Manuden Primary School

MANUDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 14-16 February 2000

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MANUDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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MANUDEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Street Manuden Near Bishop’s Stortford Hertfordshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Canon Chris Bishop

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 03.06.96 Manuden Primary School - 4

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Team members

John Messer Registered inspector Joy Buncher Lay inspector Gill Crew Team inspector

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Team members

Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Manuden Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 11

Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above national averages. Pupils’ speaking skills are particularly well developed. The quality of teaching is very good. The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn, keen to succeed and are willing to concentrate hard. The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which include a strong emphasis on the arts. The headteacher provides strong leadership and the school is very well supported by parents and governors. The pupils are confident, have well developed social skills and a keen sense of honesty and fair play.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 16

The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning in order to identify areas for improvement are under developed Short term learning targets designed to help pupils to improve their performance are not sufficiently developed. The attention paid to the quality of the presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This village school has 98 pupils on roll and is smaller than most primary schools. No pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and all speak English as their first language. The children come from relatively advantaged home backgrounds and the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals, 4%, is below the national average. Children’s achievements on entry to the school are above those normally expected of four year olds. The number of pupils who have been identified as having special educational needs is below the national average. The school is popular and 39% of pupils come from outside the immediate area as a result of parental choice.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. The standards attained by pupils of all abilities are high across all areas of their learning. Teaching is very good and results in very effective learning. Pupils have excellent attitudes to work and relationships between pupils and teachers are exceptionally good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and she is very well supported by parents and the governing body. Resources, both human and physical, are used efficiently to provide a very effective learning environment. The school is constantly striving to improve standards further and provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above national averages. Pupils’ speaking skills are particularly well developed. • The quality of teaching is very good. • The pupils enjoy school, are eager to learn, keen to succeed and are willing to concentrate hard. They are confident, have well developed social skills and a keen sense of honesty and fair play. • The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which includes a strong emphasis on the arts. • The headteacher provides strong leadership and the school is very well supported by parents and governors.

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What could be improved

• The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning, in order to identify areas for improvement , are under developed • Short term learning targets designed to help pupils to improve their performance are not sufficiently developed. • The attention paid to the quality of the presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the school was last inspected in June 1996 considerable improvements have been made. The buildings have been substantially developed and the creation of a new school hall, classrooms, a library and a computer suite have enhanced learning opportunities, especially for physical education. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stage 1 have improved significantly and the high standards attained in Key Stage 2 have been maintained. The key issues raised at the time of the last inspection have been tackled successfully. The quality and the consistency of teaching has improved. Reading is taught exceptionally well in Key Stage 1 and pupils in Key Stage 2 are now encouraged Manuden Primary School - 7 to read more demanding texts. Good schemes of work for all subjects have been developed and they provide a good framework for teachers’ lesson planning.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A* A A C well above average above average A B

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Key

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

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Key

By the time they are five, children achieve standards in all areas of learning which exceed national expectations for their age. At seven years of age pupils attain standards which are well above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics and above average in science. The school has set challenging provisional targets for 2001 when it anticipates that all eleven year old pupils will attain the national target of Level 4 in English and mathematics. The overall trend in standards has been steadily upward in Key Stage 1 and has been maintained at a higher than average level at Key Stage 2. Work seen during the inspection was of a high standard in English, mathematics, science, music and art. Pupils are articulate and speak confidently. Comparisons with schools which have pupils from a similar background indicate that standards are above average in mathematics and science and average in English. This shows that the school performs well in relation to similar

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are enthusiastic about their work and show responsible attitudes to all they do.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good. Pupils show respect for each other, for adults and for the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Personal development is very good. Pupils take responsibility and show initiative. Relationships throughout the school are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good and pupils enjoy coming to school.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils show great interest in their work and show remarkably mature attitudes as they Manuden Primary School - 8 discuss aspects of their learning sensibly with visitors.

