Wilmcote CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

Primary School

Dates of inspection: 20 – 22 September 1999

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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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Primary School

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, 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.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Wilmcote Stratford-upon-Avon CV37 9XD

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr B J Howles

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 – 22 May 1996

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jennifer Nicholson, RgI Mathematics Attainment and progress History Teaching Under-fives Leadership and management Special educational needs Tim Page, Lay Inspector Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Efficiency Jo Hopkins English Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Geography Curriculum and assessment Art Music Equal opportunities Ian Newton Science Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Design and technology Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Information technology Physical education The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks TN15 0EG

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

INTRODUCTION 1 - 4 Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 5 - 25 Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Quality of education provided 26 - 56 Teaching The curriculum and assessment Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community The management and efficiency of the school 57 - 75 Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 76 - 82 English, mathematics and science 83 - 114 Other subjects or courses 115 - 160

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• . This is a welcoming school with a strongly positive ethos. • . The school achieves good standards in English by the end of both key stages, and in mathematics, information technology, history, geography and art by the end of Key Stage 2. • . The school has enabled pupils in Key Stage 2 to make good progress in information technology. • . Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour are very good. • . Relationships are very good. • . The school makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, and social development; it uses the local cultural heritage to very good effect. • . The school provides well for pupils’ welfare. • . The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular activities. • . The school prepares pupils well for secondary school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

I. There is no systematic programme to monitor teaching and learning. II. The science curriculum lacks a breadth of range and experience. III. Pupils’ work is not always matched sufficiently well to their abilities. IV. Weekly curriculum time for pupils at Key Stage 2 is half an hour short of recommended guidelines.

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features. A strong commitment to improving standards, and an effective learning

environment where all pupils and their contributions are valued, is clearly evident.

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basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or carers of pupils

· HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

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basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or carers of pupils

The school has made satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection, and many good features have been maintained. Standards remain above national expectations in English at the ends of both key stages, and in mathematics. In Key Stage 2, standards of work seen in history, geography and art are above what is to be expected for the pupils’ ages. Pupils’ good attitudes to work are still a strength of the school, and the strongly positive and caring ethos is still evident. The school continues to be supported well by the governing body, the church and the village. It remains an asset to the local community. The previous key issues have almost all been satisfactorily resolved. Standards in information technology have been raised well, and are currently above expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Morning registration meets requirements, and schemes of work are now in place for all subjects. Careful analysis of pupil results informs priorities for school

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basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or carers of pupils

development, which have a direct impact on standards. The plan is now costed and evaluated appropriately, and expenditure is assessed more critically to determine value. The school has made a useful start in improving the quality of assessment systems, but this area needs to be developed further. Most other reported weaknesses have been suitably addressed, although the monitoring role of the headteacher remains informal. A small percentage of unsatisfactory teaching remains.

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basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or carers of pupils

The commitment and dedication of the headteacher and active support of the governing body lead to the judgement that the school’s capacity for further improvement is sound.

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basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or carers of pupils

· STANDARDS IN SUBJECTS This table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

English A A well above average A above average B Mathematics A B average C below average D Science C E well below average E

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similar schools

The information shows that, in 1998, standards for eleven-year-olds in the core subjects of English and mathematics were well above average. Standards in science were in line with national averages. In comparison with similar schools, standards in 1998 were well above average in English, above average in mathematics, but well below average in science. Although national data for testing in 1999 is not yet available, the school’s results indicate improvement in English and significant improvement in mathematics and science, which may be due to a combination of more focused teaching and variations in the cohort. During the inspection, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 were found to meet expectations in science, design and technology, music and physical education. Standards were found to be above expectations in information technology, history, geography and art. Standards in English and mathematics were judged well above expectations.

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similar schools

At Key Stage 1, results of National Curriculum tests in 1998 were well above average in reading and writing, and average in mathematics. Results for 1999, however, are lower than in 1998, which may be on account of a significant percentage of pupils with special educational needs in the cohort. During the inspection, inspectors found standards in all subjects to be in line with expectations, with the exception of English, where they exceed expectations.

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similar schools

Children under the age of five achieve the expected outcomes across the range of their work. In personal and social development and in some aspects of language and literacy and creative development they do well. They are making a sound start to statutory education. · QUALITY OF TEACHING

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similar schools

· Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

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similar schools

English Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Mathematics Satisfactory Satisfactory Good Science N/a Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Information technology N/a Satisfactory Good Religious education N/a N/a N/a Other subjects Satisfactory Satisfactory Good

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similar schools

The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Forty-two per cent of lessons seen were judged to be good or very good, mainly in upper Key Stage 2. Three per cent of lessons were unsatisfactory.

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similar schools

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses · OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good; pupils are very well behaved, courteous and respectful. Attendance Satisfactory; but is below national averages due mainly to holiday absence.

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* There is a strongly positive caring ethos. Everyone is valued. Attitudes to learning are very good; pupils are enthusiastic and eager to learn. Relationships are very good. The school is committed to raising standards. Leadership and management Good overall; the headteacher has a clear informed view of the future development of the school, and works hard to promote it. She is fully involved with the life of the school, but does not monitor teaching and learning in a structured way. Her management time is limited. The governing body is actively supportive and fully informed. Curriculum Sound; it is planned to provide breadth and balance of activity and experience for all pupils, including the under-fives. It is enriched by strong links with the church and a wide range of educational visits. Assessment of pupils’ attainments to indicate their next learning steps is not yet sufficiently well established.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils with special educational needs Pupils with special educational needs are supported well.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Very good provision overall, which is fully integrated into the whole curriculum. Spiritual development is enhanced through meaningful experiences in art. The school uses the local cultural heritage to very good effect. Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory; staff are suitably qualified and experienced. Resources are generally adequate, but in information technology, despite recent improvements, are unsatisfactory. Some accommodation is cramped, but overall it provides an effective learning environment. Value for money Satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. · THE PARENTS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

V. The way the school encourages pupils to behave well, and to be respectful and courteous. VI. High standards, for example in reading, art and singing. VII. Active parents’ association. VIII. Extra-curricular provision. IX. A lack of information about what is

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

X. The way the school handles complaints.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

XI. Lack of stimulus and motivation in some

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

Inspectors confirm parents’ positive views about the school, particularly with regard to pupils’ very good behaviour and standards in reading and art. Information available to parents is satisfactory, but more frequent updates about the curriculum could be more helpful. Inspectors find pupils’ annual reports are informative, and that there are sufficient opportunities for parents to discuss their children’s progress. Inspectors confirm that there is some lack of challenge and stimulus in aspects of teaching. Inspectors found no evidence to support parents’ concerns in respect of the school’s handling of complaints. · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION In order to build on the existing good features of the school and raise standards of attainment, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

*. establish systematic procedures to monitor teaching and learning, including constructive feedback to teachers to help them to improve their effectiveness; (para 59)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

*. further develop the work on assessment and target setting for individual pupils so that tasks set more accurately meet their learning needs and enable them to move forward in their learning; (para 43)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

*. improve the quality of pupils' learning in science by: (i) involving them more in the planning and discussion of investigations (para 108) (ii) developing a more detailed scheme of work to ensure that work will always be well matched to their levels of ability and engage their imaginations fully; (para 112 and 113)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

In addition to the key issues above, the following point should be considered for inclusion in the action plan: *. Review the length of the school day at Key Stage 2, in accordance with recommended guidelines.

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INTRODUCTION

1. Wilmcote Church of England (C of E) Voluntary Aided Primary School is a small rural school situated in a pleasant village on the north-western outskirts of Stratford-upon- Avon. It is associated with St Andrew’s Church, Wilmcote. The school serves the parish of Billesley and most of the parish of Aston Cantlow, and also parts of Old Stratford and Drayton. The governors’ admissions policy includes consideration of pupils from outside the area on denominational grounds. The pupils come from a variety of social and economic backgrounds, and almost all have one or both parents in employment. There is now some social housing in the village, including priority housing, newly built since the previous inspection. One hundred and seven pupils, aged from four to eleven years, attend the school. There are 52 boys and 55 girls. The school is currently over-subscribed. Pupils enter the reception class in the autumn

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INTRODUCTION

term of the year in which they will be five. There are currently 18 children of non- statutory school age. There is little ethnic diversity, and all pupils come from homes where English is the first language. At the time of the previous inspection there was significant cultural diversity. Four per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below average. Thirteen per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, lower than the national average, although numbers vary each year. There are two pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need, broadly in line with the national average. Most pupils enter the school with average attainment. There are currently fewer higher attaining pupils entering the school than at the time of the last inspection. Attainment on entry varies from year to year.

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INTRODUCTION

2. Wilmcote C of E Primary School aims to create a stimulating environment and to develop pupils’ sense of responsibility, self-discipline and independence within a caring Christian community. The school seeks to offer its pupils the opportunities to develop their full potential, intellectually, physically, creatively, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

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INTRODUCTION

3. Targets for school improvement include: analysing the impact of the National Literacy Hour, implementing the National Numeracy Strategy, further developing work on assessment and target setting, continuing to extend the more able. Priorities also include providing more time for science investigations for older pupils in Key Stage 2. The school’s academic targets reflect individual cohorts. The school is keen to celebrate the achievements of each child irrespective of ability.

