Water Mill Primary School

WATER MILL 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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WATER MILL 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. Water Mill Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Water Mill Close Selly Oak Birmingham

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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: Dr. Esther Oppenheim

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 July 1996 Water Mill Primary School

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Team members

Mrs P C Cox Registered inspector Mr M Romano Lay inspector Mr R Linstead Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough Cambs PE4 6QZ Tel: 01733 570753

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Water Mill Primary School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

Standards are high in English and art at both key stages and in mathematics at Key Stage 1 Teaching is good throughout the school The school is led and managed well Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave very well Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good The school provides very good care for its pupils

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15

The use of assessment to plan future work is not consistent enough There is no designated play area for the under fives

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Water Mill is a small primary school situated in a suburb in the south west of Birmingham. There are 195 pupils in the school of whom three quarters are of white ethnic background. Other pupils are from a range of ethnic backgrounds, predominantly African-Caribbean, Indian and from the Far East. About 14 per cent of pupils do not have English as their first language, which is a high proportion. The wide range of home languages spoken reflects the ethnic diversity of the school population. Twenty four per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals at present, which is above national average. However, the proportion fluctuates as a consequence of the high rate of pupil turnover. This is mainly because a number of families are short-term visitors to Britain.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There is a wide range of attainment on entry, but overall children are at an average level for their age. About 21 per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is slightly above the national average. Of these pupils, four have statements of special educational needs, a proportion which is higher than is usual.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school was awarded the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark in July 1999 and is involved with the local Business Partnership Scheme and the Science and Technology initiative. It is about to embark on the Investors in People programme.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. Standards are high in English and art throughout the school and in mathematics at Key Stage 1. The quality of teaching and the leadership and management of the school are good. The school receives a high level of funding compared to the national average and provides sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are high in English and art at both key stages and in mathematics at Key Stage 1. • Teaching is good throughout the school. • The school is led and managed well. • Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave very well. • Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • The school provides very good care for its pupils.

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What could be improved

• The use of day-to-day assessment to plan future work is not consistent enough. • There is no designated play area for the under fives at present.

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What could be improved

The school’s many strengths outweigh its weaknesses. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in July 1996 and the standards and the quality of education were praised. The management of the school and the climate for learning were very good. Progress since that inspection has been sound. The school has maintained its many strengths and standards at Key Stage 2 in English, mathematics and science have risen appreciably. All those areas which were criticised during the last inspection have been improved. The curriculum is now managed well and all subjects have suitable schemes of work. Deficiencies in information technology and music have been addressed. Overall, all subjects are now allocated an appropriate amount of time. The systems for assessing pupils’ progress and standards are much better than they were and the school is using them well in the main. Rates of attendance have risen significantly. Governors have developed their role as critical friends to the

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The levels of attainment tend to vary from year to year. This is because the school has a small number of pupils in each year group, there is a higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs and many pupils either leave or join the school each year. Present standards in English at the end of Key Stage 2 are good and higher than they were in 1999. In mathematics the standards of the pupils presently in Year 6 are similar to the national average. Fewer of them are working at the higher levels than was the case last year.

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Key

At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are doing well in both English and mathematics, and in mathematics standards are better than they were in 1999. Overall, standards in both subjects have been maintained over the past four years, although those in mathematics have fluctuated from year to year. At Key Stage 2 standards have risen in line with national trends, although again the trend in mathematics is inconsistent. The targets that the school has set for test results this year predict a continuing rise in the proportion reaching the expected levels at Key Stage 2. These are appropriate.

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Key

In science at the end of both key stages standards are satisfactory and comparable with those in 1999. In religious education and information technology pupils at both key stages are achieving the expected standards. Pupils achieve high standards in art at both key stages. The children who are under five make a sound start to their school life.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school. They are eager to learn, attentive and concentrate well. Because pupils try their best they learn well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils throughout the school are well behaved and the school is a very orderly community.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are mature, thoughtful and reliable. They take responsibility well and the older pupils take good care of those who are younger. Relationships between pupils and with adults are very good and this makes a major contribution to the ethos of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. The school has worked very hard to improve the rate of attendance and it is now similar to the national average. Almost all pupils come to school on time. Water Mill Primary School

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

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

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

Teaching is good overall throughout the school and is always at least satisfactory. It is good in 62 per cent of lessons and very good in eight per cent.

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

For the children who are under five teaching is always at least satisfactory and it is good in 25 per cent of lessons.

