Netherfield CofE Primary School

NETHERFIELD CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Michael Renouf - 1638

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NETHERFIELD CE 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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NETHERFIELD CE 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. Netherfield CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Darvel Down Netherfield Battle East Sussex TN33 9QF

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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: Mrs Kim Goodall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 July 1996 Netherfield CE Primary School - 4

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Team members

Michael Renouf Registered inspector Jacqueline Darrington Lay inspector

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Team members

National Educational Services Linden House Woodland way Gosfield Halstead Essex CO9 1TH

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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 Netherfield CE 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

The reflection of the school’s aims in its work Teaching Results in national tests The curriculum and extra-curricular activities Pupils’ attitudes towards school and their work Behaviour The leadership of the headteacher, staff and governors Parents’ views of the school

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15

The curriculum for pupils under five Education for living in a multicultural society The performance of boys in tests The school development plan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Netherfield CE Primary School provides for pupils aged from four to eleven. It is smaller than most other primary schools, with 64 pupils taught in three classes. The number of pupils has fallen temporarily due to local housing refurbishment, but is projected to rise substantially over the next two years. At the time of the inspection there were four children below statutory school age in the reception year.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils come mainly from the immediate locality and some come from outlying districts. Twenty-five per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. This is at the top end of the average range. Before the recent fall in the number of pupils, the percentage of free school meals was above average. The school has identified 33 per cent of pupils, a well above average figure, as having special educational needs, and one pupil has a statement of special educational need. There are no pupils from minority ethnic groups but there are three pupils with English as an additional language, a higher proportion than in most schools. Children come from a range of backgrounds and show a range of attainments on entry to the school, which, overall, are below average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There have been some recent changes in the leadership of the school. The present headteacher was appointed at the start of the term of the inspection, after coming into the school for a term as the acting head. Before this there had been another acting head, following the resignation of the previous headteacher.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The effectiveness of Netherfield CE Primary is good. It achieves overall above average standards, which are high compared to similar schools. Teaching is very good, and this helps to promote also the very good attitudes and behaviour of pupils. The school is well led and it provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The aims of the school are reflected well in the work of the school and in the day-to-day experiences of pupils. • The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. • Results in national tests of English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 are better than in most similar schools, and are improving year on year. • There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy in a broad curriculum, which is extended by a good range of extra-curricular activities. • Pupils have very good attitudes towards school and their work; this contributes very well to the good progress they make. • Behaviour is very good, and pupils get on well with each other; all adults in the school model very good caring and co-operative approaches. • The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

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What the school does well

governors know and support the school well, and everyone is striving for further improvement. • Parents are very supportive of the school, and are very satisfied with the teaching and with the progress their children make. Netherfield CE Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

• The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is not aimed clearly enough at the learning objectives for the age group. • There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to learn about living in a multicultural society. • The boys’ overall results in tests over time, which are nearly always lower than the girls’ results, and more so than the national difference. • The school development plan, which lacks sufficiently rigorous action plans and arrangements for monitoring its progress and evaluating the outcomes. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last inspection in July 1996 found Netherfield CE to be a good school. Despite changes in the leadership of the school, the work of the governors and the staff team has enabled the strengths of the school to be maintained, including the good value for money it provides. There has also been improvement in many areas. The overall results achieved by pupils in the national tests at the age of 11 have risen steadily. The teaching, while good in the past, is now better than it was, and pupils’ learning has improved. Pupils’ attitudes are even better than at the last inspection. The role of subject co-ordinators is developing well. All the key issues for action identified have been tackled effectively, except for some weakness in development planning, but the changes in leadership make this understandable. The new headteacher has introduced more rigorous monitoring of the work of the school, and is working effectively with the staff and governors to improve the school further.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Improvement has been good, and the school’s capacity to make further improvements and to meet its targets is good.

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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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schools

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

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schools

The A* grade means that the school’s performance was in the highest 5% nationally.

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schools

The findings of the inspection confirm these generally above average results. Results in national tests of pupils at the age of 11 have risen above the national trend, and the school has set realistic targets for the future.

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schools

Test results of pupils at the age of seven have not been as good, but the work seen in the inspection shows that these pupils achieve generally average standards. Their work in mathematics is of a good standard. Recent test results of pupils at the age of seven have included those of a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Netherfield CE Primary School - 8 Pupils throughout the school make good progress in English and mathematics, including in literacy and numeracy skills. By the time they leave school all pupils, including those with special educational needs, have achieved well, although girls usually do even better than the boys.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are enthusiastic about school, settle quickly to their work, and appreciate the caring atmosphere of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good in lessons and all around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils show personal responsibility, and work and play well together. Some younger pupils show undeveloped social skills but these improve well through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance In line with the national average.