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INTRODUCTION

4. The school values the commitment and enthusiastic support of the parents who work hard to support their children’s learning, and to provide substantial funds. The school appreciates the valuable support and loyalty of the village community, and is proud to take a central place within it. 4.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for latest reporting year: Year Boys Girls Total

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Test/Task Results

Number of pupils at NC Level 2 or above Boys 8 8 8

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Test/Task Results

Girls 6 6 5 Total 14(13) 14(14) 13(12) Percentage at NC Level 2 or above School 79(93) 79(100) 74(86)

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Test/Task Results

4. Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils at NC Level 2 or above Boys 8 8 8

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Test/Task Results

Girls 5 6 6 Total 13(14) 14(11) 14(13) Percentage at NC Level 2 or above School 73(100) 79(79) 79(93)

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Test/Task Results

1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year: 1999 data is not available

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for latest reporting year: Year Boys Girls Total

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Results

Number of pupils at NC Level 4 or above Boys 10 11 11

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Results

Girls 5 5 6 Total 15(10) 16(8) 17(9) Percentage at NC Level 4 or above School 84(71) 89(57) 94(64)

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Results

4. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils at NC Level 4 or above Boys 10 11 9

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Results

Girls 5 6 2 Total 15(10) 17(10) 17(11) Percentage at NC Level 4 or above School 83(71) 94(71) 94(79)

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Results

2 Percentages in parentheses refer to year before the latest reporting year: 1999 data is not available

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year: %

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Attendance

Authorised School 7.2 Absence National comparative data 5.7

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Attendance

Unauthorised School 0 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 12 Satisfactory or better 97 Less than satisfactory 3

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

4. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

1. In 1998, at Key Stage 1, when compared with other schools nationally, results for tests and teacher assessments show that standards of attainment in reading and writing were high, with almost all pupils reaching the expected levels and many exceeding expectations. Standards in mathematics were in line with national averages. When compared with schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, results in reading and writing were well above average, but standards in mathematics were below average. Comparative data for national testing in 1999 is not yet available, but the school’s results for reading, writing and mathematics are lower than the previous year, reflecting the significant proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the cohort.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

2. National comparisons at Key Stage 2 in 1998 show that standards of attainment in English and mathematics were well above average, with a very high proportion of pupils reaching higher levels. Standards in science were average. In comparison with similar schools, standards were well above average in English, above average in mathematics, but well below average in science. The low science scores may be accounted for by disruption in teaching provision due to prolonged teacher absence. The school’s results for testing in 1999 indicate overall improvement, in science in particular, reflecting the resumption of settled teaching and differences in the cohort. Over the last three years for which data is available, 1996 – 1998, results at Key Stage 1 in reading and writing have improved year on year, but results for mathematics have remained close to national averages. At Key Stage 2, from 1996 to 1998, results for English and

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

mathematics were consistently above average; in science, they were above average overall. During this period, boys and girls performed equally well at both key stages, except in mathematics at Key Stage 1, where girls outperformed boys. The school analyses results by gender. Inspection evidence showed no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls at both key stages.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

3. National Curriculum test results for 1999 indicate further improving standards at Key Stage 2, but indicate a decline in standards at Key Stage 1. Over the last two years, indications are that the number of higher-attaining pupils has declined at Key Stage 1, but has remained high at Key Stage 2. However, as the number of pupils taking the tests each year is relatively small, variations in results from one year to another are to be expected and do not necessarily signify trends.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

4. Since the last inspection, standards have improved significantly in information technology at Key Stage 2, as they now exceed expectations whereas previously they were below. The previous report found that standards of achievement in English at both key stages were above national expectations. These standards are maintained well and remain good. In other subjects at both key stages, standards remain broadly unchanged.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

5. The attainment of most children when starting school, in the autumn term of the year in which they will be five, is average. By the time these children are five, they are likely to achieve the Desirable Learning Outcomes in all areas of learning and to exceed them in aspects of language and literacy and creative development. Personal and social development is good. Children make at least satisfactory progress across all areas of learning. They make good progress in personal development as they settle into the routines of school. Children are making a sound start to statutory education.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

6. Inspection evidence indicates that by the end of Key Stage 1, standards of attainment in English are above expectations overall. Standards in speaking and listening and reading are above expectations; standards in writing are in line with expectations. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards of attainment in English are above expectations for speaking and listening and well above expectations for reading and writing.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

7. In speaking and listening, pupils in Year 2 speak confidently with a good command of vocabulary. In Year 6, pupils express their views clearly and use specialist vocabulary with confidence. In reading, pupils in Year 2 read with fluency and accuracy. Pupils in Year 6 read with good expression and hold the listener’s interest well. In writing, pupils in Year 2 write clearly punctuated stories using interesting plots and descriptive language. Pupils in Year 6 write in a mature style in a range of genres. Standards of spelling are good.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

8. Standards in literacy are good at both key stages. The impact of the literacy hour has raised expectations in aspects of English, and pupils now enjoy a wider range of reading, especially at Key Stage 1. As they progress through the school pupils make good use of their literacy skills across the curriculum and in homework projects. Their literacy skills enhance performance particularly in subjects with an emphasis on written communication, such as history and geography. Pupils use word processing skills competently to support literacy.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

9. Standards in mathematics are in line with expectations at Key Stage 1, and well above expectations at Key Stage 2. In mathematics, pupils in Year 2 count in tens to one hundred and know appropriate number facts by heart. Pupils in Year 6 calculate accurately and efficiently to one hundred and beyond and explain their mental strategies. Standards in numeracy at the end of Key Stage 1 are satisfactory, and in Key Stage 2 they are good. Pupils use numeracy skills across the curriculum to good effect. They measure carefully in cooking sessions, they use tallying skills to calculate dinner numbers, they record results from work in science in tables, and use co-ordinates in geography.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

10. Standards in science meet expectations at both key stages. In science, pupils in Year 2 know the effect of switches in electrical circuits. They relate their observation of bees to information about their habitat. Pupils in Year 6 make accurate observations in experiments and suitably record their results. They have a sound understanding of processes such as condensation and evaporation.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

11. Standards in information technology at the end of Key Stage 1 meet expectations. At the end of Key Stage 2 they are above expectations. Pupils in Year 2 produce extensive word processing and store information in a database before using it to plot a graph. Pupils in Year 6 show higher standards of desktop publishing than are expected and make complex use of data analysis when using pocket books in field work.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

12. Standards of attainment in all other subjects, by the end of Key Stage 1, meet national expectations. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards meet expectations in design and technology, music and physical education. They exceed expectations in art, geography and history. In art, pupils respond imaginatively to stimuli, with older pupils showing particular sensitivity and maturity. In design and technology, pupils plan and evaluate products such as model insects and Anglo Saxon jewellery, although the use of tools is limited and some plans lack detail. In geography, pupils in Year 2 locate places on a world map, and in Year 6 they confidently explain how contour lines on a map reflect gradient on the ground. In history, pupils demonstrate a factual understanding of famous people in Year 2, and in Year 6 they pose useful historical questions to determine what artefacts tell us about the past. In music, pupils sing tunefully across

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

the school. In physical education, pupils demonstrate appropriate ball skills; younger pupils throw and catch balls, and older pupils pass balls in games such as netball, hockey and football.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

13. Progress overall is satisfactory. Progress in Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2 is satisfactory across the range of subjects. Progress accelerates in upper Key Stage 2 (Years 5 and 6) and is good in all subjects with the exception of science, design and technology and music, where it is satisfactory. In relation to prior attainment, pupils make good progress overall, from average levels of attainment on entry to the school to generally above average levels when they leave, although the rate of progress is not steady, as it occurs mainly in the upper junior class. The proportion of pupils making above average gains over time in English, mathematics and science is high, as demonstrated in national testing at the end of Key Stage 2.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

14. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress overall in relation to prior attainment and against identified targets. Their progress is promoted by frequent and focused small group work, with a variety of tasks and a brisk pace. They are increasing their word-building skills, which suitably supports their classroom writing. They are pleased with the progress they are making.

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

15. Progress is promoted effectively in better lessons by high expectations for pupils’ learning that offer challenge, stimulus and variety, by clear explanations, and by good questioning to draw out pupils’ ideas. Good subject knowledge is instrumental in moving pupils’ learning forward, as in English, history, and art. In addition, investment by governors for information technology, by way of funding for focused small group teaching, has been successful in encouraging good progress and significantly improved standards. Good progress in English has been furthered by the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy, with wider opportunities for pupils’ reading and writing in particular. In general, progress is encouraged by key learning points for each lesson being identified clearly and made known to pupils, for example in art, and by learning being built up securely step by step. A finding out or enquiry approach fosters good

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

progress, as in history when handling artefacts. The rich direct experiences available from visits nearby, as in Mary Arden’s house, in Stratford, as at the theatre, and beyond, as at Coventry Cathedral, are exploited very well to stimulate good progress across a range of subjects as well as in personal development. Sometimes, however, progress is limited by work not being matched well enough to pupils’ prior attainment, or by a lack of discussion to draw out pupils’ ideas and thinking. It is hindered by common mistakes not being addressed sufficiently well, as on occasion in writing, by unclear instructions, and by slow pace. Although older pupils are aware of their next learning steps, procedures are not in place across the school for pupils to know what they need to do to improve. 16. Attitudes, behaviour

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and personal development

16. The personal and social development of children under the age of five is good. They have good attitudes to their work and play, and settle well to tasks and activities, becoming purposefully engaged. They are sensible and mature and almost always well behaved. They play happily alongside each other and together in small groups, in self- chosen and in structured activities. They take turns appropriately, generally share resources well, and tidy away equipment at the ends of teaching sessions.

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and personal development

17. The high standards of behaviour and positive attitudes to work in the school as a whole reported in the previous inspection are being maintained. There continue to be no exclusions. Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good. Pupils are keen to learn, and respond with interest and enthusiasm to their lessons. They take pride in their work. Pupils throughout the school sustain concentration well. They work independently and take responsibility for their learning. They take initiative, develop their ideas and imagination especially through topic and homework assignments. Pupils are articulate and mature both in their contributions to discussion and in the way they take responsibility for their learning. They respond well to the sound and sometimes good teaching provision, and the positive, nurturing atmosphere. Pupils only become inattentive when the teaching does not fully engage their interest or motivate them.

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and personal development

There are fewer opportunities for collaborative work in Years 3 and 4 than other year groups, but overall pupils work together harmoniously.

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and personal development

18. Behaviour around the school is very good. Pupils are polite and show respect for each other, adults and property. They move around the school sensibly and are courteous, for example holding doors open for adults. The high standard of behaviour in class supports a learning environment where the low noise level is conducive to good concentration and pupils’ ability to work independently or co-operatively with each other aids the pace of lessons and rate of progress.

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and personal development

19. Pupils relate very well to each other and older pupils support younger ones well at playtime. Boys and girls join in team games together at playtime. Pupils respect each other, and pupils with special educational needs are supported with sensitivity by their peers in classroom activities.

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and personal development

20. Pupils are given appropriate responsibilities within their class or around the school. For example, Year 6 pupils ensure that music is played at the start of assemblies. Pupils gain confidence and develop their interests by joining in extra-curricular activities. Residential visits help pupils mature and experience independence.

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and personal development

1. Attendance is satisfactory, but remains below the national average due mainly to the significant minority of pupils who take holidays during term time. The attendance rate, 93 per cent, has improved slightly since the last inspection and registers are now called promptly at the start of the school day. Pupils are punctual on arrival to school and lessons generally begin on time. On one occasion afternoon registration and the start to activities were disrupted by the late arrival of pupils when an extra-curricular activity had overrun. 25. QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

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and personal development

2. Children of non-statutory age are taught in Class 1 with younger Year 1 pupils. On account of staff absence, two supply teachers taught this class during the inspection, supported almost full-time by the regular teaching assistant. Pupils of statutory age are taught in mixed age classes at both key stages.

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and personal development

3. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In 42 per cent of lessons seen, teaching was good or better, impacting clearly on standards of attainment. The best lessons occur mainly in upper Key Stage 2, characterised by detailed and effective planning and high expectations. In three per cent of lessons teaching is not satisfactory, when pupils’ ideas are not developed well, there is insufficient challenge, and pupils do not progress sufficiently. Teaching for children under the age of five and in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. Teaching in Key Stage 2 is good overall. Teaching is less good than during the previous inspection, when almost two thirds of lessons seen were good or better. The small percentage of unsatisfactory teaching identified during the last inspection remains.