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

At Key Stage 1 teaching is always at least good and is very good in 14 per cent of lessons. At Key Stage 2 teaching is good in 53 per cent of lessons and is very good in seven per cent.

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

The teaching of English and the skills of literacy is good at both key stages. Maths and numeracy are taught well at Key Stage 1 and satisfactorily at Key Stage 2.

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

Teaching has many strengths: teachers have secure knowledge and understanding of their subjects and manage pupils very well. They use interesting and effective teaching methods and have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Teachers plan thoroughly and are clear about what they want their pupils to learn. Members of the support staff are deployed well and make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Occasionally, however, day-to-day assessments are not used sufficiently to plan for the range of attainment in the class.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum and uses the community well to enhance pupils’ learning. However, timetables do not always use time as efficiently as possible.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Support for pupils is organised well and they make good progress in developing their basic skills. The procedures for identifying them are effective

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Pupils receive imaginative and well-organised support and develop their knowledge of English well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Overall, very good. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is good and for moral and social development it is very good. The school embraces and celebrates the many different cultures represented within it. The school is particularly effective in ensuring that pupils behave well and form positive relationships. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Teachers know their pupils very well and take good care of them.

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Aspect Comment

The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Links with parents are good and the school involves them effectively in its work. The community is used well to extend pupils’ learning and there are good relationships with the local nursery and secondary schools. Water Mill Primary School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher provides strong leadership for the work of the school. Staff work well as a team and fulfil their management responsibilities effectively.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors fulfil their statutory duties and are effective in their role in the strategic development of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school identifies the appropriate priorities for development and takes firm action to address them.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The staff are deployed effectively and learning resources are used well.

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Aspect Comment

The school applies the principles of best value in a suitable way so as to get sound value for its expenditure. Administrative systems are good and carried out very efficiently. The accommodation is generally satisfactory, attractive and kept spotlessly clean. The classrooms and other areas are enlivened by stimulating displays. However, there is no designated outside area for the under fives.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children are taught well and the school has high expectations of them. • The school works closely with parents and they are well informed about their children’s progress. • Pupils make good progress and behave well • The school is led and managed well. • Pupils are helped to become mature and responsible. • Parents feel welcome and their children enjoy coming to school. • The school embraces and celebrates the ethnic diversity of its pupils. • Fewer than a third of parents who responded to the questionnaire felt that pupils did not receive the right amount of homework. • Fewer than a quarter were dissatisfied with the provision of extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

One hundred and eleven parents returned their questionnaires and 26 attended the meeting held for them. The findings of the inspection support the positive comments made by parents. Pupils receive a suitable quantity and quality of homework and the school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities, including an after-school club. Water Mill Primary School

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English

1. The school develops all pupils’ language skills and their understanding of books well. Teachers give pupils a wide range of interesting activities to ensure good all-round language development. As a result, pupils make good and balanced progress in speech, listening, reading and writing at both key stages. Pupils learn well in most English lessons. This is because teachers ensure good standards of listening and concentration throughout. So pupils pick up new words, ideas and understanding by listening to each other as well as the teacher. For example, Year 4 pupils chose and suggested lists of describing words to make a scene interesting. They selected those they liked best to start a story about “The Castle”.

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English

2. Pupils’ neat and careful written work reflects the thought teachers give to choosing and making resources. Year 5 pupils described very clearly the characters revealed in famous portrait paintings. Pupils achieve high standards of imaginative work, particularly at Key Stage 2. Those in Year 6 wrote moving poems about the First World War for Remembrance Day. They used the soldiers’ voices in verses entitled “The Death of a Soldier”.

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English

3. Pupils are enthusiastic readers. In the reception class they enjoy sharing books with their teacher and many know the sounds and names of individual letters. At Key Stage 1 teachers give pupils a good grounding in the knowledge of letter sounds and patterns. As a result they make sense of new words competently as their reading widens. Most pupils read independently by the time they are seven. They enjoy reading and have favourite stories. Teachers maintain good reading standards at Key Stage 2: they skilfully show pupils how to find the full meaning in text. Good use is made of close reading of extracts from the classics. For example, Year 5 studied Dickens’ description of Miss Havisham in order to improve their own descriptive writing.

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English

4. Pupils’ skills in speech develop well each year. This is because teachers set good examples, listen very carefully to each pupil and make the most of opportunities. Nearly all pupils, therefore, speak clearly and confidently. From the reception year onwards they are used to speaking out in assemblies. Teachers value and make use of all pupils’ experiences and ideas. Older pupils listen to the younger ones reading, giving help and encouragement. The school’s English programme contributes strongly to pupils’ personal development.