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

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

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

In 58 per cent of the lessons seen, the teaching was very good. In all other lessons the teaching was good. The quality of English and mathematics teaching is very good, and literacy and numeracy skills are taught very well. All lessons are planned carefully and take account of the needs of all pupils. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and of the work they produce. Pupils recognise this, and work with effort and interest. Their learning is very good as a result. Pupils are very well managed; teachers rarely need to correct pupils, or even need to encourage pupils to listen or try hard. They are encouraged from an early age to be independent and to manage themselves well within the set activities.

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

Teachers use questions well to encourage pupils to think, and to check their understanding of what is being taught. When they praise pupils’ work, they explain well what it is that makes the work worth commenting on. Teachers give pupils good opportunities to work together, and this promotes good learning by helping them to be clear about what they are doing.

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

All lessons are purposeful and pupils work productively. Resources, including computers, are used well to add to pupils’ learning. Classroom assistants make a real contribution to the quality of learning. Netherfield CE Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Suitable attention is given to all subjects of the National Curriculum and to religious education. Literacy and numeracy are particularly well planned for. The work for pupils in reception is matched to their needs but would benefit from a scheme of work.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils are supported well in lessons and when withdrawn for extra help from classroom assistants or the special educational needs co-ordinator.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language These pupils, new to the school, were absent at the time of the inspection, and the provision was not inspected.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. There is a strong spiritual and moral dimension to the ethos of the school. There is a very good, co-operative and open approach in the school that contributes well to pupils’ social and overall personal development. Cultural development is generally good but opportunities to prepare pupils for life in a multicultural society are limited.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare and safety have improved, and are very good. The progress the pupils make in their work is monitored well, and the information is used well to plan future learning.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides good leadership in moving the school forward, and enables all members of staff to make a full contribution through a strong team approach.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities effectively. Governors are well informed and have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas for development.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school monitors and evaluates the quality of teaching and the progress of pupils well. The procedures for making sure that the development plan is working effectively are not as good.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources All resources are used well, and the financial effect of the temporary fall in the numbers of pupils is being managed well. Computers are used effectively to support learning. The school is generally applying the principles of best value appropriately in its use of resources. Netherfield CE Primary School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• They feel comfortable about approaching the school with any questions or problems. • The teaching is good. • Their children are expected to work hard and to achieve their best, and they make good progress. • Their children like school. • Pupils are well behaved. • The school is well led and managed. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • Most feel well informed about how their children are getting on. • Most are happy with the homework that is given. • Some parents do not feel there is a sufficiently interesting range of activities outside of lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Other comments from parents included their appreciation of the prompt attention given to pupils with special educational needs when they start school, and that they were helped to be confident.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views. Sometimes the number of pupils who can attend extra- curricular activities has to be limited, but the range of activities is good. Netherfield CE Primary School - 11

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The aims of the school are reflected well in the work of the school and in the day-to-day

1. The school is committed to creating a happy, relaxed, caring and stimulating Christian atmosphere, and this is evident throughout the school. Pupils work well together and relationships between pupils and adults are consistently good. Teachers and support staff talk thoughtfully to pupils in all situations, and promote a calm, well-mannered approach in all aspects of school life. The school provides a good place for pupils to learn and make progress.

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The aims of the school are reflected well in the work of the school and in the day-to-day

2. The aims of the school contribute well to its success. The achievement of them is self evident in the strengths of the school, and they also play a real part in the work of the school from day to day. The aims are part of the community ethos of the school. They are shared and discussed with the pupils, who have good opportunities to comment on them and share their thoughts in displays. This is a meaningful contribution to pupils’ involvement in school life and to their personal development.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

3. The very good teaching is evident to parents, and the school meets its aim to challenge pupils to learn. Teachers plan the work for pupils carefully, and group them well according to a good understanding of their stages of development. The planned work is based on a good knowledge and understanding of the subjects to be taught, particularly literacy and numeracy, using the materials of the national strategies. In numeracy, the school benefits from a scheme of work provided by a local beacon school, but its successful implementation is fully attributable to the teachers in the school.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