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and personal development

4. Teachers’ subject knowledge is satisfactory overall. There is some good subject knowledge in English as a result of work on the National Literacy Strategy, in physical education, and in history, geography and art at Key Stage 2. Understanding across the full range of the curriculum in science and design and technology in Key Stage 2 is less secure. Supply teachers working with children under the age of five have an adequate knowledge of how young children learn. They have little experience of the age group and are working hard to develop their skills. However, they contribute their own subject specialisms, of music and physical education, effectively to the class, and as a result challenge the children well in these areas. Children under the age of five are supported well by the experienced teaching assistant.

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and personal development

5. Teachers’ expectations for pupils’ learning are satisfactory overall, with high expectations at the upper end of Key Stage 2, where pupils are challenged consistently well. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 were also motivated very well by a visit to the church to bring a spiritual element into their artwork. Research tasks across the school challenge pupils’ thinking suitably and promote their independent learning skills. Teachers direct relevant questions to pupils of different year groups within each class, but tasks set are not always matched appropriately enough to different abilities, and as a result, pupils are then not challenged well enough. Previous lessons are built on suitably. Expectations for pupils’ learning are low in science and design and technology at Key Stage 2.

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and personal development

6. Daily planning is satisfactory overall. A useful common format is now used but, as in the previous inspection, the quality is not consistent throughout the school. Written learning objectives are sometimes too general, although most teachers do at times usefully communicate orally to the pupils what they are going to learn in a lesson. Plans for the youngest children take due account of the recommended curriculum for the under-fives. Teachers and support staff are aware of the needs and targets of pupils with special educational needs, although learning objectives for these pupils are not always evident in planning.

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and personal development

7. Teachers use a variety of appropriate teaching methods. Explanations and instructions are generally clear, and questioning is usually effective in moving thinking forward, for example when discussing a story in English about why Bernard’s parents continue to say ‘Not now Bernard’. In the better lessons an investigative approach is encouraged consistently. Lessons are suitably organised, with opportunities for pupils to work in groups and in pairs.

p.23

and personal development

8. Teachers assess work in progress mainly through observation of pupils’ responses to oral questioning and to tasks set. They appropriately record information gained on the weekly planning sheets to inform subsequent lessons. However, assessment opportunities are not always identified on daily plans, and evidence of constructive marking, indicating what pupils need to do to improve, is limited.

p.23

and personal development

9. Teachers’ relationships with pupils are very good. They manage pupils well in a caring, positive manner, effectively promoting the high standards of behaviour. The youngest children, newly admitted to school, are supported competently in a kindly, sympathetic way. As a result, despite the changes in staffing, they are settling appropriately.

p.23

and personal development

10. Time and resources are used appropriately overall, and generally lessons start on time. The pace of lessons is generally appropriate, although sometimes it is slow. There are good examples of brisk pace in the upper juniors and in small group teaching for pupils with special educational needs. Good use is made of the teaching assistant to support the youngest children, particularly during the regular teacher’s absence.

p.23

and personal development

11. Homework is satisfactory overall and reflects the school’s policy. There is a clear emphasis on research-based homework, with some very good outcomes, particularly from the older pupils. Although a variety of views were expressed at the pre- inspection meeting, most parents support the school’s approach to homework.

p.23

and personal development

12. Since the previous inspection, the school has worked hard to develop planning, and procedures are now in place to evaluate pupils’ responses to what they are being taught to inform subsequent lessons. The homework policy has been satisfactorily shared with parents. Subject knowledge remains secure overall, but there is still some inconsistency regarding learning objectives and match of pupils’ tasks to their differing abilities. The quality of teaching is less good overall than previously.

p.23

and personal development

13. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum. All subjects of the National Curriculum are taught and a strong emphasis is placed on learning through direct experience. A strength of the curriculum is the way that the locality and wider environment are used to enrich and broaden the experiences of the pupils. The church next to the school is very well used as a resource for a number of subjects including history and art. Pupils have visited Stratford to study Shakespeare and have produced tourist brochures for the town. The improvements in provision for information technology since the last inspection enable the pupils to achieve good standards of attainment by the end of Key Stage 2. Although attainment is good in science by the end of Key Stage 2, the range of experiences given to pupils in this subject is limited. In Key Stage 2, residential visits not only enable pupils to fulfil aspects of the curriculum for science, information technology, geography and history

p.23

and personal development

but promote personal development and cultural awareness. The range of extra- curricular activities offered, which cover the arts, sciences and sport, further strengthens the curriculum. Sufficient time is given to physical education taking into consideration the need to walk to the playing field. Pupils are given opportunities to develop personal study skills and apply their information retrieval skills through the very good homework projects expected of the oldest pupils. This is very good preparation for their transfer to secondary school.

p.24

and personal development

14. All statutory requirements are met for the teaching of the National Curriculum. The governors have a policy for sex and drug education. The length of the school week at Key Stage 2 is half an hour less than the time recommended by DfEE.

p.24

and personal development

15. The programme provided for children under the age of five is appropriately structured to promote the desirable learning outcomes in the six areas of learning. The range of activities and experiences which are provided prepare children suitably for the National Curriculum.

p.24

and personal development

16. The curriculum is accessible to all pupils. Boys and girls have equal access to using equipment, especially in information technology, and joining in sports in physical education. Curriculum provision for pupils with special educational needs is sound. They have access to all areas of the curriculum so that they have an equal chance with other pupils to take part in all activities. Tasks and activities meet the targets identified in individual education plans. The quality of small-group support given to these pupils and constructive guidance in the classroom enhance the impact of this provision.

p.24

and personal development

17. The school has worked very hard to improve curriculum planning since the last inspection. It has developed schemes of work or adopted those produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. The National Strategies for Numeracy and Literacy provide a framework for planning for each half term in numeracy, reading and writing. Common formats for planning have been produced, trialled and evaluated in an ongoing process of developing consistency throughout the school. Planning, in most cases, now includes outcomes, with a clear focus on what pupils will learn during a lesson or over a period of time.

p.24

and personal development

18. Assessment is satisfactory overall. Staff have made progress since the last inspection in their understanding of the link between assessment, planning and target setting for individual pupils. The week’s lessons are evaluated and the results of assessment are indicated on the planning sheet to suitably inform future lessons. However, the quality and extent of such assessment varies from teacher to teacher. At its best, it has a clear impact on teaching leading to well focused lessons pitched at the appropriate level, enabling groups and individuals to make progress. In science, however, assessment procedures are not used effectively.

p.24

and personal development

19. The process of setting individual targets for pupils based on assessment and marking is in the early stages of development. Marking includes positive comments but in general is not analytical nor does it give an indication of what pupils have to do next in order to make progress. In one class, marking is constructive, and the teacher has started to give each pupil realistic but challenging targets which are understood by each individual and communicated to parents at parent consultation evenings. This practice of sharing targets with pupils and parents needs to be extended to other classes.

p.24

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

20. Pupils’ spiritual development is very good and a considerable strength of the school. Spiritual education is well integrated into other aspects of the curriculum, to a greater extent than at the last inspection. For example, pupils visit the church to draw artefacts they feel are special to them. A visit by the whole school to Coventry Cathedral provided the stimulus for a great deal of curriculum work ranging from a study of roof trusses to reflective work in art. Pupils base designs for stained glass windows on the theme ‘From darkness into light’, and produce work that is both of high quality and most moving. The school year includes the recognition of major Christian festivals and good use is made of the local church on these occasions. Lessons on other subjects, such as science, introduce pupils to the scale and wonder of the universe.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

21. Provision for pupils’ moral education is very good. Staff provide excellent role models, and right and wrong are concepts that are embedded in all aspects of how the school works. Pupils have developed a Pupil Charter which places considerable focus on good relationships and pupils are expected to treat each other with respect at all times. Staff encourage pupils to support each other and pupils learn that they have responsibilities towards the wider world through the school’s regular support of charities. Sex education takes place in the context of family life, and the headteacher and outside specialists provide additional support and guidance for pupils when necessary.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

22. The provision for pupils’ social education is very good. Through discussion of school issues, pupils have developed a Charter. Pupils contribute to the smooth running of the school as monitors in several classes and they learn to live together through residential trips of good quality. In school there are very good opportunities for working together through musical and sporting activities, and they learn to consider broader social issues through presentations from outside agencies such as the county recycling project. Wider issues are also considered through high quality assemblies, such as when a group of pupils presents a theme about friendship and working together through the medium of dance.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

23. The provision for pupils’ cultural education is good. Their experience of their own culture is stronger than that of the cultures of others. There is a wide range of opportunities for them to learn musical instruments and to play in an orchestra in addition to singing in the choir. Pupils are able to participate in a wide range of events outside school, such as local music festivals, and to participate in performances in school. They have extensive experience of art, studying the work of leading artists as well as producing their own work. The school makes excellent use of its local cultural heritage, including the church next door. Opportunities for pupils to learn about the diverse nature of society,and of the daily experience of people from other cultures are more limited, although performers from ethnic minority groups have led recent events in school, for example dancing in Creative Arts Week. Pupils learn about peoples in

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

the past through history, for example the Ancient Egyptians. 24. All these areas were also highly commended in the last inspection, and overall pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. 48.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

25. Provision for support, guidance and pupils' welfare is good. It is a strength of the school. This is broadly similar to the conclusion reached in the previous inspection report. Pupils' academic progress is regularly and well monitored through a range of formal tests, and class teachers maintain pupils’ attainment records in core subjects. In addition, the headteacher provides an informal tier of monitoring by visiting each class regularly, and teaching in some. The monitoring of personal development is more self-evaluative, with pupils contributing to their own records of achievement. Behaviour is also monitored informally by staff which is practical in a small school, although more structured support is provided when required and follows the advice of outside agencies. The monitoring of attendance is very good, with the school secretary providing an analysis of absence for the headteacher on a daily basis.

p.26

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

Pupils with special educational needs are supported appropriately. Monitoring procedures make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

26. The caring ethos of the school reinforces high expectations of good behaviour. Pupils make their own contribution to the framing of school rules, adults give appropriate praise, and celebration assemblies and stickers provide some tangible recognition of achievement, including good behaviour. Bullying and unkind behaviour are discussed openly and there is an anti-bullying poster displayed prominently in the school hall. In conversation, pupils say that the school is a friendly place and that they like coming to school and making friends.

p.26

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

27. Child protection procedures are very good, and known well by staff. Whenever there is an issue causing concern, staff are briefed in order that they can provide effective yet unobtrusive monitoring. The headteacher, who is the person responsible for this area, has had appropriate training and has established sound links with the appropriate agencies.