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English

5. Pupils whose first language is not English make good progress in developing their competence in the language, particularly in those lessons when they have specialist support. In a mathematics lesson in Year 5 pupils were learning to use line graphs. A pupil from Beijing was working with another from Milan, comparing the annual temperatures in both cities. They were encouraged to interpret the information and to ask each other questions. The imaginative use of data helped both pupils to develop their understanding of the mathematical topic, related to their own experience, and to improve their fluency in English.

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Mathematics

6. The school implemented a revised scheme of work for mathematics after the previous inspection. This, and recent developments through the Numeracy Project, is having an impact on standards throughout the school, particularly at Key Stage 1. Teachers build Water Mill Primary School carefully on pupils’ existing knowledge and understanding. They plan interesting activities and are set a high level of challenge to promote deep thought about patterns in number and their application. Teachers make skilful use of questioning to ensure that all pupils are involved at their own level and that clear understanding develops. Pupils’ ability in mental calculation improve rapidly because teachers take every opportunity to sharpen these skills in a structured way.

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Mathematics

7. In Year 1 many pupils are already making competent mental calculations involving simple multiplication and division. They are able to see that one operation is the reverse of the other because the teacher makes the link clear and moves naturally between the two. The most able pupils in this class enjoyed matching three colours of T-shirt to two colours of shorts for a teddy bear and very quickly spotted that “Teddy won’t have anything to wear on Sunday”.

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Mathematics

8. Teachers make very good use of different levels of work to accommodate the wide differences in attainment in their classes. In Year 2 a pupil with special needs worked on a simple addition program using the computer while the most able were investigating patterns in the multiplication of odd and even numbers. The lesson moved at a rapid pace because the pupils were fascinated by their work and encouraged to find the pattern and also to find reasonable explanations for their results.

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Mathematics

9. By the time they are seven almost all pupils are able to multiply by three, four and ten and count on in fives. The more able name two- and three-dimensional shapes and know some of their properties. They have rapid recall of most times tables and work confidently with halves and quarters. They are able to tally, identify line symmetry and use pie charts. They enjoy mathematical jokes. For example, when asked to multiply odd and even numbers one girl used 0 as a factor in many of her calculations, which involved very large numbers. “I know that the answer will always be 0, even if I times it by a million.”

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Art

10. Pupils reach a high standard in art at both key stages and this is reflected in the good quality of display around the school. Pupils work in a wide range of media to produce interesting and very competent pictures, patterns and abstract work. Teachers use a variety of stimuli to develop knowledge and technique. Work in science is often a starting point for careful and perceptive observational drawings. Teachers use mixed media to illustrate stories from religious education and history. Year 2 pupils have produced a display of the story of Indra and the Peacock which shows their skills to good advantage. Key Stage 2 pupils produced very competent drawings of the locality from their visit to the canal basin.

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Art

11. Pupils gain experience of using many materials: for example, pupils in Year 1 designed and made a large fabric picture of a pond. Work in ceramics is well developed through the school and pupils produce competent and attractive tiles and clay pots. The work of artists is used appropriately to develop pupils’ understanding of different artistic techniques.

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Teaching is good throughout the school

12. All teachers and support staff at Water Mill share an enthusiasm for teaching and are keen to improve their methods and skills. They plan the work for pupils very carefully and activities are usually matched closely to the levels of ability in the class. However, the match is not always sufficiently secure. The management of pupils and their behaviour is very good and this ensures that lessons move at a brisk pace and that pupils are always working productively. Close relationships between adults and pupils promote an Water Mill Primary School atmosphere of calm and purpose in lessons. Classrooms are orderly places where there is often a quiet buzz of intense activity.

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Teaching is good throughout the school

13. Teachers work particularly hard to make tasks for pupils interesting and to share their enthusiasm for the subject they are teaching. Classrooms are stimulating places with a good mix of commercial materials and well-presented pupils’ work. A lesson in Year 2 focused on the construction of a hanging basket and provoked much discussion about construction, growth and materials. By the end of the lesson pupils had made considerable strides in their understanding in both science and design and technology.

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Teaching is good throughout the school

14. Literacy is developed well throughout the school and the development of numeracy is satisfactory. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach and have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. In an English lesson in Year 6 the continuous sense of challenge and the highly structured planning produced an animated response from pupils. They were eager to write their poems and to do their best, becoming engrossed in their work throughout the lesson.

