and make tasks, but these do not build on their previous knowledge and understanding. Recent work has included making jointed paper skeletons and attractively decorated caterpillar puppets in Years 3 and 4. Pupils in Years 5/6 made models of famous landmarks (for example, St. Paul’s and the Houses of Parliament) last year, involving designing, measuring and building to scale. Pupils remembered sewing material to paper to make collages of historical costumes. The standard of work seen was below expected standards at Key Stage 2. There was very little work on display and therefore it was not possible to make a judgement on standards at Key Stage 1.

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DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

122. In response to the findings of the previous inspection, the school organised in-service training for staff and developed a detailed scheme of work. However, the scheme requires modification to take account of the reduction in the time available for the subject, since the school’s implementation of the literacy strategy. There is no longer a clear progression in the development of skills and pupils’ experiences are insufficient to enable them to make satisfactory progress. The quality of provision is therefore unsatisfactory. There is a co- ordinator to lead and manage the subject but other curricular considerations have made design and technology a low priority with the result that planning lacks coherence and a sense of direction.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

123. The school has maintained standards since the previous inspection and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory in the lessons seen. Their books show that have they make satisfactory progress in acquiring the expected levels of historical and geographical knowledge. The development of investigative skills in history and map skills are less secure.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

124. At Key Stage 1 no history lessons were observed. Work in pupils’ books show that pupils have a sound sense of past events and can make comparisons between aspects of Victorian Randal Cremer Primary School - 45 times and the present. In geography lessons, pupils’ achievements were satisfactory and their understanding of environmental issues was appropriate for their ages. Year 2 pupils understand the concept of pollution, can give examples of different kinds of pollution and give suggestions to improve their environment. The development of pupils’ map skills is satisfactory; pupils draw plans of their classrooms and bedrooms and maps of the local area showing appropriate features and satisfactory use of map keys.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

125. At Key Stage 2 no history lessons were observed and no geography lessons in Years 5 and 6. Standards in geography in Years 3 and 4 are at expected levels for their age. Pupils can use atlases, globes and maps to locate places and can extract relevant geographical information from pictures. They recognise and make observations about physical and human features of places. They have some idea of the characteristics of a good site for a settlement. Some can express their opinions using a sound range of geographical terms for features of the landscape. However, there is very little development of map skills at Key Stage 2. For example, the standard of map work by Year 6 pupils at the beginning of the year was no better than that produced by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. From this low base they make satisfactory progress in the current year; pupils now understand how to use ordnance survey symbols and locate features on maps, using four figure grid references. In

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

history, a survey of pupils’ books shows that there is sound coverage of historical topics but little development of research skills and use of secondary sources.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

126. The final humanities topic of the year for the older pupils relates to personal achievements. This is an appropriate topic for Year 6 pupils as part of their personal and social education. The timing is not particularly suitable for the Year 5 and some Year 4 pupils in these classes as the topic is more relevant for older pupils. Pupils show sound social skills in these lessons and a willingness to discuss ideas.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

127. The quality of teaching of geography at both key stages is satisfactory, but lacks variety in teaching approaches. Lesson planning is sound and there is a clear geographical focus to lessons. However, the purpose of lessons lacks clarity because learning objectives are too vague. Teachers’ management of their classes is good so pupils behave well, but without much enthusiasm. Teachers do not give sufficient thought to the appropriateness of resources and fail in turn to stimulate pupils. In some lessons, teachers make little attempt to stimulate pupils’ interests or provide them with worthwhile subject specific activities. One teacher made effective use of photographs and focused questions to help pupils appreciate some of the human and physical differences in village life in Asia. However, there was too much direct instruction from this teacher and too little actual contributions from most of the class. As a result, pupils made insufficient gains in their knowledge or

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

understanding. Where the teacher was clear on what pupils are likely to achieve and has chosen relevant resources, pupils’ learning was better. One lesson in Key Stage 1 was of a high quality. The teacher’s high expectations, clarity of purpose and stimulating questioning had all the class eager to answer questions on pollution and make suggestions to improve the environment.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

128. Teaching in the humanities lessons with the older pupils was satisfactory. Teachers manage their pupils well and their relationships with their classes are good. Although pupils are not very articulate, teachers are good at encouraging them to give their ideas and use skilful questioning and sympathetic prompting to follow up pupils’ initial responses. In discussions, pupils co-operate well and listen attentively to one another.