p.26

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

28. The school has an effective health and safety policy. There are two trained first-aiders on the staff, and an accident book is maintained. Electrical equipment and fire fighting equipment is tested every six months by the local education authority. Governors regularly inspect the premises for defects. Pedestrian access to the vicarage via the school playground, commented upon in the last report, is now prevented by a locked gate. Pupils’ personal safety is addressed well by regular visits from the community police officer and also by sessions outside school for pupils in Years 5 and 6. Good links have been established with Stratford High School, which is the main receiving secondary school, so that pupils are well prepared for moving on to the next stage of their education. 52.

p.26

Partnership with parents and the community

29. Partnerships with parents and the community are similar to those observed during the last inspection. Links with the community are confirmed, once again, as making a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. 30. Overall, the school's partnership with parents is satisfactory but there are strengths and weaknesses within this aspect. In response to the pre-inspection questionnaire, a high proportion of parents expressed the view that they had an insufficiently clear understanding of what is being taught. The inspection found that staff work hard to update parents about their children’s progress through regular meetings, high quality written reports and home/school diaries, but do not provide curriculum information in sufficient detail to enable parents to feel secure in supporting their children’s learning at home. A recent initiative outlining the main areas of learning in the coming year is

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Partnership with parents and the community

a useful step in addressing this. The information in the new parents’ booklet is helpful, but curriculum outlines published in the prospectus are too general. Otherwise, information given to parents appears to inform them rather than engaging them as partners in their children’s education, participating in their children’s learning. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are suitably involved in the review of their individual education plans, and effective links are made with external agencies.

p.27

Partnership with parents and the community

31. The school has home/school partnership agreements in place, which remind parents of their obligations. A number of parents help with school activities such as cooking, library and hearing readers, escorting pupils on visits and providing transport for sports teams. However, the school has found regular parental support in classrooms to be restricted as most parents are at work. The school has an excellent relationship with Wilmcote School Parents Association (WSPA), which raises a large amount of funds for the benefit of the school.

p.27

Partnership with parents and the community

32. Links with the local community are good. Most of the funds for the recently set up School Trust Fund were raised locally, reflecting the high esteem in which the school is held. Interest from the fund, which stands at over £20,000, is used to finance capital projects. The Parish Council rents the sports field on the school’s behalf from the District Council. Pupils gain an understanding of the needs of other people throughout the world through fund raising activities, which, in addition to other events such as sports day, often involve members of the village community. Pupils contribute appropriately to the life of the village. They make very good use of the local area to supplement the curriculum, visiting places of interest such as Mary Arden's House and Coventry Cathedral, as well as undertaking longer trips to Kingswood and The Forest of Dean. Pupils benefit from a number of local visitors to the school. Of

p.27

Partnership with parents and the community

particular note is The Young Engineers Club, which is funded by two local firms, supported by Evesham College, and run by local residents with engineering skills. Community links make a significant and positive contribution to the work of the school.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

33. The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The headteacher and governing body have a clear view of the future educational development of the school and are fully committed to raising standards. The headteacher is well organised and works hard to support and encourage staff, although her management time is limited as she teaches for just over half the week. The deputy headteacher is fully supportive. Staff have a clear understanding of the future development of the subjects they manage. 34. The proceedings of the governing body enable it to perform its responsibilities effectively. Governors are committed, well informed and fully supportive. They are actively involved with the school, and are familiar with school life through frequent visits to observe or help, as for example with the new reception children. Governors are proud of the school and fulfil their statutory duties well. They work hard to

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

improve the provision, particularly with regard to the environment. They are making a good start to systematically analysing results critically to inform the target setting process.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

35. Monitoring of teaching and learning and curriculum development are not satisfactory overall. The headteacher monitors planning and is involved with classroom life through informal classroom visits and by teaching each class from time to time but her ability to fulfil this aspect of her role in a structured way is constrained by a lack of management time. There are no systematic procedures established, including constructive feedback, to monitor teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning. The monitoring role of subject co-ordinators is limited, as they have no designated time to observe and evaluate the impact of their subjects in the classrooms. Governors monitor curriculum provision in an informal way through observation of lessons, for example literacy and numeracy.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

36. Governors are properly involved with supporting pupils with special educational needs. The headteacher, in consultation with governors, has set up an appropriate policy and procedure for special needs, which meet statutory requirements in practice and in reporting to parents.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

37. All statutory requirements are met, including the school’s arrangements for collective worship.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

38. Planning for school development is good. Systematic procedures are in place, and staff and governors are fully involved at all stages of the annual cycle. Comprehensive and useful analysis of pupils’ results properly informs priorities for the development plan. As a result, priorities have a direct impact on standards. For example, low standards in information technology at Key Stage 2, identified in the previous inspection report, have improved significantly as a result of the subject becoming a focus for school development, and as such attracting additional funding. Priorities for the early years are suitably identified. Funding for priorities is now clearly identified and expenditure is assessed more critically to determine value, but there is no programme for the implementation for the priorities. The plan looks forward but in a limited way.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

39. The school’s aims are fully met in all respects. They successfully permeate the work of the school. The ethos of the school is very good and reflects the close association with the church. It is strongly positive, welcoming and caring, endorsed by parents and sustained well since the previous inspection. Commitment to pupils’ well being and furthering their development are central to the work of the school. There is an effective learning environment and a secure atmosphere. Relationships are very good and everyone is valued. The school promotes equality of opportunity well in its aims and ethos.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

40. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection and many good features have been maintained. Standards remain above national expectations in English at the end of both key stages, and in mathematics, history, geography and art at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils’ good attitudes to work are still a strength of the school, and the strongly positive and caring ethos is still evident. The school continues to be supported well by the governing body, the church and the village. It remains an asset to the local community. The previous key issues have almost all been satisfactorily addressed. Standards in information technology have been raised significantly, and are currently above expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Morning registration meets requirements, and schemes of work are now in place for all subjects. Careful analysis of pupils’ results informs priorities for school

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

development, which have a direct impact on standards. The plan is now costed and evaluated appropriately. The school has made a useful start in improving the quality of assessment systems, but this area needs to be developed further. Most other reported weaknesses have been suitably addressed, although the monitoring role of the headteacher remains informal. A small percentage of unsatisfactory teaching remains. The commitment and dedication of the headteacher and the active support of the governing body lead to the judgement that the school’s capacity for further improvement is sound.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

64. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

41. The school has an appropriate number of teachers for the number of pupils. Their qualifications and experience enable the school to meet the demands of the National Curriculum. More effective use of the specialist music teacher has increased competence in this area since the last inspection, although she was absent during this inspection. Skills in design and technology are still limited. Since the last inspection the headteacher has taken responsibility for a class for part of the week and now makes a significant contribution to class teaching.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

42. The school has an appropriate number of classroom support staff, and this provision has recently been increased in light of the number of pupils with special educational needs. These staff have appropriate experience and contribute effectively to pupils’ education. The provision of administrative support is well below average, but there is some provision for it to be increased when necessary, and school administration is carried out efficiently.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

43. Arrangements for in-service training are good. Teachers attend a good number of courses relating both to their subject responsibilities and to other areas of school development. Training is related effectively to priorities in the school development plan. There are detailed and appropriate job descriptions and appraisal takes place against these; teachers say that appraisal is helpful and effective. With stable staffing there has been little need for induction recently but the school provides effective support to supply teachers; when last a teacher joined the staff induction was good.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

44. Accommodation is satisfactory and classrooms provide an effective learning environment. However, there is only enough space in the mobile classrooms for the present number of pupils and it is difficult for them to move around in lessons when this is required. The school has created a good space for a computer room, and the hall is satisfactory both for assemblies and for games. The hall is also used to good effect by children under the age of five for large construction equipment. Outside space is limited but the playground is properly marked both for playtime and for games. There is a satisfactory area for the under-fives, a good climbing area and a quiet corner providing suitable space for pupils to sit and talk. There is no grass area at the school itself. However, the school uses a field at the end of the village and access to this is acceptable. It provides a good teaching space and the arrangement

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

is, overall, satisfactory. The school is well maintained and well cared for.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

45. Resources are satisfactory overall, though spending is falling due to tighter budgets. Resources for history and geography are good, as are resources for teaching the literacy hour and provision for the use of CD-ROMs and video at Key Stage 2. Software for computing was unsatisfactory at the last inspection. Since then there has been a significant investment in both software and hardware for teaching information technology and the provision of software has improved. These improvements have contributed to the raised standards in this subject but, overall, hardware resources are still not satisfactory. Too few computers are up-to-date, the mixture of types of computer makes teaching more difficult and arrangements for technical support are limited.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

46. Resources are satisfactory in other subjects overall. However, as the school is aware, mathematics resources need reviewing in light of the introduction of the numeracy hour. There are insufficient books on artists and some music resources need replacing. Class libraries need further development despite work done since the last inspection. The school library is satisfactory but books are not labelled and displayed sufficiently clearly to make them easy to find. Overall it is a well-used resource.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

47. The school makes very good use of residential visits and the local environment. Visits to places such as Coventry Cathedral, the local church and Compton Verney all enhance pupils’ learning, and regular visits to the local swimming pool enable them to make good progress at swimming. Resources are supplemented well by the Schools’ Library Service, which is particularly useful for research-based topics.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

48. Financial planning is good; governors agree spending decisions with the headteacher and carefully monitor monthly returns of expenditure provided by the local education authority. They are now coming into school more often to evaluate the effectiveness of spending decisions and this represents a major improvement since the last inspection report. The school development plan continues to focus on short-term issues, but there has been a greater awareness, since the last report, of the need to take a longer-term view to cater effectively for rising numbers. For example, the school has recently added teaching space by converting part of the hall to a Victorian classroom which is earmarked for use as an information technology suite.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

49. Satisfactory use is made of staff, accommodation and learning resources. Specific funding for pupils with special educational needs is spent appropriately, principally by the provision of educational support staff. The school's small teaching complement works effectively to raise the age-related attainment of all pupils as they move through the school.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

50. Financial control and school administration are satisfactory. The school buys into the financial services provided by the local education authority. This allows the part-time secretary, who has well organised systems, to concentrate on administration. Responsibility for financial control rests with the headteacher and governors. The most recent audit report found financial and administrative controls to be satisfactory. 51. Overall, the school provides satisfactory value for money. Expenditure per pupil is relatively high. Pupils generally make satisfactory progress. Over time, from average levels of attainment on entry to above average levels in many subjects when they leave, pupils make good progress. However, the rate at which they improve is not consistent as they move through the school. Time allocated for teaching is below recommended levels at Key Stage 2, and this is compounded by a relatively high

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

incidence of holiday absence, which has a negative impact on the efficiency of the school. 75. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

75. AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

52. Children under five work in Class 1 together with younger Year 1 pupils. At present there are 18 children of non-statutory age, who form two-thirds of the class. At the time of the inspection, all these children were attending part-time, and some were starting to attend full-time. Due to staff absence, these children were taught by a supply teacher for almost all of the inspection time, with an additional supply teacher teaching for one session. The class is well supported almost full-time by a competent teaching assistant, fulfilling an effective and sympathetic role in assisting the new children. Most children attend pre-school groups before entering the school. Children enter Class 1 in the September of the school year in which they will be five. They move to Class 2 one year later. When they enter school the children are attaining at levels that are to be expected for their age. By the time they are five, they are likely to

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

achieve the desirable learning outcomes in all areas of learning. They are likely to exceed them in aspects of language and literacy and creative development. Personal and social development is good. Children make at least satisfactory progress across all areas of learning. They make good progress in personal and social development and in aspects of language and literacy and creative development. Children are making a sound start to statutory education. Provision for the under-fives was not reported as a discrete section in the previous inspection.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

53. Children’s attitudes to learning are good. They are able to sustain concentration, for example in shared reading. They settle to tasks and become purposefully engaged, as when making a collage flower. They are sensible and mature, as when learning to play a simple game in a physical education session and accepting being ‘out’. They are almost always well behaved, although sometimes, when they need to sit or wait for too long, they become restless. They play together well, as in imaginative play with the police car. They work together well in a small cooking group with effective support. They patiently wait their turn, for example for the magnifiers, but sometimes, when unsupported, they have difficulty sharing popular equipment such as a policeman’s hat. They show joy and pleasure when singing and playing musical instruments. Most children make good attempts to undress for a physical session and

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

to dress again afterwards. Teaching in this area is good. It is effective in helping the children to settle as they start school, with the occasional distress at parting from parents being dealt with in a caring and kindly way.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

54. Standards are satisfactory overall, and children make at least satisfactory progress. Their speaking and listening skills are good. They listen attentively to stories and instructions, and some can express their ideas clearly using complex sentences. As part of the work on senses, they use words to good effect to describe how different items feel, prickly, squidgy, hard and soft. They play sensibly in the playhouse, as when making stew or setting the table. They dress up in different hats and pretend that the wooden vehicle is a police car. They talk about what they want to do when they grow up. Children handle books with care and know that print carries meaning. They know some sounds and letters and some children are beginning to recognise familiar words, including their names. The older children can write their names and younger children make reasonable attempts. Teaching in this area is satisfactory,

p.32

THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

although there are insufficient opportunities for children to experiment with their own writing. Early reading skills are promoted effectively.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

55. Standards and progress are satisfactory. Children are familiar with counting songs such as ‘Five little peas in a peapod pressed’. They count confidently to ten and beyond, and are quick to notice when the numbers are counted in the wrong order. They recognise numerals at least to five. In practical situations they know that four on an exercise mat is more than three. They try hard with some success to sort themselves into three children to a mat. They make symmetrical butterflies in art, and sort animals with support. They make flower stems as tall as themselves for their collage flowers. Teaching in this area is satisfactory. However, although some opportunities are used effectively for counting and practical problem solving, such as in physical sessions, opportunities are generally lost to capitalise on children’s self- chosen activities, or during classroom routines such as register time, to promote

p.33

THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

79. Knowledge and understanding of the world

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

56. Standards and progress are satisfactory. Children appropriately find out that oranges and tomatoes look bigger when carefully observed through a magnifier. They talk about their likes and dislikes when tasting crisps with different flavours. They suitably identify the smells of vinegar and marmite. They pour water carefully, from one container to another and to turn the water wheel. They use the telephone in the playhouse appropriately and, on the computer, some children use the large mouse with confidence to dress a bear. Evidence showed that children under the age of five from the previous term had an understanding of the past by identifying old houses in the village and the Mary Arden Inn close to the school. Evidence also indicates suitable experiences of growing things such as sunflowers and tomatoes, and of observing minibeasts. Teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory with suitable

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

coverage of all aspects. Relevant items are provided for children to handle and use. The planned tasks appropriately prompt children to explore and find out for themselves, but questions are sometimes closed, limiting children’s responses.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

57. Standards and progress are satisfactory. Children move about the hall with confidence, making reasonable use of space and others, and enjoying being physically active. They respond readily to instructions, and follow the rules of a simple game. They run, walk, crawl, and creep. Some children can skip, and the others make good attempts. Most children can hop. They use the bike and scooter with confidence. Children are dexterous in their use of small equipment such as glue brushes and small interlocking bricks. They colour in shapes with reasonable control. They show appropriate manipulative skills when cutting out dough to make gingerbread men, and carefully stick grains of rice and tissue to make a collage flower. Teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory overall. Sometimes it is good, when a wide variety of physical activities challenge the children well and extend their skills. Children are supported well in small groups.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

58. Standards and progress are satisfactory. Standards in music exceed expectations, as exemplified by children playing and following a simple rhythm, adding an instrumental accompaniment to a song and beginning to learn the names of instruments. Children enjoy experimenting with instruments and finding out the sounds that they make. In artwork they enjoy an appropriate range of activities. They paint bold self-portraits, print with different shapes, and fold painted paper to make symmetrical butterflies. They know about their different senses and explore materials freely to illustrate each. They find suitable words to describe how different objects feel. Teaching in this area of learning is satisfactory overall. In musical aspects it is good when the teacher’s expertise is clearly evident and expectations for children’s learning are high. Equipment for imaginative play, such as puppets, whose use is demonstrated

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

effectively by the teacher, suitably stimulates the children’s play. 82.

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THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

82. ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE 82.

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English

59. In the National Curriculum tests in 1998, at the end of Key Stage 1, the reading results were very high compared to all schools and well above similar schools. In writing, all pupils achieved the target Level 2 or higher, which is well above the results of both all and similar schools. Results for higher-attaining pupils in reading in 1998 were very high compared to the national average and to results of similar schools. The results for writing were well above both national results and those of similar schools. National data for 1999 is not yet available for comparison, but results for both reading and writing are lower than those achieved in 1998, including for higher- attaining pupils. The differences may be accounted for by the small number of pupils taking the tests, of which a significant number had special educational needs. In small year groups the results of just one pupil have a significant impact on the data.

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Results in reading and writing from 1996 to 1998 were well above the national average. There are no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls.

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60. In the National Curriculum test for English in 1998 at the end of Key Stage 2, results were well above those of both all and similar schools. Higher-attaining pupils’ results for 1998 are very high. In testing in 1999, results were higher than the previous year, including for higher-attaining pupils. Attainment in English over the three years between 1996 and 1998 has been consistently high. Boys and girls are achieving equally well.

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61. Evidence from this inspection indicates attainment, overall, in English is above average at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above average at the end of Key Stage 2. Attainment in speaking and listening for both key stages is above national expectations. By the age of seven, pupils speak confidently on a range of subjects. They give explanations, express their views and preferences. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils speak with confidence, expressing themselves in a mature and appropriate manner. They use specialist vocabulary accurately, for example words like habitat, the source and mouth of the river, when describing a geography field trip. 62. Standards in reading are above national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above at the end of Key Stage 2. Higher-attaining pupils’ standards are well above expectations by the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils read with fluency and accuracy. Higher-attaining pupils have a mature understanding

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of the characters’ motivation and feelings in books they have read. Pupils locate information in reference books using the contents and index pages. Year 6 pupils read with expression, fluency and accuracy, showing an awareness of audience when reading aloud. The reading of dialogue is particularly expressive, holding the listener’s interest and showing a good understanding of the characters. Higher-attaining pupils skim and scan the text for information. Pupils enjoy reading and talk about the genres and authors they have read. They support their views with reference to the text. When analysing the ‘blurb’ on the back cover of a book, they are able to predict what might happen, refer to similar types of books and use inference and deduction.

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63. Standards in writing are in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and well above by the end of Key Stage 2. Evidence indicates that, by the end of Year 2, pupils write clearly punctuated stories, with accurate spelling of simple words and plausible spelling of more complex words. The content shows a sound understanding of story structure, and writing holds the interest of the reader through some interesting plots and descriptive language. Higher-attaining pupils write at length well-structured stories that include descriptions of feelings of characters. By the age of eleven, pupils write in a mature style in a range of genres. They use metaphor and analogy in descriptive writing with striking and imaginative results. Story structure is sustained and narratives have appropriate and sometimes good endings. Higher-attaining pupils use paragraphs consistently. Standards of spelling are good and standards of

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English

presentation are very good. Pupils use complex sentence structures, language and questioning that directly engages the emotions of the reader in persuasive writing.

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English

64. Pupils in both key stages make good progress in speaking and listening. In Year 1, pupils talk clearly about the events of their weekend, gaining confidence and the ability to sequence events logically. In Year 6, pupils present the results of group discussion to the rest of the class, expressing themselves with clarity, and being encouraged by the teacher to take risks using ambitious vocabulary.

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English

65. In Key Stage 1, pupils make good progress in reading, especially for information. The influence of the Literacy Hour is evident in the way pupils use the contents and index pages of reference books to find information. They are confident in reading not only the text but also diagrams and illustrations for information. Year 1 pupils use phonics and the context of stories to develop their reading. Pupils are given many opportunities to read a wide range of texts and are not restricted to a reading scheme. They are very confident in tackling unfamiliar texts both fiction and non-fiction. Progress is good in writing. Year 1 pupils punctuate simple sentences with fullstops and capital letters increasingly well. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory in relation to their prior attainment.

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English

66. In Key Stage 2, progress is satisfactory in reading and writing in Years 3 and 4, and very good in Years 5 and 6. Younger pupils in Key Stage 2 make steady progress in their reading, being fluent and accurate. They are able to answer questions about the text they are reading and identify features of how text is set out; for example, how speech is recorded. Reading for enjoyment is promoted in Years 5 and 6 and pupils are given many opportunities to extend their reading. The range of opportunities for developing writing in a variety of genres is limited in Years 3 and 4. From looking at pupils’ work over the year, it was evident that some pupils’ writing was not developing and improving as the same mistakes were being repeated. Higher-attaining pupils in Years 3 and 4 do not always make sufficient progress because the work they are given is not sufficiently matched to their prior attainment. However, in Years 5 and 6

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pupils make very good progress in all aspects of English, including handwriting and spelling, as a result of a rich variety of challenging work. They are motivated and have a clear idea of their strengths and what they need to improve. Thorough support and structured teaching in Key Stage 2 enables pupils with special educational needs to make good progress, with spelling in particular, which transfers effectively into writing in class.