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

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

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

Across the school the quality of teaching is very good, and occasionally excellent, in just over three quarters of lessons and good in just under a quarter. At both key stages the teaching of English and mathematics is very good. One key element in the very good teaching is the sensitive relationships which teachers develop with their pupils. The teachers have high expectations of pupils’ performance and plan activities carefully to ensure that pupils at differing stages of development are challenged appropriately. Teachers do not, however, always maintain sufficiently high expectations of the quality of the presentation of work which pupils produce. The National Literacy Strategy has been successfully introduced and the school has made appropriate adjustments to the framework to ensure that pupils have opportunities to practice their language skills by creating extended pieces of writing. Lessons based on the National Numeracy Strategy

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

are also taught well. Teachers are keenly aware of each pupil’s particular stage of development and tasks are carefully matched to pupils’ individual needs. Teaching is effective in promoting good learning opportunities for pupils of differing abilities.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum An exceptionally rich curriculum is provided which includes a strong emphasis on music and art. A broad range of relevant and interesting studies are followed, including French for the older pupils. A good range of after school activities, residential visits and school journeys extend pupils’ learning opportunities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good. Pupils who require extra learning support are identified quickly and effective extra teaching is provided, mostly on an individual basis or in small groups. Teachers match work closely to pupils’ special needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils’ personal development is cultivated very well. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on issues which affect their lives and the lives of others. Spiritual awareness and self-knowledge are promoted when pupils contemplate the world around them. Pupils gain knowledge and insights into values and beliefs of others through religious education and the richness of art and music in the school. Pupils have a strong sense of social justice and a broad knowledge of traditional aspects of their cultural heritage. However many pupils lack an appreciation of the wide cultural diversity of our modern society though the school is actively addressing this issue.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Great care is shown by all staff for the pupils. Teachers have a deep knowledge of pupils’ specific learning needs and track progress carefully. Individuals are supported very well in their personal development but short term targets designed to promote improved standards for each pupil are not sufficiently well developed.

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Aspect Comment

A particular strength of the curriculum is that due significance is given to the key skills of literacy, numeracy and information technology whilst retaining a strong emphasis on art, music and personal development. The school’s curriculum is highly relevant to pupils’ needs. Due emphasis is placed on developing neat handwriting skills but insufficient attention is paid to presenting high quality work in a format which promotes appropriate care and attention to detail. The curriculum meets statutory requirements.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff A strong ethos, which is rooted in a commitment to constantly seek to improve standards further, has been developed. Monitoring of lessons and plans to make teaching and learning even better are not sharp enough.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors work hard to support the school and fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation Governors help the school to monitor and evaluate the quality of Manuden Primary School - 10 of its performance provision by regular focused visits and they write excellent reports of their findings. The school has developed a clear view of its strengths and weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are used carefully and always with a view about how the use of resources will influence learning opportunities. Financial administration is very good and the principles of best value are carefully considered.

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Aspect Comment

A strength of the leadership is the strong partnership that has been forged between the staff of the school, the parents and governors. The school applies the principles of best value very well and the headteacher has been very successful in attracting donations for school developments. Her success has led to the accumulation of a larger than expected contingency reserve.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils’ behaviour • The quality of teaching • High expectations of pupils’ performance • The leadership and management of the school • The way the school helps children to become mature and responsible • Some parents do not feel that the school works in close partnership with them.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views. Inspection findings indicate that the school is successful in its efforts to form a strong partnership with parents.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

national averages. Pupils’ speaking skills are particularly well developed.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

1 By the end of Key Stage 1, seven year old pupils attain standards in National Curriculum tests which are well above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Teacher assessments show that pupils’ performance in science is also above average. There has been a trend of steady improvement at Key Stage 1. These high standards are maintained in Key Stage 2 and in the latest National Curriculum tests, eleven year olds attained standards which were well above national averages in English, mathematics and science, standards which have been maintained at this high level over recent years.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

2 In the class for the youngest children there is a strong emphasis on ensuring that reading skills are developed systematically. Children are taught phonic skills alongside learning to recognise ‘key words’ by sight. Good links are made between recognising the shapes of words visually and understanding the sounds which blends of letters make. Children quickly become confident and soon master the skills needed to decipher new words and to begin reading effectively. These skills are transferred to writing and children make rapid progress in developing the ability to convey meaning in written form. In mathematics the under fives find out for example how many different ways they can place seven cows into two fields or five slices of toast on two napkins. They rise to the challenge presented by such activities and gain confidence in their ability to solve number problems. They develop strategies such as knowing how to double numbers to add more quickly. By

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

the time they are five they attain standards which are in advance of those attained by most five year olds.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

3 By the age of seven, pupils read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books. They use the index and the glossary well when researching for information. They use CD ROM to find out facts about wild animals and can state with confidence that the computer generated glossaries enable them to access the meanings of unfamiliar words more quickly than the ones in their books. They enjoy challenges like providing a clear definition of a nose or spelling as many words as possible which begin with ‘wh’ accurately and within a time limit. Their well developed speaking skills help them to explain precisely what mental processes they used to calculate the answers to mathematical problems. Their quick recall of number facts, their wide vocabulary and their skilled research strategies clearly indicate that they attain standards which exceed national expectations of seven year olds.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