4. In their plans and in their classroom teaching, teachers consider the needs of all pupils well. When teaching the whole class, they pitch their questions well to different pupils to help them all relate to the discussion or explanation that is taking place. In the class for the youngest pupils, the story We’re Going on a Bear Hunt was shared with an enjoyment that enabled all pupils to relate to it. Clues in the story were used well to help some pupils to read unfamiliar words, while other pupils were challenged to recall words, such as author, or the sounds made by particular letter patterns.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

5. Teachers have high expectations of the efforts pupils will make and of the outcomes of their work. Pupils know this and work in a purposeful atmosphere and at a good rate. They respond well to the high expectations, which are not simply the setting of ‘hard’ work, but involve tasks matched well to pupils to stimulate interest and give challenge. As a result, pupils’ learning is at least good, and often very good. For example, in a mathematics lesson, the level of the task, along with the good explanation and demonstration by the teacher about angles, their names and how they might be measured, enabled the lowest attainers to go beyond what was expected of them in the lesson. The very good teaching enabled them to understand well the ideas being taught. Pupils are always helped to understand what they are doing, and so they apply themselves well and learn.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

6. Teachers routinely challenge and inspire pupils. For example, they are encouraged to draw flowers with great care from direct observation, asked to read texts independently and draw conclusions for themselves, and pushed to articulate views about what newspapers should or should not report. Pupils respond well, enjoy the lessons and work productively. The challenges they are given lead to the good standards they attain. Netherfield CE Primary School - 12 7. Teaching is often interspersed with opportunities for pupils to work together for short periods. For example, discussing ideas about newspaper headlines with their group before a class discussion, or, in one case, drawing angles for others to put in order. Such planned moments provide interest, consolidate learning, extend speaking and listening skills, and promote co-operative working.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

8. Pupils with special educational needs are set appropriate work in classroom lessons, and given effective support by teachers or classroom assistants. There is a happy learning atmosphere and pupils respond to it. In group work when withdrawn from class, some of the youngest pupils showed great interest in how each other was doing. They applied what they knew readily, reading whole words or sounding them out. Knowledge of letter sounds was well taught, as pupils were also encouraged to recall the sounds of individual letters when they recognised a whole word. On meeting the blend ‘bl’, one pupil related it to ‘blurb’, and was able to explain its meaning, recalling well some earlier learning in a literacy lesson. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as they can as a result of the very good teaching and well-planned programmes of support.

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The teaching is very good; teachers have high expectations and work is planned carefully to

9. Teachers use information technology resources well to support learning across the curriculum. Pupils learn a good range of skills to work independently, but are not left alone to use computers unproductively. Teachers and classroom assistants check up on the tasks that have been set, and give good guidance as necessary. As in all their work, pupils work at a good rate individually or in pairs. On one occasion, when pair work was proving a bit slow for two pupils, one opted independently to return to her paperwork until later, so as to not waste any time. Teachers use laptop computers effectively to support learning by pupils with special educational needs.

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Results in national tests of English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 are better than

in most similar schools, and are improving year on year.

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Results in national tests of English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 are better than

10. The school has improved the overall results of the pupils at the age of 11 year on year over the past four years, and above the national trend. This overview is perhaps more significant than the results in any one year, as year groups vary in size. In some years they are too small for their results to be reported. The results of small year groups are not statistically reliable, but they do give the school broad indications of how well it is doing. The information in these years, and in all years, also helps the school track the progress of individual pupils and the effectiveness of the teaching, as part of its approaches to improving standards.

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Results in national tests of English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 are better than

11. Results in mathematics in 1999 were no more than average compared to all schools, but compared with similar schools, they were above average. Compared to all schools, results in English were well above average, and in science they were above average. In comparison with similar schools, Netherfield’s results were very high in English, and well above average in science. The rising trend in the results reflects the improved quality of teaching, which was good at the last inspection, and is now very good across the school.

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Results in national tests of English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 are better than

12. The results for pupils at the age of seven in national tests in reading, writing and mathematics have not been as good as for the older pupils. Compared with similar schools the results were average in reading, but well below average in mathematics and very low in writing. However, the group of Year 2 pupils in 1999 included a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The work seen in school shows that pupils aged seven achieve generally average standards, and those seen in mathematics were of a good standard, reflecting the effective introduction of the numeracy hour. Pupils enter the school with overall below average attainments, and so average standards at this age represent good progress. This is built on in the junior years and leads to the above average results at the age of 11. Netherfield CE Primary School - 13 13. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy has

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Results in national tests of English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 are better than

also made a substantial contribution to ensuring a good sequence of learning opportunities in these areas, which was a key issue at the last inspection. The newly introduced assessment procedures at the time of the last inspection are having an increasingly good effect, and contribute well to the progress pupils make. Teachers make regular assessments of pupils’ work and compare their judgements. These factors all contribute to the standards attained in tests and in the work seen in the school.