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Teaching is good throughout the school

15. Support staff work closely with teachers to ensure that their time is used to the best advantage. They are involved with the planning and know what their role is to be in lessons. They support individual pupils or groups well so that all are enabled to take part in the activities and to achieve their targets.

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The school is led and managed well

. 16. The headteacher, staff and governors have worked hard to ensure that there are appropriate aims, values and policies in place and that these are shared by parents. They are reflected well in the life and work of the school. There is a caring atmosphere in which pupils feel valued and develop their confidence and self-respect. The school has an effective learning environment and relationships are very good.

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The school is led and managed well

17. There is a particularly strong ethos reflected especially in the close teamwork of all staff and governors. Some governors are frequent visitors to the school and one gives valuable support in class to the older, more able, pupils. The governing body has a sound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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The school is led and managed well

18. The headteacher’s strong leadership has been effective in providing a clear educational direction for the school. She knows her school and its strengths and weaknesses well. Development planning is undertaken well, staff and governors have a close involvement and the appropriate priorities for school improvement are identified accurately. Plans have targets and responsibilities are allocated. The school has set realistic targets for raising attainment. The headteacher has built a strong team of committed teachers to take the school forward. The senior management team is hardworking and capable. All members of staff have appropriate responsibilities and undertake them with commitment and understanding. The headteacher and governors ensure that educational priorities are supported through good financial planning.

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The school is led and managed well

19. Subject co-ordinators check the effectiveness of the curriculum in the subject for which they are responsible by analysing test results and holding discussions with their colleagues. They have suitable plans for the development of their subjects. The literacy co-ordinator and the headteacher have monitored teaching through a programme of lesson observations. This enables them to give useful support and identify areas that need development. Identified weaknesses are addressed through the very thorough school development plan. Water Mill Primary School 20. The school is successful in promoting equal opportunities. This is reflected in lessons and pupils’ work; the playground and classrooms are not dominated by particular groups of pupils. The arrangements for supporting pupils with special educational needs and those whose first language is not English ensure their access to the whole curriculum.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave very well

21. Pupils really enjoy coming to school because it meets their needs and is stimulating. They are nearly all keen learners with very good attitudes to lessons. Pupils see the work they do as a challenge rather than a chore. For example, Year 6 pupils exclaimed “Yes!” when the teacher gave them possible titles for their poems. Animated discussion arose when they worked in groups to write the poems. Reception children were very interested that the school site had previously been a pond.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave very well

22. Because teachers keep pupils busy and interested in lessons behaviour is not a problem. For example, when activities are underway pupils often do not notice when visitors enter the classroom. Pupils say that there is no bullying, “only niggles”, and that staff sort these out promptly. As they are free from oppressive behaviour, sexism and racism, pupils feel secure. They devote their energies to learning nearly all the time.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave very well

23. Very good moral and social training gives pupils an early understanding that what they do affects others. Good conduct then becomes second nature for pupils. Movement around the school is very quiet and orderly. Teachers seldom need to raise their voices. Behaviour is boisterous when pupils let off steam in the playground, but they are generally sensible at the same time. Almost all pupils behave well without having to be supervised closely.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to school and behave very well

24. Pupils grow up in a community enriched by differences of nationality, value and belief. Respect for these differences is strongly celebrated by the school and is natural to its pupils. They are good at taking on responsibilities teachers ask of them and many show initiative in learning. A Year 3 pupil asked if she might write to thank a visiting musician. Pupils commonly come to lessons with discoveries they have made at home about new topics. Very good relationships at all levels continue to be a strength of the school. When they leave school at 11 pupils are confident, outgoing and show commendable maturity.

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Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good

25. The school continues to cultivate pupils’ personal development very well. It is a real strength in their education. There is very good provision for moral and social development. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is good.

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Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good

26. Religious education lessons, along with class and school assemblies, give all pupils insight into basic human values and beliefs. Pupils benefit from the good number of nationalities represented in the school. Teachers celebrate both differences and similarities, and use the diversity well to develop understanding in geography and religious education. As a result, pupils understand differences in religious belief and lifestyle from an early age.

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Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good

27. Such respect underpins the school’s very good work in moral and social development. All staff set consistently high standards. Being themselves valued, pupils learn naturally how to value each other. The reminder in a Key Stage 2 classroom notice: “If you wouldn’t like it done to you: don’t do it!” comes straight from the teachings of Jesus. Pupils readily take on a number of responsibilities around the school, for example, as ‘reading buddies’ Water Mill Primary School and lunch box monitors. The school has many certificates recognising its support of charities.