4 By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils show a good understanding of a wide range of fiction and are skilled at finding information from books and by means of information technology. The younger pupils in the key stage exchange letters by e mail with children in St Lucia as part of their work in geography. They study challenging poems, such as ‘The Owl’ by Alfred Lord Tennyson, and understand different literary genre, such as ‘classical poetry’ and ‘modern fiction’. They express sensible opinions about pieces of literature and give clear reasons for liking aspects of a particular piece of writing, using accurate technical language to illustrate their views. In a discussion on a poem, for example, pupils said that they liked the imagery used in a simile which referred to an owl’s flight as a ‘silent sail’ because of the appropriate use of a ‘strong’ adjective and the alliterative element in the

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

phrase. They identify different poetical forms and remember when, for example, they have encountered rhyming couplets in previous work. They use the skills they develop in literacy Manuden Primary School - 12 well across other areas of the curriculum, as when conducting research in geography or writing about classical Greek myths, such as Medusa and the Gorgon’s head.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

5 By the age of eleven pupils attain standards in mathematics which exceed expectations for their age and many show especially advanced skills. In work on angles for example, a group of higher attaining pupils discovered how to find the internal angle of several simple regular two-dimensional shapes and went on to devise a formula which would enable them to calculate the internal angle of any regular polygon. Lower attaining pupils could clearly see the number of degrees between the hands of a clock face showing seven o’clock. Pupils use their numeracy skills well in other areas of the curriculum, such as in science when they carefully time how long it takes for a sugar cube to dissolve when working on solutions, and in geography when working on co-ordinates and distances when developing skills in mapwork. Most pupils develop skills, knowledge and understanding in science which exceeds expectations for their age.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

6 Throughout the school there is a strong emphasis on developing speaking skills and encouraging pupils to explain themselves clearly. Pupils are highly articulate and are confident in speaking at length and in an informative way about aspects of their work. They express their opinions openly and in a reasoned way and are prepared to listen thoughtfully to other points of view. This particular aspect of their development has a very positive effect on their learning in other areas of the curriculum. They have the skills required to understand information of increasing complexity and the confidence to explore information in a considered way before making judgements and developing viewpoints. This helps them to learn effectively and to achieve high standards. The school has set the targets of 100% of pupils to attain Level 4 in English and Mathematics by 2001 and they are highly likely to achieve this aim.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

7 Two aspects of teaching which underpin the pupils’ very effective learning are the sensitive relationships which have been established between teachers and pupils and the appropriately high expectations which teachers have of pupils’ performance. These are evident in every class which results in a consistency of approach and contributes to an ethos which is rooted in a commitment to achieving high standards. Teachers are enthusiastic and reflect seriously about the quality of their performance and how they might improve pupils’ learning opportunities. They know the pupils well and their plans are based upon accurate assessments of pupils’ specific stages of development. They plan lessons thoroughly to meet the needs of all. This results in very effective learning and good progress.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

8 The youngest children quickly settle to class routines and enjoy their learning. Lessons are carefully planned and children are invited to consider the learning objectives of each session and how best the objectives might be achieved. This involvement of the children helps then to establish a serious attitude to their work. The highly skilled nursery nurse works in close association with the class teacher and her expertise enables the class to be grouped appropriately so that tasks can be closely matched to pupils’ widely differing stages of development. The atmosphere in the classroom is calm and purposeful. The class teacher adopts a measured manner and explains everything with great clarity so that pupils are in no doubt about what is expected of them. A wide range of imaginative activities are provided and even the youngest children are expected to work sensibly and independently of the adults’ direct supervision. In number activities, for example, older

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

pupils will be working on activities which involve dice, board games, puzzles and dominoes whilst the younger ones will be finding different ways of sorting a number of model people Manuden Primary School - 13 into specific rooms in a doll’s house, a number of cows into different fields, seven pieces of fruit into two bowls and bears into beds. Gentle humour is used well to consolidate relationships and encourage a happy learning environment. The high quality of teaching results in rich learning experiences and rapid progress in all areas of learning.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