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There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy in a broad curriculum, which is extended by

a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy in a broad curriculum, which is extended by

14. The school sets for itself the aim to provide the highest standard of education possible. The curriculum is good and there are plans for making it better. The whole curriculum is broad and all subjects are taught each week. The use of information technology is integrated well across the curriculum. A part-time teacher has been appointed to lead on music, and this has been a conscious and careful addition to the staff to help promote this subject.

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There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy in a broad curriculum, which is extended by

15. Teachers appreciate the importance of literacy and numeracy skills to pupils’ learning and to their personal development. They are given an appropriate amount of time each day. Literacy skills are also consolidated and extended effectively across the curriculum. Teachers identify good opportunities for pupils to talk, read and write purposefully in other subject lessons. For example, pupils record their thoughts on religious artefacts, writing good journalistic style reports in a religious education lesson, or write about the elements of a good school in the style of recipe ingredients. This work is done well and complements that done in literacy lessons. While numeracy teaching is not extended so much into other areas of the curriculum, the numeracy hour has been well established, and the quality of the work shows pupils achieving rising standards as they move through the school.

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There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy in a broad curriculum, which is extended by

16. The literacy and numeracy hours have been introduced with great thoroughness and care, not least because of the mixed age ranges in the classes. Teachers have thought very carefully about how to structure the learning experiences and their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils, and this has been done successfully.

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There is a good emphasis on literacy and numeracy in a broad curriculum, which is extended by

17. There is a good range of activities outside lessons, which makes a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development. It includes athletics, cookery, art, map work, a story club and football, all taken by teachers at different times of the year. Cycling proficiency training is also provided, and a stoolball club is planned to start soon. These activities are popular with pupils. Some parents do not feel the range of activities is sufficiently interesting, but inspectors find that the school is attempting to meet a variety of interests, and sometimes has to limit the number of pupils who attend. Visits off- site play a routine part in the curriculum and the school is shortly taking all pupils to London on a theatre trip. There are plans to use e-mail links and the Internet to widen pupils’ horizons further. The school has a good appreciation of a wide curriculum to encourage learning in the widest sense.

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Pupils have very good attitudes towards school and their work; this contributes very well to the

18. Pupils enjoy coming to school, and their enthusiasm is recognised by their parents. Pupils come into class quietly at the start of the day and settle down to various tasks by themselves, while teachers talk to individual pupils. They settle quickly to their work in all lessons and know that there are high expectations of them. They know also that they are valued and that the teachers and other adults in the school care for them. One pupil, who had transferred in from another school, described Netherfield School as a caring and kindly place to be. Netherfield CE Primary School - 14 19. Some of the younger pupils show some undeveloped social skills, and sometimes call out or do not take turns. Teachers recognise this and manage this behaviour very well. Pupils respond well to the challenges set for their social skills as well as for their academic learning, and their skills improve well. Parents rightly comment that the school helps their children to become mature and

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Pupils have very good attitudes towards school and their work; this contributes very well to the

20. From early on in the school, teachers expect pupils to develop a sense of responsibility. The youngest pupils work well in groups, handling materials and apparatus thoughtfully, and taking care over their work. In Year 1, a pupil was attempting to draw a spiral on the computer screen using the mouse. He persevered, listened carefully to some suggestions, and produced a good result. Pupils in the reception year used modelling clay to make spiral snail shells, adding further details with care and interest. Pupils in the junior years respond well to discussions and work well with each other when asked to carry out a task collaboratively.

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Pupils have very good attitudes towards school and their work; this contributes very well to the

21. There is a good pace to lessons, and pupils contribute to this by wasting no time. They work at a good pace, for example, when devising newspaper headlines in small groups, or producing some independent writing in different styles. The success of this is due mainly to the way in which tasks are matched well to different pupils, and provide just the right amount of challenge and opportunity to succeed. In all classes, pupils clear up well at the end of lessons, and put materials away quickly and tidily.