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English

67. The impact of the Literacy Hour has been to raise expectations of certain aspects of English, especially the range of reading at Key Stage 1. Coverage of phonics has been more rapid in Years 1 and 2 and this has benefited pupils’ spelling and reading. In Years 5 and 6, pupils make good progress in their use of dictionaries and understanding of how the English language has developed over time, for example looking up words that originated in Old English. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in the Literacy Hour and classroom assistants give good support, rephrasing questions, encouraging pupils to answer, and reinforcing learning.

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English

68. Pupils show positive attitudes to their work, especially in Key Stage 1 and Years 5 and 6. They are motivated and interested. They are able to work independently or collaboratively when required. At times, when work is insufficiently challenging or the pace of teaching is too slow, pupils become restless and inattentive. The oldest pupils work well in groups discussing their ideas, listening to each other and coming to an agreement. Lower-attaining pupils are supported sensitively by their peers. Boys and girls generally work well together on group activities. Sometimes, pupils are not sure how to proceed when they come across difficulties when working independently in the Literacy Hour.

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English

69. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and lower Key Stage 2; it is good in upper Key Stage 2 and impacts well on pupils’ learning. Teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding especially in the teaching of reading in Key Stage 1 and in the accurate use of specialist language. In upper Key Stage 2, the teacher extends the pupils’ thinking and vocabulary, using ambitious words and introducing them to sophisticated ideas. Teachers generally have high expectations, although higher-attaining pupils are not challenged sufficiently in Years 3 and 4. Expected standards in the content and presentation of work are made explicit to older pupils. Planning for English is sound although the quality varies. Objectives are clear for shared text work but often not sufficiently detailed for guided reading and writing or for the plenary. All teachers appropriately start the lesson making objectives clear to

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pupils and this leads to well-focused shared text or word level teaching. However, the pace sometimes flags when teachers spend too long on aspects already known and understood by pupils or give too many similar examples. In whole class teaching, teachers use questioning to extend learning and pupils’ thinking. Questioning is open ended and probing. There is a lack of variety in the strategies used and way pupils work, except in Years 5 and 6 where paired work and group discussion is included. In Years 3 and 4 there is an over-reliance on work sheets. The management of pupils is good and lessons flow smoothly from one section of the Literacy Hour to the next.

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English

70. Teachers evaluate lessons and record the results of daily, ongoing assessment of pupils on their weekly planning sheets. However, the results of such assessment are not always used to inform planning, with the result that work is sometimes pitched at the wrong level, being either too easy or too difficult. In Years 5 and 6, pupils are given individual targets for English based on a thorough assessment of their work. These targets are shared with and understood by the pupils and contribute to the good progress made in these year groups.

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English

71. The co-ordinator and headteacher have identified priorities for the development of English in the school, which are detailed in the School Development Plan. Having evaluated the impact of the Literacy Hour, the timetable has been re-organised to give more opportunities for pupils to write at length and for the teaching of handwriting and spelling. Monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning is under-developed. The headteacher and co-ordinator recognise that they need to establish a systematic programme to ensure that future developments in the subject are based on first hand evidence of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. Care and thought has been given to the purchase of resources to support the Literacy Hour. Resources are adequate and being well used; for example, high quality appealing books in guided reading captured the interest of Year 4 pupils and those in Year 5

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English

and 6 were fascinated by the excellent dictionaries for the derivation of words. Reading areas in some classes could be developed further as a way of promoting reading and an enjoyment of books. Literacy is promoted in other subjects, especially though the excellent homework projects. Pupils of all ages are expected to use their information retrieval skills.

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English

72. The previous inspection noted that standards were above expectations in all three attainment targets at the end of both key stages. This is still the case, except in writing at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils are now reading a wider range of books and there is greater evidence of independent work, especially through the homework research topics. Pupils are writing in a wider range of genres in Key Stage 1 and upper Key Stage 2, although there is still a need for this to be extended in Years 3 and 4. There is evidence of more poetry being studied and written, but not consistently throughout the school. The scheme of work has been written following up a key issue from the previous inspection. However, its value now is to give guidance on coverage of speaking and listening and drama, as the content for reading and writing has been superseded by the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy.

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English

73. In national testing in 1998, attainment in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 was average. The percentage of pupils achieving high scores was close to the national average too. In teacher assessments, results were well below average overall, although in the attainment target for shape, space and measures, results were above average. At the end of Key Stage 2, in 1998, standards in mathematics were well above average, with a high percentage of pupils achieving high scores. In comparison with similar schools, results at Key Stage 1 were below average, but they were above average at Key Stage 2. Over the period 1996 to 1998, scores for mathematics have remained close to the national average at Key Stage 1, and have been consistently above at Key Stage 2. During this period data shows that girls out- performed boys at Key Stage 1, but that boys and girls performed equally well at Key Stage 2. Inspection evidence indicates that boys and girls perform equally well at

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English

74. Although comparative data for testing in 1999 is not yet available, results for Key Stage 1 indicate lower scores than the previous year, including for higher-attaining pupils. This may be accounted for by the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the cohort. Targets set to reflect the variation in the cohort were met. Results for Key Stage 2 show significant improvement over the previous year. This may be the result of several higher-attaining pupils in the cohort, and more challenging teaching with high expectations. The small number of pupils taking the tests may account for some fluctuation in results; each pupil represents a significant percentage.

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English

75. Inspection evidence shows that standards of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 are in line with national expectations. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are well above expectations, with almost all pupils achieving higher than expected levels. Inspection evidence reflects results in recent national testing. Standards in numeracy are satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Pupils in Year 2 check their results and correct mistakes. They can explain their mental strategies for calculations. They count in tens to one hundred, know appropriate number facts by heart, and identify odd and even numbers. Pupils in Year 6 estimate reasonable answers to long multiplication sums. They devise rules and explain their mental strategies. They calculate accurately and efficiently, and understand what happens when a number is multiplied by ten. They determine metric and Imperial equivalents in measures, and

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English

find the area of a shape by counting squares.

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English

76. Pupils use numeracy skills across the curriculum to good effect. Younger pupils measure carefully when making gingerbread men. They use tally charts to calculate dinner numbers accurately. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 record results in tables and older pupils record data in fieldwork using electronic pocketbooks. In geography, pupils use co-ordinates and plot routes. In art, they produce symmetrical patterns and in music they count beats.

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English

77. Progress in mathematics is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and in lower Key Stage 2. It is good in upper Key Stage 2. Progress is sometimes hindered by a lack of challenge, especially for higher-attaining pupils, and a slow pace through the scheme of work. Pupils in Year 1 reinforce their understanding of numbers to ten by matching bricks to numbers practically. They improve their writing of numbers through patient reinforcement and practice, both pencil and paper and on the computer. As they progress through the school, pupils’ ability to deal with bigger numbers is evident. Pupils in Year 3 extend their knowledge of shapes, and pupils in Year 4 build on earlier work about angles by learning about obtuse and acute angles. Progress accelerates in upper Key Stage 2. It is promoted well by high expectations for pupils’ learning; pupils are challenged and well motivated. Good questioning draws out

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English

pupils’ thinking and a brisk pace moves their learning forward well. Progress over time, from average attainment on entry to the school to well above average levels of attainment when they leave, is good overall. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2.

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English

78. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are good overall. They are interested in the subject and work purposefully. They are enthusiastic and keen to answer questions. They have the confidence to try new approaches. They respond well to challenge, particularly evident with older pupils. However, occasionally, some pupils do not remain well focused, for example when they are not clear enough about the task or when distracted by noise from another year group.

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English

79. The quality of teaching in mathematics is satisfactory overall. It is very good in the upper end of Key Stage 2, and clearly impacts on pupils’ attainment. Expectations are high and supported by detailed planning which clearly identifies what pupils are intended to gain each lesson. In general, lessons are suitably structured. The pace of mental mathematics is often brisk, stimulating the pupils’ interest effectively. There is some good use of classroom routines for reinforcing mathematical learning, for example tallying as a way of calculating the dinner numbers. Although teachers direct questions suitably to different age groups and abilities, tasks set are not always so well matched. A range of appropriate language is used and pupils’ mathematical vocabulary extended. Assessment of work in progress is satisfactory, and teachers evaluate lessons to inform future plans. Sometimes they modify the focus of a lesson

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English

in progress in response to assessment of pupils’ understanding of intended teaching points. Organisation is sound and teachers are generally well prepared. Teachers manage pupils well. The introduction of the National Numeracy Project is adequate, but, as the school is aware, the present scheme of work does not support the project sufficiently well, and expectations for pupils’ learning in each year group are not high enough. Management time for monitoring the impact of the numeracy project is too limited.

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English

80. Standards and progress in mathematics are broadly the same as those identified at the time of the previous inspection, and older pupils’ experience in the subject remains strong. As the school is aware, the scheme of work is in need of updating in the light of the National Numeracy Project

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English

81. In science, in the teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1998, the proportion of pupils gaining the expected level was above average. The proportion of pupils gaining higher than expected levels was well above average. The school's results were slightly below average compared with schools with a similar proportion of free school meals. However, this comparison does not take account of the proportion of pupils with special educational needs, nor of the small size of the year group. There is no evidence of significant differences in the results of boys and girls. The results were consistent in 1997 and 1998, but the proportion of pupils gaining the expected level was lower in 1999 when the year group concerned contained a higher percentage of pupils on the special educational needs register. Results are broadly in line with those at the time of the last inspection.

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English

82. Pupils' attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 meets expectations. Pupils relate their observation of bees to information about their habitat and know the effect of switches in electrical circuits. Most pupils have appropriate knowledge of different types of fruit, but some confuse everyday fruits. Although they carry out observations to obtain information, for example when dipping ponds to find out what is in them, there is little evidence that they modify experiments or control factors to ensure that there is a fair test.

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English

83. In the National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1998, the proportion of pupils gaining the expected level was average, as was the proportion gaining higher levels. The results of teacher assessments were better than the results in tests; although there is a moderated portfolio produced with other schools, work is not moderated on a regular basis at present. The proportion gaining the expected level was well below the proportion in similar schools but, as at Key Stage 1, this comparison does not truly reflect the intake of the school. There are no significant differences between the results of girls and boys. The results in 1998 were much less good than in 1997, due to disruption in the teaching of the pupils concerned, but the 1999 results are even better than those in 1997 and they are significantly better than at the time of the last inspection. The improvement in results in 1999 may be

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English

accounted for by the return of settled teaching and differences in the cohort.

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English

84. Pupils' attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is average. Pupils handle equipment safely and make accurate observations in experiments. However, they do not design experiments for themselves nor relate their observations to their knowledge of science. They record results both on paper and using a computer, and when doing fieldwork they use computers to analyse and present their results. They have a sound understanding of ideas, distinguishing processes such as condensation and evaporation and relating the behaviour of series and parallel circuits to everyday life. They research topics such as pond life and the planets, using books and other resources, and present their information well.