9 The Year 2 class is small with fifteen pupils on roll. The relatively small class size enhances learning opportunities because the class teacher can give greater attention to pupils’ differing needs. The limited space in the classroom is organised efficiently and is supplemented through the use of the computer suite and the school library as teaching areas. A wide range of inter-related activities are planned meticulously so that time is used to the full. In a literacy lesson on non-fiction books, for example, groups of pupils spent some time studying definitions with the class teacher, some time in the library, sharing a text with the classroom assistant and some time working on research techniques in the computer suite. The variety of tasks, the precise timing of activities and the brisk pace of the lesson resulted in very effective learning. Both the class teacher and the classroom assistant use skilled questioning techniques to challenge pupils’ thinking and extend their

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

10 Especially imaginative teaching takes place in the class for lower juniors as, for example, when a barn owl visited the school as part of work on poems about owls. Pupils watched the owl swooping silently across the classroom and this provided a particularly rich experience and consolidated their understanding of using appropriate vocabulary to describe particular phenomena accurately. In this relatively large class teachers encourage pupils’ to work independently, as for example, when they practise choral speaking in the library without direct supervision. High expectations of performance and behaviour results in effective learning. However work in science is not always sufficiently well matched to older pupils’ specific needs and so the learning of a small minority of lower attaining pupils is restricted. Good use is made of resources both human and physical. Classroom assistants are well versed in the objectives of lessons, they use their initiative

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

and spend their time profitably to support learning. Teachers prepare lessons carefully and use equipment effectively. In a lesson on angles taught to older juniors, for example, the overhead projector was used well to demonstrate the accurate use of a protractor, pupils demonstrated their skill on the transparencies for the whole class to see and hence any possible difficulties in achieving accuracy were soon ironed out by the teacher. In several lessons the link between developing a skill, such as the accurate measuring of angles, and its use in the real world was not made explicit. This lack of a clear rationale obscures the pupils’ understanding of the purpose of an activity.

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

11 The strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are very effective. The National Literacy and the National Numeracy Strategies have been adopted as the basis for planning and are adapted to meet the specific needs of the pupils. The curriculum for both is taught imaginatively and the presentation of material is varied. Handwriting is taught well and pupils develop a neat style. Pupils with special educational needs receive good extra teaching help. The teacher takes individuals and small groups out of the classroom to focus on specific skills associated with literacy and numeracy. The warmth of her relationships with the pupils helps to ensure that they make good progress. She works in close association with class teachers to analyse pupils’ particular needs and provides pupils with brisk, focused activities designed to overcome difficulties. This, coupled with the sensitive matching of tasks to pupils’ specific needs during class activities, promotes

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Pupils attain standards in English, mathematics and science which are well above

effective learning. The strengths of gifted and talented pupils are recognised and they are appropriately challenged, usually by adjusting activities to include tasks which include exploration or specific research. Music is taught by a specialist teacher, who takes all classes each week, and by peripatetic music teachers. This results in very effective Manuden Primary School - 14 teaching and high standards.

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concentrate hard. They are confident, have well developed social skills and a keen

12 Pupils enjoy their work and tackle activities enthusiastically. In one lesson on angles a group of pupils, who were solving problems in the computer suite, were disappointed when the lesson ended because they had become so engrossed in their work. Pupils are eager to please and keen to succeed. They concentrate hard and seek to do their best in each area of the curriculum. They are conscientious and diligent whist maintaining a balanced good humoured approach to school. These positive attitudes to school promote the school’s good levels of attendance.

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concentrate hard. They are confident, have well developed social skills and a keen

13 Behaviour is invariably good and is based upon mutual respect, a feeling that the school is very much like a large family and that learning is pleasurable. There is little need to contemplate sanctions and no need to consider the practice of excluding pupils from school. Relationships are of the highest quality and make a major contribution to effective learning. Older pupils help to support the younger ones in a natural, friendly way. They help to serve food at lunchtimes and are willing to play with younger ones at playtime.

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concentrate hard. They are confident, have well developed social skills and a keen

14 Pupils appreciate the after school activities which are provided and willingly give up lunchtimes to practice playing music together in the school orchestra. Their personal development flourishes in the secure learning environment which is created. They are thoughtful and reflective. When contemplating the cyclical nature of the seasons one five year old concluded that the seasons go on and on ‘even after we have all died’. His classmates nodded their agreement as they contemplated his wisdom.