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Behaviour is very good, and pupils get on well with each other; all adults in the school model

very good caring and co-operative approaches.

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Behaviour is very good, and pupils get on well with each other; all adults in the school model

22. Parents believe that pupils’ behaviour is very good and their confidence is well founded. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. This results from the very good relationships between adults and pupils, and between adults, which provide good models for pupils. Pupils relate to each other very well. Boys and girls work well with each other, such as in physical education or in paired discussions in class. On the very few occasions where pupils call out, this is only because of undeveloped social skills, and there is no deliberate poor behaviour or lack of interest in the lesson.

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Behaviour is very good, and pupils get on well with each other; all adults in the school model

23. One of the aims of the school is to encourage children to be aware of the needs of others, and to foster gentleness and caring. This aim is achieved well. When working in groups, children take an interest in what others are achieving and help each other. The school is also committed to tackling any forms of bullying and to teaching children how to deal with it, so that they feel secure and happy at all times. No bullying of any sort was seen, and it is clear that pupils develop a feeling of self- worth that would help them to speak out confidently about any such behaviour.

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The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

governors know and support the school well, and everyone is striving for further improvement.

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The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

24. Parents are justified in expressing widespread confidence in the leadership of the school. The new headteacher has brought a determination to build on the significant strengths of the school and move it further forward. There is a good team approach, and the strengths in teaching have maintained the school’s steadily improving performance during a period of some uncertainty in the leadership of the school. The headteacher has a good understanding of how the contributions of teachers, support staff, parents and the community contribute to the school’s success, and are important to its further improvement.

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The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

25. The headteacher is developing the role of subject co-ordinators to extend the team approach, and this is successfully addressing a weakness identified at the last inspection. Co-ordinators identify needs, and are responsible for drawing up development plans for their subjects, including planning the use of budget allocations. Netherfield CE Primary School - 15 26. The work of the school is now being monitored more rigorously than it was. Teachers have planned opportunities to teach each other’s classes, which draws on their specialist skills and also enables them to discuss standards across the school, based on knowledge of all the pupils. Teachers see the planning for their subjects, and discuss samples of work by pupils and the teaching of their subjects with the other teachers. The headteacher has monitored teaching, with a relevant focus on the match of work to the needs of different pupils in the mixed-age classes. This has contributed to

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The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

the very good teaching in this respect. The headteacher teaches one class for two days each week. This enables her to release the acting special educational needs co-ordinator to carry out the very effective support provided for these pupils. It is intended that subject specialists will have more time in the future to work alongside colleagues and monitor teaching, to promote further improvements and higher standards.

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The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

27. A particular focus for improvement is the teaching of information technology skills. The good management approaches in the school are evident in the steps being taken to make this happen. An initial plan has been drawn up by the new co-ordinator, and the school will be identifying training needs for all members of staff to be met in the new school year. One classroom assistant provides part-time support specifically for the subject, and will be attending further training. Appropriate advice is sought, and the school is clearly using good approaches to extend the quality of the teaching of information technology skills and pupils’ learning.

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The headteacher leads the school well, and all members of staff work effectively as a team;

28. Governors visit classes, and have an agreed focus for their observations. They report back to the governing body on their visits. Relationships with teachers are good, and there is an open dialogue between governors and teachers about the work of the school. Teachers also talk to the governing body about their subjects, and governors attend curriculum meetings held for parents. Governors discuss the direction of the school from a position of a good knowledge and understanding of the strengths of the school and of the areas for development.

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Parents are very supportive of the school, and are very satisfied with the teaching and with the

29. The school aims to foster close working and trusting relationships between school and home. Parents find that this is very much the case, and are very supportive of the school. Some help effectively in school, and parents together, through the parent-teacher association, are active in generally supporting the life of the school and raising funds. Some of these will go towards a planned extension to provide a useful teaching space for groups.

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Parents are very supportive of the school, and are very satisfied with the teaching and with the

30. Parents recognise the strengths of the school, and clearly feel that they have a part to play in the life of the school. They support their children’s work. The great majority is content with the homework provided. Some comment that their children have responsible attitudes to it, and that it is well matched to their abilities. One parent commented that her son ‘buzzes’ about homework, and this appears to reflect the very good attitudes to work seen in lessons.

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Parents are very supportive of the school, and are very satisfied with the teaching and with the

31. Only a very few parents were unhappy about some aspects of the school, but the school is very open to parents’ concerns, and willing to resolve any problems.