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

129. Currently, there is no teacher with responsibility for geography or history. In consequence, the subjects have a low profile and the school has undertaken limited developments. For Randal Cremer Primary School - 46 example, the school has not identified the opportunities the subject offers for the development of literacy, numeracy or information technology skills. The school has not developed a detailed scheme of work for both subjects. There is a broad list of topics that help ensure that pupils receive a balanced curriculum, but the lack of detailed schemes means that skills are not sufficiently built upon. The school has not modified the topic cycle, since it organised pupils into mixed age classes, but intends to review its documentation in the light of the new Curriculum 2000. There are no whole school procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and there is a lack of monitoring

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HUMANITIES: HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

of the quality of teaching and learning through the school. Pupils’ learning is enhanced by visits to places of interest and by visitors to the school. These include the Year 6 residential trip to the Kingswood Centre in Norfolk and visits to Gilwell Park. Each class also enjoys a termly trip relevant to their topic work. The school also benefits from its close proximity to the Jeffries Museum to help stimulate pupils’ interest in history.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

130. Pupils do not achieve well in information technology across the school. The school has not yet successfully addressed the key issue from the previous inspection on raising standards. Standards have not improved enough since the previous inspection.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

131. By the end of Key Stages 1 overall attainment is below national expectations as pupils do not have the opportunity to study all aspects of the subject. During the inspection very few pupils made use of information technology to support their learning. Two pupils in the Year 1/2 class were using a shape program to support a class activity on geometrical shapes. This enables them to build up a larger shape and investigate how the shapes fitted together. Pupils have very limited word-processing skills. Though pupils are beginning to use clip art along with text, progress is unsatisfactory. The school makes limited use of graphics and information handling software and control in the support of mathematics and science.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

132. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ overall attainment is below average. Pupils are beginning to develop word-processing skills that enable them to create simple poems and write stories and are beginning to add graphics to their written work. However, progress is unsatisfactory. Pupils in Year 3/4 classes were using a word-processing package to enter questions and use the question mark, to centre and underline text. Progress was slow and they were unfamiliar with the options the application had to offer. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop aspects such as information handling skills, the use of spreadsheets or the use of advanced search routines available on some CD-ROM.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Teaching of information communication technology is unsatisfactory. In two of the lessons seen, teachers were trying to demonstrate word-processing with too large groups and where a significant number of pupils were unable to see the screen. This impacts negatively on the quality of learning and often pupils lose concentration. Many teachers lack confidence and the expertise to teach the subject and they do not make effective use of information technology to support pupils’ learning in other subjects. Pupils work together well and show good levels of independence when at computers. They respect the equipment and can concentrate for adequate periods of time.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

134. The school is now addressing the key issue in the previous report. It has improved the hardware provision by providing a new computer suite, which is almost ready for use, and through the networking of all classroom based computers. While the school has made some progress in improving provision for information technology since the previous inspection, Randal Cremer Primary School - 47 the lack of a scheme of work and limited use of software to support learning in subjects continue to restrict progress to higher attainment.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

135. The senior management team has a clear understanding of the required improvements and has built appropriate targets into the school development plan to address weaknesses in this area. This includes the successful provision of the ICT suite and plans for essential staff development organised by the New Opportunities Fund. The new co-ordinator for the subject is aware of the challenges ahead and is satisfactorily co-ordinating this developing area of the curriculum. Making improvements to resources and developing all aspects of ICT is a current school priority. The school has recently adopted a commercial scheme of work. This should help teachers teach the necessary skills and to plan activities that get progressively harder. However, arrangements for monitoring teaching and assessing pupils’ achievements are not yet in place.