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English

85. Pupils make satisfactory progress during Key Stage 1. In Year 1 they know the parts of an insect and in Year 2 they are able to sort insects into different groups. In Year 1 pupils work in groups to research information from books but in Year 2 they work individually to find out information about scorpions. In Year 1 they record information about habitats in charts which the teacher has provided but in Year 2 they learn to tally information for themselves. Pupils make better progress when ideas are built up step by step and when teachers identify the key points to be learnt in the lesson. It is less good when their work is muddled up in files. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress since tasks are appropriate to them.

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English

86. Pupils' progress in Key Stage 2 is sound overall. They make good progress in their knowledge of science, and by Year 6 they understand abstract concepts such as the nature of solids, liquids and gases. In Year 4 they investigate the connection between chest size and the strength of a person's blow, but they do not draw conclusions from their results. In Year 6 they draw conclusions from fieldwork but they do not always do that in class experiments. They therefore make unsatisfactory progress in relating experimental observations to their understanding of scientific ideas, through a lack of opportunity in lessons. Teaching moves too quickly from carrying out the experiment to writing it up, without giving enough time to exploring the ideas involved. Overall, pupils with special educational needs make sound progress.

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English

87. Attitudes to science and behaviour in lessons are satisfactory. Pupils participate well in question and answer sessions, and are generally attentive and keen to learn. However, when the pace of the lesson is slower, or the task less interesting, they sometimes chatter when the teacher is talking. Written work is neat and carefully done.. Pupils develop personal study skills through carrying out independent research and do this well.

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English

88. Teaching is sound at Key Stage 1 and, overall, unsatisfactory at Key Stage 2. At Key Stage 1 teachers generally have a good understanding of science and identify key learning points; expectations are appropriate. However, the scrutiny of work showed that at times the questions posed to pupils are inappropriate and indicate a weakness in teachers' subject knowledge. Lessons are well planned and work is matched appropriately to pupils' ages and levels of ability. Teachers manage pupils well and make efficient use of time and resources. At Key Stage 2, diligent teaching gives pupils a detailed knowledge of scientific fact, enabling them to make satisfactory progress towards end of key stage tests. However, a range of evidence including scrutiny of work demonstrates that teaching is not sufficiently effective overall. A high proportion of the work is factual and fails to extend pupils' imagination or experience.

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English

The extensive use of worksheets constrains pupils' thinking; since all pupils start in the same place, more able pupils are not extended, though their factual knowledge is good. Frequently challenging questions are introduced, but insufficient time is given to exploring them or relating them to pupils' other experience. At times the pace is slow. At both key stages, work is carefully corrected but there is no ongoing dialogue with pupils. Teaching is less good at Key Stage 2 than at the time of the last inspection and still fails to take account sufficiently of pupils' abilities. Assessment procedures are not used to best effect.

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English

89. The teaching of science is now supported by an appropriate national scheme of work, which gives adequate coverage of the National Curriculum. It gives limited support to progression in pupils' learning but more detailed information is required, particularly about how to match work more accurately to pupils' levels of prior attainment. Work in science is considerably enhanced by residential fieldwork and by a weekly Junior Engineers Club. Pupils carry out research producing notes or longer pieces of writing and this contributes effectively to their literacy skills. However, they make limited use of information technology, except during fieldwork when it makes a very effective contribution to their work. There is no overall strategy for the regular assessment of pupils' work or for the use of assessment to inform curricular planning. However, the school does monitor progress on an annual basis through end of year testing and sets

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English

effective targets for pupils. Arrangements for monitoring teaching are unsatisfactory.

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English

90. The last inspection reported that a more detailed scheme of work was needed and the school has only this term adopted a national scheme; more detail is needed for this to be fully effective. In some classes all pupils were set the same task and in some classes this is still true. It is still the case that pupils have insufficient opportunity to develop their own investigations.

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English

91. Standards in information technology are in line with expectations at the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils in Year 2 produce extensive word processing and are fluent in basic computer operations. They use research into snails as a basis for spiral patterns using a painting programme, and store information in a database before using it to plot a graph. Pupils direct a programmable turtle around a track and use an exploration programme to investigate a range of experiences. Standards are similar to those at the last inspection.

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English

92. Standards in information technology are above expectations by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils have achieved at least the expected standard in all aspects of the subject. They show higher standards of desk-top publishing than are expected, for example when they produce tourist brochures for Stratford, and they make more complex use of data analysis when using pocket books in field work. Pupils learn the importance of computer control in industry by visiting a nearby car research centre, and put these techniques into practice with small-scale equipment. Computers are used extensively, both for carrying out research and for writing it up, and recent products have included an inter-school newspaper and a project about Sutton Hoo. Standards are much improved since the last inspection when they were below expectations.

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English

93. Progress at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. Pupils produce more complex pictures in Year 2 than in Year 1, and their word processing increases in complexity at an appropriate rate. By the end of Year 2 they have more confidence in all computing operations. In addition, they have advanced from examining computer-controlled products in reception to controlling them themselves in later years. They produce a good deal of work on computers and this supports the progress they make. Pupils with special education of needs also make satisfactory progress.

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English

94. Progress is good in Key Stage 2. Standards of word processing improve steadily throughout these years and pupils develop considerable confidence and dexterity at the keyboard. Their use of CD-ROMs is of increasing sophistication, and their ability to store and manipulate data increases rapidly. Pupils with special educational needs also make good progress. The progress of all pupils is supported by the integration of information technology into almost all subjects of the curriculum and by the encouragement they receive from teachers to use it to the full. This recognition of the role of information technology in other areas of the curriculum is a major step forward since the last inspection.

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English

95. Pupils’ attitudes towards information technology are good and they use computers sensibly and with confidence. They are able to work on their own, both at underlying research and at reporting on what they have found out using desktop publishing. Pupils work together well and complete finished work that is always carefully and creatively done.

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English

96. No direct teaching of information technology was observed, but from the examination of pupils’ work and from discussion with them, teachers’ expectations were seen to be sound at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Direct teaching is carried out by the co-ordinator with a series of small groups, and this is an efficient and effective use of his skills. Other teachers make good use of information technology in other subjects of the curriculum.

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English

97. There is a detailed scheme of work enabling pupils to cover all aspects of the subject in appropriate depth; this is a considerable improvement since the last inspection. The integration of information technology with other subjects means that all pupils see it as relevant, which was not the case previously. There has been a significant improvement in both hardware and software but the quality and quantity of machines is still unsatisfactory, as is the technical support available to the school.

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English

98. Overall, this is a much-improved subject since the last inspection.

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Art

99. During the inspection, only two art lessons were observed. Judgements are therefore based on the evidence of these lessons and the scrutiny of pupils’ work. Indications are that standards of attainment are at least appropriate for the pupils’ ages; at the end of Key Stage 2 they exceed what is to be expected. This mirrors the findings of the previous inspection. 100. In Year 2, pupils can mix paint, select appropriate tools for the art they want to produce, paint with care, and make decisions about what media they want to work in. They respond imaginatively to stimuli, for example, creating their own patterns based on observation of pineapples. They produce observational drawings of fruit showing attention to detail. In Year 4, pupils understand the concept of tone and blend chalk and charcoal successfully to create tones of grey. Work produced by pupils in Years 5 and 6 shows very good control of media such as pastel and watercolour.

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Art

Watercolours in the style of William Morris show an accomplished technique with delicate brush strokes. The palette created for these paintings shows very good colour mixing with fine gradations of tone. The stained glass windows in pastel, inspired by a visit to Coventry Cathedral, represent an imaginative, thoughtful and spiritual response in words and art of an exceptional sensitivity and maturity.

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Art

101. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 1. Year 1 pupils learn how to create patterns using wax crayons and paint. They are given opportunities to experiment and try out their ideas, but, at times, there is not enough intervention by the teacher to improve their techniques. In Years 3 and 4, pupils make good progress in their understanding of the purpose and use of sketchbooks. Well-focused teaching enables them to make rapid improvements in their techniques of using different media. Indications are that the oldest pupils make very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are supported effectively and enabled to make similar progress to their peers.

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Art

102. Pupils are very enthusiastic about art. They are attentive and work with a high level of concentration. In Years 1 and 2, pupils take responsibility for setting out the materials and equipment they require. They are sensible and handle paint and artefacts with care. In Years 3 and 4 pupils persevere in mastering new techniques. They take a pride in their work.

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Art

103. The quality of teaching is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Teachers have good subject knowledge and their personal interest in art is communicated to the pupils. There is an emphasis on pupils selecting the way they work in Key Stage 1 that enables them to experiment and respond imaginatively. However, at times there needs to be a sharper focus on developing techniques and setting high expectations for the quality of what is to be achieved. In Key Stage 2, teaching is well paced and expectations are high. Planning is very thorough, and lessons are evaluated in the light of what pupils have achieved. In a good lesson observed, the teacher modified her approach and the content of the session based on what pupils could do whilst maintaining high expectations.

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Art

104. The scheme of work, which has been written since the last inspection, is a comprehensive document on which teachers base their medium-term planning. This planning is very detailed at Key Stage 2. There is still a lack of emphasis on three- dimensional work, as noted in the previous inspection, and computer-generated art is under-developed. Sketchbooks are used in Years 5 and 6 and have just been introduced into Years 3 and 4. The school should consider their introduction in Key Stage 1 in order to ensure continuity of provision and establish a way of working that is common throughout the school.

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Art

105. The teaching of art has been evaluated in Key Stage 2 and one teacher now takes all the art for this phase. She has considerable expertise and is an enthusiast for the subject. Already she is having a positive impact on the progress being made, especially by pupils in Year 4.

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Art

106. Standards in art are maintained well since the previous inspection.

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Art

107. Very little direct teaching in design and technology was observed but discussions were held with pupils and examples of their work and teachers’ planning examined. Standards in design and technology are appropriate to pupils' ages across the school and are similar to those at the time of the last inspection. In Year 2, pupils survey their friends before designing a playground snack and they plan and evaluate their models of insects. They show appropriate manipulative skills but make limited use of formal tools and methods of construction. In Years 5 and 6, pupils design jewellery as part of a topic on the Anglo Saxons, and they investigate different forms of roof truss following a visit to Coventry Cathedral. However, they do not produce plans with the level of detail that is expected and they do not evaluate it sufficiently well. Some of their work is over-directed.

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Art

108. Progress is satisfactory throughout the school. At Key Stage 1, pupils’ plans become more detailed and they begin to evaluate their work and suggest ways of improving it. They use higher levels of manual skill; for example, the model insects they make in Year 2 are more complex than the butterflies in Year 1. In individual lessons pupils make sound progress. For example, in a cooking group, a governor helper took time to ensure that pupils understood how to carry out simple tasks such as reading a scale. In Key Stage 2 pupils make artefacts requiring more precise control, for example when making jewellery. However, pupils do not develop their skills of design and evaluation, as they should. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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Art

109. Attitudes to design and technology are satisfactory. The few pupils observed in a design and technology lesson were interested and involved in the cooking they were doing, and behaved sensibly near the cooker. They worked well together. Elsewhere pupils talked about their work with pride and enthusiasm, and examples inspected showed that care had been taken.