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concentrate hard. They are confident, have well developed social skills and a keen

15 Pupils show remarkable confidence and discuss their work with visitors in a mature manner. Through choice they sometimes work in school at lunchtimes when they are responsible and demonstrate high levels of initiative as when seizing the opportunity to explain features of a display of black and white photographs. They are polite and considerate. They develop sound values and beliefs and have a keen sense of justice and fair play. Good teamwork is evident as pupils play music together and when competing in team games. Pupils’ development is promoted within a safe, secure environment. Health and safety is assured by regular checks and daily vigilance and suitable child protection procedures are in place.

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The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which include a strong

15 The school has been successful in maintaining a broad and balanced curriculum which includes a strong emphasis on the arts. All the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are taught for an appropriate amount of time. The new computer suite is used well in many curriculum areas to extend the range of learning opportunities available to pupils and to ensure that the curriculum is relevant to the needs of pupils in the modern world. The use of e mail to communicate with children in other parts of the world adds a realism to pupils’ studies in geography and enables them to use their critical skills when comparing the text book’s version of life in St Lucia with, for example, the facts contained in their e mails. This project helps pupils to understand the cultural differences between different peoples but their awareness of the rich cultural heritage within their own country is limited, though the school is addressing this issue successfully.

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The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which include a strong

Manuden Primary School - 15 16 The school’s strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are highly effective and this enables pupils to gain access to other curricular areas. The school helps pupils to recognise their successes and this helps to develop self esteem. One pupil in Year 4, for example, asked if he could put a piece of work of which he was particularly proud, into his record of achievement folder. This confidence helps to develop pupils’ personal development. Pupils produce high quality art work and the fabric collage fruits produced as part of their work on St Lucia were of a particularly high standard. Pupils draw accurately and paint with great sensitivity. The range of musical instruments played by the pupils is exceptional in such a small school. All aspects of the curriculum are treated seriously and all seem to have equal status. The whole school felt a sense of awe as the

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The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which include a strong

school orchestra played ‘An English Country Garden’ during an assembly at the end of the school day. Percussion instruments, flutes, violins, a recorder and a guitar were played together with great sensitivity and to a very appreciative audience. Spiritual and cultural development are further enhanced through good links with the local church and visits to such places as the London Synagogue and a Hindu temple.

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The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which include a strong

17 A good range of after school sporting and cultural activities enrich pupils learning opportunities as do the wide range of educational visits designed to support studies in school. Carefully planned educational visits provide a wide variety of valuable learning experiences, such as the visit to the Museum of London, Tolsbury near Colchester as part of a history project on the Romans, Walton on the Naze and Harlow to compare and contrast different localities in geography. All pupils have equal access to all areas of the curriculum and pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, benefit from appropriate provision.

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The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities which include a strong

18 Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and are caring in their response to people who are less fortunate than themselves. They were eager to fill shoe boxes with suitable and carefully considered contents for the Bosnian appeal and have supported many charities, including research into diabetes which affects one of their number. Their spiritual, moral, social and spiritual development is of a high order.

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The headteacher provides strong leadership and the school is very well supported by

19 The headteacher provides the driving force which contributes to the maintenance of high standards and the constant quest for further improvements. She provides the focus for the team of teachers, support staff, parents and governors who work successfully in partnership to provide high quality education for all the pupils in the school. Governors are particularly effective in monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. They make a series of regular visits when they focus on issues such as the effectiveness of the National Literacy Strategy. They write excellent evaluative reports which are shared with the full board. The governing body is largely successful in ensuring that it fulfils all statutory requirements. One minor exception is the omission in the annual report to parents of the progress which governors have made in resolving the key issues from the last inspection.

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The headteacher provides strong leadership and the school is very well supported by

20 Parents are strongly supportive of the school and express high levels of satisfaction with the quality of education provided. Parents views are sought on school issues and taken into account when decisions are made. Parents are kept well informed about all school issues and curricular developments. The Parent and Friends Association works hard on behalf of the school and substantial sums are raised to support school developments. The headteacher is persistent in seeking funds from local commerce and industry to improve school resources. She has been highly successful and the school has been able to supplement the local authority’s buildings programme so that a computer suite Manuden Primary School - 16 and new library were incorporated into the developments. All grants and donations are used wisely to ensure that maximum benefit derives from funds. The school is successful in applying the principles of best value to its use of resources. A consortium of fifteen local

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The headteacher provides strong leadership and the school is very well supported by

schools share a finance officer and they combine to create a more powerful purchasing unit than could be achieved by any single school. The consortium also uses its combined resources to provide in-service training and support services at favourable rates.