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Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good

28. High standards of discipline enable pupils to work responsibly by themselves, with partners and in groups. A strong physical education programme and good provision for extra-curricular activities develop team work well.

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Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good

29. Cultural provision is good. Teachers seek to present pupils with resources, materials and artefacts of good quality. High standards in art enable pupils to gain experience of different times, styles, techniques and artists. Cultural awareness also grows through literacy, geography, history and music lessons. The school makes good use of parents and visitors from different cultures and backgrounds to share experiences with pupils.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

30. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ care and safety. There are very effective child protection procedures in place, which are well known by all staff. There are excellent contacts with the relevant statutory agencies, particularly Social Services and the school nurse.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

31. Teachers know pupils and their families very well, which contributes to the very high standard of pastoral care that is characteristic of the school. This makes a very significant impact on pupils’ personal and academic development. All aspects of health and safety are provided for well in lessons and around the school.

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The school provides very good care for its pupils

32. Attendance is monitored well and promoted in conjunction with the Educational Welfare Service. Pupils are proud to receive awards for good attendance. Teachers support pupils’ personal development very well through the use of praise for achievement. Pupils say they feel safe and secure and parents appreciate the care the school takes of their children. Water Mill Primary School

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The use of assessment to plan future work is not consistent enough

33. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to improve the systems used to assess pupils’ attainment and to track their progress more efficiently. Teachers make particular efforts to monitor the progress of the many pupils who enter the school after the reception year. The information gained from assessment is generally used well. Parents receive accurate and detailed information about the work their children are doing at the termly parents’ evenings, when the future targets for attainment are set.

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The use of assessment to plan future work is not consistent enough

34. The results of annual tests for pupils in Years 2 to 6 are analysed to identify and address weaknesses in pupils’ learning and to set realistic targets for the results of end of Key Stage 2 statutory tests. The school analyses the results of statutory tests at the end of both key stages to ensure that pupils make sufficient progress through Key Stage 2.

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The use of assessment to plan future work is not consistent enough

35. Baseline tests undertaken on entry to the school are used to group children in the reception class and to measure their progress. Throughout the school teachers use their ongoing assessments to group pupils by attainment. In most lessons the tasks pupils undertake are matched well to their previous attainment and teachers use their assessments to set different levels of work for different groups. However, this good practice is not consistent enough: in a small but significant number of lessons all pupils do the same work, which does not stretch the more able sufficiently and is too hard for those with special educational needs.

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There is no designated play area for the under fives

36. The accommodation is adequate and maintained well. It is kept spotlessly clean and the displays are attractive. This makes for a stimulating learning environment for pupils. The reception classroom is set out in an appropriate way for children of this age and the activities set for them are suitable. They have large play apparatus which they use in the playground when other pupils are not outside. However, they do not have a designated play area of their own and the area they use at present is not suitable for their use all through the year. The school has plans to improve outside provision for the under fives in the near future.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

37. The governing body, in partnership with the headteacher and staff, should now ensure that:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• teachers always use their assessments of pupils’ attainment to set appropriate work for all levels of attainment;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• there is a suitable play area for the under fives. Water Mill Primary School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 19

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 8 54 38 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 195

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 46

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 32

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 39

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Attendance

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 10 15 25

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 7 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 13 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 80 (87) 80 (84) 80 (80) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 8 7 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 12 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 84 (90) 76 (90) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 13 14 27

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 10 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 12

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 74 (73) 78 (50) 85 (82) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (52) 78 (72)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 8 11 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 67 (68) 78 (81) 89 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Water Mill Primary School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 11 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 17 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9.6 Financial year 1998-99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 379,322

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4.0 Expenditure per pupil 2,007

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 76 Balance brought forward from previous year 21,309

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 35,142

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Water Mill Primary School

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Percentage of responses in each category*

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

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Percentage of responses in each category*

My child is making good progress in school. 42 55 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category*

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 53 1 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category*

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 23 46 24 5 1

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Percentage of responses in each category*

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 48 8 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category*

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 71 25 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category*

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 39 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category*

The school works closely with parents. 40 50 7 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category*

The school is well led and managed. 54 43 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category*

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 40 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category*

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 47 16 4 6

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Percentage of responses in each category*

* Some rows may not add up to 100% due to rounding up/down

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Other issues raised by parents

The parents who attended the meeting with inspectors praised the way in which the school celebrates its ethnic diversity.

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