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Art

110. It was only possible to observe teaching at Key Stage 1, where it was satisfactory. The teacher used sound knowledge and understanding of the subject in planning a suitable exercise for a governor helper to carry out with both ages of pupils in the class. Expectations were appropriate and pupils were well managed. The helper enabled the pupils to work well together. At Key Stage 2 the scrutiny of pupils' work suggest that teachers have a limited knowledge of the subject as too many tasks are too closely directed. Teachers’ expectations are not high enough of what pupils can design and of the manual skills they can develop.

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Art

111. In response to some curriculum flexibility being given to schools by the DfEE the school has decided to give design and technology a lower priority but has adopted a new scheme of work to develop the subject in the meantime. This appears to be effective, though it has not yet led to more suitable tasks being used at Key Stage 2. Arrangements for assessment are under-developed so it is difficult for staff to have an accurate picture of pupils' attainment as they move through the scheme. The after- school Engineering Club that is run with support from local engineers considerably enhances pupils’ experience.

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Art

112. Overall the school has not yet met the need for progress which was pointed out in the last inspection.

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Art

113. It was not possible to see any geography being taught during the inspection and so findings are based on both the evidence of pupils’ work and conversations with them.

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114. Standards of attainment are at least appropriate for the pupils’ ages, with the exception of Years 5 and 6 where standards are higher than is to be expected. Year 1 pupils can record their route to school in a pictorial form and describe the physical and human features they observe. Year 2 pupils can locate places in different parts of the world. The quality of work produced by pupils in Years 5 and 6 is of a very high standard, as was noted in the previous inspection. Year 6 pupils talking about work done the previous spring term had a secure understanding of habitats, rivers and human influences on the environment. They used geographical terms accurately when describing rivers. They drew on first and second hand sources to support their understanding and illustrate their knowledge. Map skills are of a very high standard, with pupils confidently explaining the meaning of contour lines and how they indicate

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115. Evidence to support judgements about progress in geography is limited, but indications are that progress at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory as pupils’ skills develop suitably, and good at Key Stage 2, enhanced by stimulating practical experiences of geographical skills. Mapping develops well and, too, acquisition of geographical terminology. Pupils gain a great deal from the residential visits, making, for example, good progress in their knowledge, understanding and use of information technology to support their studies. Pupils with special educational needs make progress equal to their peers.

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116. Pupils discuss the work they have covered with great enthusiasm. They are well motivated by the practical direct experiences.

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117. On the evidence of work produced, the standards of teaching are satisfactory and very good in Years 5 and 6. The work covered in Years 3 and 4 shows an over- reliance on work sheets that are not adapted to the ability range of a mixed-age class.

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118. Medium-term planning is based on a thorough scheme of work produced by the school and cross-referenced with the one produced by the Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Residential visits and field trips that place a strong emphasis on investigative learning through first hand experience enrich the curriculum. A good range of videos, photographs and CD-ROMs ensures that pupils have access to up- to-date and good quality resources. The subject continues to be well managed, as noted in the last inspection, with the co-ordinator constantly reviewing provision so that the high quality of learning experiences for pupils is maintained and developed. 142. History

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119. Only two lessons were observed in history, both at Key Stage 2. History is not taught during this half term in Key Stage 1. This limited evidence, including looking at samples of work and talking to pupils, indicates that standards of attainment in history are at least appropriate for the ages of the pupils. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 achieve standards that are higher than is to be expected. They are beginning to offer reasons for main events in the past, for example the Industrial Age. They become imaginatively engaged, for example determining what artefacts tell us about the past, and pose useful historical questions. All pupils demonstrate factual knowledge about the past. Older pupils show increasing detail, which is structured and presented very well, for example about Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece. Younger pupils know about famous people of the past such as Samuel Pepys and Florence Nightingale.

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Good written communication skills support the subject effectively.

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120. Pupils generally make sound progress. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 make good progress, with curiosity and imagination harnessed well in an enquiry approach. Pupils through the school are enabled to make increasing gains in their understanding about the past through a range of sources such as stories, television programmes, books, and through information technology, such as when working on an archaeological dig programme. A good variety of educational visits also support pupils’ learning well. The history of the locality is used to very good effect. Pupils with special educational needs are enabled to make comparable progress to their peers, through sensitive support from the classroom assistant and from their peers when working in groups.

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121. Pupils’ attitudes to history are good. They are clearly interested and enjoy the subject. They are motivated well by becoming actively engaged with the past, for example through visits or by handling artefacts. They achieve a purposeful working atmosphere. They work well together, in pairs or in groups.

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122. From lessons seen, and from examining samples of work and talking to pupils, indications are that the quality of teaching in history is sound overall. At the end of Key Stage 2, teaching is good, where pupils’ imaginations and curiosity are stimulated well, subject knowledge is good, and questioning is effective in drawing out pupils’ thinking. Earlier in the key stage questioning is appropriate in checking pupils’ understanding of previous learning; planning is adequate, but supported effectively by a well-organised long-term framework and comprehensive units of work. On occasion, however, tasks set are over-complex for pupils’ abilities. Pupils with special educational needs are supported effectively. Teachers make effective use of good resources, further augmented by the library service, for pupils’ personal research.

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123. Since the previous inspection, standards have been maintained. However, there is little evidence to suggest a greater variety in writing from other points of view, or in direct teaching about the past, other than re-telling stories.

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124. It was not possible to observe a music lesson during the inspection. Furthermore, the absence of the music co-ordinator who runs the choir and orchestra meant that some of the additional musical activities run by the school were not seen either. Findings are based, therefore, on the singing and instrumental playing that took place in assemblies, discussion with pupils and observation of instrumental lessons taught by specialist teachers who visit the school.

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125. The school continues to place a strong emphasis on the subject and the opportunities for pupils to make music and sing are very good, as was noted in the previous inspection.

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126. Bearing in mind the limited range of singing observed, standards are satisfactory. Pupils sing in tune but there is a lack of variation in the quality of sound produced and range of expression. The standard of violin and recorder playing performed by pupils in Key Stage 2 is good. They read music confidently, sustain their playing in front of an audience and produce a pleasing sound. Instrumental players’ musical knowledge and understanding is good.

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127. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make sound progress in their performance skills and singing. Instrumental players make good progress, for example, in understanding and being able to play semi-tones.

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128. Pupils enjoy singing and making music. They appreciate the range of opportunities available to them to sing in the choir or be part of the orchestra. They talk with enthusiasm about taking part in productions such as the recent, very successful staging of ‘Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat.’

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129. The quality of teaching of instrumental playing provided by specialists is good. It is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of non-specialist staff teaching music to their own classes.

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130. Since the last inspection, the school has adopted a scheme of work that provides a thorough basis for the planning of music. Weekly planning indicates what the pupils are to learn and gives some indication of how music will be assessed.

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131. Standards in physical education are appropriate to pupils’ ages throughout the school. Particularly high proportions of pupils obtain awards in swimming. In Year 2, pupils bounce balls reliably, and throw a ball into the air and catch it. They make a variety of shapes in gymnastic exercises and link them together well. In Years 4, 5 and 6 pupils show appropriate levels of skill in passing balls in netball, hockey and football and play small games with due respect to the rules. They give confident dance performances that express ideas of friendship and distance, and carry out a wide variety of outdoor activities.

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132. Progress in physical education lessons is good. In gymnastic lessons pupils progress from easier activities to ones that are more difficult, for example when they link together balances rather than performing them individually. In games lessons they develop improved ball skills through sequences of well-planned activities. They show better control at the end of the lesson than at the beginning. In Year 4, pupils show a good level of spatial awareness and in Year 6 they use this to pass the ball in a game of football. Overall, pupils show much more skill in the older years than in younger. Pupils with special educational needs make progress that is as good as other pupils’.

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133. Pupils’ attitudes to physical education are good and they behave well in lessons. They are attentive and interested when the teacher demonstrates what to do and take part in subsequent activities with enthusiasm. Pupils are prepared to have a go at activities that do not come easily to them, and they give each other mutual support in team games. They perform dance sequences in school assembly with confidence and other pupils watch carefully.

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134. Teaching in physical education is good. Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the subject, enabling them to have high expectations, and know how to achieve them through carefully built up sequences of exercises. Lessons are well planned and well matched to pupils’ levels of ability. The rapid sequences of activities ensure that teachers use time well but there is no evidence of assessment on a day- to-day basis.

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135. There is no overall scheme of work but individual teachers have a clear idea of what they wish to achieve and all aspects of physical education are properly covered. There is a good programme of extra-curricular activities, including an annual school swimming gala, and shared events with other schools. There are no arrangements to assess pupils’ progress except in swimming, and the monitoring of teaching depends on informal discussion amongst staff. The school has appropriate facilities at school and makes effective use of the village field which provides good facilities a short distance from the school; it also makes good use of access to the local swimming pool.

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136. There were no recommendations for improvement in the last report. 160. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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137. The school was inspected by a team of four inspectors for a total of ten inspector days. Inspectors spent approximately 21 hours in classes, including almost four and a half hours inspecting children under the age of five. Inspectors also spent almost 27.5 hours observing activities outside the classrooms, looking at samples of pupils’ work, listening to pupils reading and talking to pupils. In addition, inspectors looked carefully at the previous inspection report; they considered a number of policy documents provided by the school; they spoke to staff, governors and parents. The views of parents, representing about one fifth of the pupils in school, who attended the pre-inspection meeting, and the 38 questionnaires returned were taken into account. As part of the inspection, teachers were given feedback regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their teaching. 161. DATA AND INDICATORS

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161. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with Statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals

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161. Qualified teachers (YR – Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 4.60

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Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 23

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161. Education support staff (YR – Y6) Total number of education support staff: 3 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 54

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Financial data

£ Total Income 195,580 Total Expenditure 195,823 Expenditure per pupil 1,865 Balance brought forward from previous year 12,736

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Financial data

Balance carried forward to next year 12,492 161. PARENTAL SURVEY

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Number of questionnaires sent out: Number of questionnaires returned:

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 37 50 5 8 0

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 43 43 3 8 3

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school handles complaints from parents well 15 43 21 18 3

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 8 53 10 29 0

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 24 55 5 13 3

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 26 55 11 5 3

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 40 47 10 3 0

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 13 58 18 11 0

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 47 39 11 0 3

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 52 37 8 3 0

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

My child(ren) like(s) school 47 44 0 3 6

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