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The headteacher provides strong leadership and the school is very well supported by

21 The school produces a good school development plan which helps to prioritise areas for improvement. It is created after wide consultation with staff and governors and is reviewed annually. The plan ensures that finances are focused on providing the relevant resources and training to satisfy the priorities which have been identified. Initiatives are evaluated against clear success criteria which help the school to assess its progress.

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improvement are under developed

22 The school has begun to develop a teaching and learning policy designed to create improvements in the consistency and quality of teaching. The school has not yet developed a set of agreed criteria against which to evaluate the quality of teaching in order to build upon the strengths and identify areas for development. Much of the monitoring of teaching and learning conducted by the headteacher and curriculum co-ordinators is informal and does not lead to a clear proposals for improvement. There are no systems to ensure that strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning are clearly identified so that plans for improvement can be produced and subsequent improvements can be monitored and evaluated.

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improvement are under developed

The attention paid to the quality of the presentation of pupils’ work is inconsistent.

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improvement are under developed

23 Much of the work which pupils produce is beautifully presented on wall displays which incorporate high quality art and design alongside neat handwriting. A significant proportion of pupils’ work is kept in exercise books with insufficient attention paid to neat presentation. Pages are left empty, work is undated, tasks remain unfinished and the quality of the production does not equate with pupils’ capabilities. The absence of dates on samples of work in exercise books makes it difficult to assess progress over time. One exercise book is used for much of the work completed in history, geography and religious education which does not permit the quality of work completed in these subjects to be demonstrated clearly.

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Short term learning targets designed to help pupils to improve their performance are

24 Targets for learning are included in the front of exercise books to help pupils to understand the areas of learning which are to be covered each term. These targets are generic rather than specific to the learning needs of individual pupils. They only provide very broad guidance and neither pupils or their parents are involved in setting the targets. Their value in promoting learning is limited. There is no system which firstly helps pupils to understand their termly targets and then breaks these targets down into short-term learning steps.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Manuden Primary School - 17 In order to improve standards further the school should :

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Further improve the quality and consistency of teaching by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ completing an agreed teaching and learning policy which includes clear criteria against which to evaluate the quality of teaching across the school; § using these criteria systematically to evaluate teaching in order to identify strengths upon which to build as well as areas for improvement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Improve the consistency of the presentation of pupils’ work by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ paying greater attention to how the work which pupils produce might best be collected; § involving pupils in considering how best to present their work; § ensuring that work is properly completed, clearly dated and that exercise books are used efficiently.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ creating a system of setting challenging yet achievable targets which relate to pupils’ specific learning needs; § involving the pupils in setting their targets, monitoring their progress towards achieving their aims and in consequence re-defining further targets.

p.17

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 22 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfacto ry Poor Very Poor

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

14 55 32 0 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 98 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 4 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y 6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 8

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1 Manuden Primary School - 19

p.18

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.2 School data 1.0 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 11 6 17

p.19

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 6 6

p.19

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 94 (93) 94(93) 94 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 82(80) 83 ([81) 87 (84)

p.19

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 10 10 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 6 6

p.19

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 94(100) 94(100) 94 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87(86) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 7 5 12 Manuden Primary School - 20

p.19

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 6 6 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 3 4

p.20

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 92 (93) 75 (87) 92 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70(65) 69 (59) 78(69)

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 6 5 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 4 3 2

p.20

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 83 (86) 67 (93) 67 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 68(65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 98 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Manuden Primary School - 21

p.20

Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.8 Financial year 1998-99

p.21

Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.4

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Y6

Average class size 24.5 £ Total income 216 351 Education support staff: Y[ ] – Y[ ] Total expenditure 224 739 Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2 294

p.21

Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 44 Balance brought forward from previous year 39 951

p.21

Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 31 563

p.21

nursery

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

p.21

nursery

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

p.21

nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult FTE means full-time equivalent. Manuden Primary School - 22

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 72 24 1 0 2

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 83 17 0 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 54 41 4 0 1

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 37 8 0 1

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 71 28 0 0 1

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 88 12 0 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 52 36 7 1 4

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 89 11 0 0 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 81 17 1 0 1

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 69 25 4 0 2

p.22

Other issues raised by parents

Parents are strongly supportive of the school and at the very well attended pre-inspection meeting for parents no adverse comments were voiced. The questionnaire reveals that some parents feel that the school does not work closely with them in providing for their children’s education. Inspection findings indicate that the school is successful in forming strong links with parents and makes great efforts to foster a sense of partnership.

p.22