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MUSIC

136. The school has maintained standards at Key Stage 1 since the previous inspection and pupils’ achievements are in line with expected levels. It is not possible to make a judgement on standards at the end of Key Stage 2 as only one lesson was observed. Judgements on the school’s provision are based on a scrutiny of teachers’ planning and discussions with staff.

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MUSIC

137. Teachers at Key Stage 1 offer pupils a range of musical experiences, including performing, composing and critical listening. The younger pupils in Key Stage 1 are beginning to appreciate how to indicate rhythm and tempo on a musical score. They draw pictorial diagrams of their own to represent the sounds made with a variety of un-tuned percussion. At Key Stage 2 pupils in a Year 3/ 4 class were producing sound effects to accompany a story read by the teacher. The pupils showed a good degree of control and creativity in this activity. They were able to work closely together with a sense of performance to their work. Singing in the school assembly was satisfactory with pupils in Key Stage 1 singing in tune and with enthusiasm, whereas the older pupils were less enthusiastic.

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MUSIC

138. Teaching is satisfactory overall. The school allocates insufficient time for teaching music, so the time available is too low for pupils to have enough opportunities to deepen and extend their learning. Some teachers do not have sufficient confidence to teach the subject well. Curriculum guidelines give some useful pointers towards ensuring that lessons are planned to take account of what has gone before and what is to follow. However, the recent departure of the school’s specialist music teacher has reduced the overall levels of subject expertise. Teachers do not make effective use of information technology to support pupils’ learning. However, teaching was often good in the few lessons observed, because teachers gave pupils good opportunities to participate and be creative. Pupils responded well and their learning was productive, because the pace of the lessons was good.

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MUSIC

139. The school has made satisfactory progress in some respects in improving its provision since the previous inspection. There is now a scheme of work from which teachers plan their lessons. The school has also increased the opportunities for pupils to perform, such as in the Hackney Schools Music Week, in school assemblies and in end-of-term productions. The music co-ordinator has just moved from the school and opportunities for pupils to extend their musical opportunities especially in recorder playing and singing in the choir have reduced. However, guitar lessons are available for Key Stage 2 pupils on a regular Randal Cremer Primary School - 48 basis. The lack of music displays reflects the subject’s current low priority within the school. Resources are just satisfactory to teach the school’s curriculum, though those kept in the resources store are in need of repair and replacement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Pupils' achievements in physical education are not satisfactory. Standards have declined since the previous inspection and are now below those expected for pupils’ ages.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. One satisfactory gymnastics lesson was seen in Key Stage 1. Year 2 pupils were travelling in various ways on hands and feet. Pupils used space appropriately and their sensible attitudes enabled them to make satisfactory progress. During the inspection all classes in Key Stage 2 were practising rounders skills. Standards in the lessons seen were below those expected for pupils of this age. Pupils were gaining experience of using a bat and a ball but there was little development of skills. In most lessons, pupils did not apply themselves well to the tasks that teachers had set with the result that they made very little progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. The quality of teaching is unsatisfactory. In some lessons, teachers’ expectations of pupils were not high enough. In one lesson at Key Stage 2, the teacher clearly communicated the skills focus of the lesson to the pupils and her sound demonstration gave pupils a clear idea of what was expected. However, in some other lessons teachers provided pupils with experiences of bowling and batting but they did not make the appropriate teaching points to develop specific skills. In both key stages there were examples of lessons where teachers’ were insecure in their subject knowledge. Most teachers have satisfactory pupil management strategies but where the teacher’s control was less secure, pupils did not behave well and they made little gains in developing their skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. The previous inspection report did not identify any significant weaknesses in provision for physical education. At the present time provision is unsatisfactory. The school allocates only 30 minutes for each class per week. This means that the curriculum cannot be taught in sufficient depth. In consequence, pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to co-operate with each other in team games, thus missing an important part of social development. The development of skills is unsatisfactory and pupils have too few opportunities for strenuous activity. The school recognises that the scheme of work for physical education needs revision. At present, teachers choose activities from a bank of suggestions and, as a result, planning lacks progression in the development of skills. The school does not currently offer swimming, as the local swimming pool has been temporarily closed and the school’s newly refurbished pool is not ready for use.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

144. The co-ordinator for the subject has the capacity to fill the role effectively and is conscientious in managing the subject on a day-to-day basis. However, physical education is not a current school priority so the coordinator has not been given time to monitor the effectiveness of planning and teaching. Equipment and activity suggestions provided by the Top Play and Top Sport scheme are in use but have yet to make an impact on standards. The arrangements for equipment to be available to pupils at play times work well. Randal Cremer Primary School - 49

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. The school has maintained standards since the previous inspection and pupils’ achievements are in line with the locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils make satisfactory progress in acquiring the expected levels of knowledge and understanding through the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. Pupils have a developing understanding of the major world faiths, and the festivals and rituals associated with Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism. At Key Stage 1, pupils gain knowledge and understanding of the purpose of some of the artefacts used by Muslims, Jews and Christians. By Year 2, pupils are able to talk about the similarities of worship in the different religions and make simple contrasts between them. They can relate the events in Christian festivals such as Easter and Christmas. At Key Stage 2, in the Year 3 and 4 classes, pupils learn about the rites of passage celebrated by different religions, such as Baptism, Confirmation and marriage in Christianity. Pupils in Year 5/6 classes learn about the five Ks of Sikhism, its origins and traditions and the impact of their beliefs on the way they live. The school provides pupils throughout the school with satisfactory

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

opportunities to discuss how they respond to different ideas and show tolerance of each other’s values and beliefs. There was little evidence of pupils having opportunities to develop their spiritual awareness through religious education lessons or by the expression of their on ideas through, poetry, music or art.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. The standard of teaching is satisfactory overall and pupils make steady progress in their learning throughout the school. Teachers effectively promote pupils’ interest and curiosity in the various religious disciplines. The school satisfactorily promotes pupils’ knowledge and understanding and encourages their tolerance and respect for others, to which the pupils respond very positively. They demonstrate respect for each other’s beliefs and interest in the various celebrations.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. Teachers plan from a scheme of work that relates closely to the locally Agreed Syllabus which takes account of the rich diversity of home faiths which pupils practise. Teachers have mostly satisfactory levels of subject knowledge, but where it is good pupils’ learning is effective and pupils respond well to the teachers’ enthusiasm. Much of the learning is through stories. Some teachers use resources effectively to promote pupils’ interest and stimulate questions. In one lesson, the use of artefacts and the teacher’s own very good subject knowledge and expertise enabled pupils to have a good understanding of the purpose of religious artefacts in Judaism. However, in one lesson there was too much direct instruction from the teacher and pupils sat passively for too long. The school tends to plan religious education as a discrete area of learning. Teachers do not develop pupils’ literacy and information technology skills through religious education lessons. Most weekly lessons

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

are only for 30 minutes and this limits the opportunities for developing pupils’ recording skills. The exception is in the Year 4/5class where the teacher makes very effective use of religious stories to effectively stimulate pupils’ extended writing skills. Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and work effectively to ensure that these are met and that pupils are involved in the lesson concentrating and participating effectively.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. The co-ordinator has recently left the school and the co-ordination of the provision of religious education is being undertaken by the headteacher. This is satisfactory as an interim measure. There is an appropriate policy and the school has developed a scheme of work from the locally Agreed Syllabus. However, it has not been adapted since the pupils have organised in mixed-age classes, though the school recognises the need for a two-year Randal Cremer Primary School - 50 rolling programme in most subjects. Consequently teachers in each year group make their own decisions about which elements to teach from the possible examples in the scheme of work, resulting in a lack of clear progression of knowledge and skills. There are no whole- school procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress and there is a lack of monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning through the school. Pupils’ learning is

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

enhanced by an appropriate range of resources, including books and artefacts covering the major faiths and through visiting local places of worship, such as the large mosque situated very close to the school.

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