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The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is

not aimed clearly enough at the learning objectives for the age group.

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The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is

32. At the last inspection, all children under five were working within the curriculum for pupils of statutory school age, and the provision for them was not reported on separately. These curriculum arrangements have tended to continue, and there is no specifically planned curriculum for children under five. Netherfield CE Primary School - 16 33. In practice, the experiences provided for children under five are generally good. The teacher ensures that the activities are matched to their ages and abilities, and units of work designed for pupils in Year 1 are adapted for the pupils in the reception year. The school has been helped further by the national frameworks for literacy and numeracy, which have sections for the reception year that tie in with the national expectations of learning for pupils under five.

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The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is

34. The weakness of the current arrangements is that they require continuous adaptation by the teacher of the work within subjects, which for the younger pupils is organised in national guidance under the broader heading of areas of learning. Without a scheme of work for the youngest children there is the risk that some important learning experiences may be overlooked. There was no evidence of this, but the school has already identified the need to improve the curriculum and facilities for these pupils. This is a well-judged priority for development, as a foundation stage for children aged three to the end of the reception year is being introduced nationally from September 2000

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The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is

There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to learn about living in a multicultural society.

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The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is

35. The school’s provision for pupils’ cultural development is good, but it could be still better. There are strengths in the provision; pupils learn about past cultures through history, and about different countries in some aspects of geography. Work on art from different traditions also gives some breadth to their cultural development. However, these good opportunities are not sufficiently underpinned by a cultural environment that more closely reflects the multicultural nature of the wider community.

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The curriculum for pupils under five, which is generally matched suitably to their needs but is

36. Pupils are taught to understand and respect other faiths in religious education but there is less attention to different cultures beyond their religious traditions. Little use is made of visiting representatives of other cultures. There is scope for exploring, for example, issues of difference and unfair treatment as part of pupils’ preparation for life in a multicultural society.

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The boys’ overall results in tests over time, which are nearly always lower than the girls’ results,

and more so than the national difference.

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The boys’ overall results in tests over time, which are nearly always lower than the girls’ results,

37. In national test at the end of both key stages, boys do less well than girls. This is a national characteristic, but the difference between boys and girls is greater at Netherfield School than the national difference.

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The boys’ overall results in tests over time, which are nearly always lower than the girls’ results,

38. At present, the very good teaching and the very good ethos for learning give boys, as much as girls, good opportunities to do well. The performance of all pupils is overall above average, and that of the boys is slightly above that of boys nationally. Boys are not underachieving in relation to national standards. However, as part of its drive to raise standards further for all pupils, there is scope for the school to explore ways in which the overall attainment of boys specifically could be raised.

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The school development plan, which lacks sufficiently rigorous action plans and arrangements

for monitoring its progress and evaluating the outcomes.

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The school development plan, which lacks sufficiently rigorous action plans and arrangements

39. A weakness identified at the last inspection was the need for better procedures for monitoring and evaluating the school development plan. This has not yet been sufficiently addressed. However, there have been two periods of acting headship in the school in the meantime, and the new headteacher is setting about planning purposefully for improvements, in discussion with the staff and governors.

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The school development plan, which lacks sufficiently rigorous action plans and arrangements

40. One good aspect of the development plan is that, in some subject areas, objectives are stated in terms of what pupils should be able to do. The plan includes some monitoring intentions, but overall this aspect needs further development. The arrangements in place are not sufficient to check Netherfield CE Primary School - 17 on the progress of the plan and to ensure that the workload on members of staff is properly paced, as well as identifying the achievement of the objectives. Netherfield CE Primary School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• draw up a policy and scheme of work for pupils in the reception year, which takes full account of the foundation stage and the early learning goals; (paragraphs 32-34)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve the cultural aspects of the curriculum to ensure that sufficient attention given to preparing pupils for life in a multicultural society; (paragraphs 35-36)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• raise the academic performance of boys across the school; (paragraphs 37-38)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensure that the school development plan has rigorous action plans that include: § schedules for the identified actions, in addition to target dates; § sufficient procedures for monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes. (paragraphs 39-40) Netherfield CE Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 12 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 8

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 58 42 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 64 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 16 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

Authorised absence % Unauthorised absence % School data 5.4 School data 0.6 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Netherfield CE Primary School - 20 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 9 6 15

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Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attendance

Boys 7 5 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 6 4 4

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 87 (72) 60 (81) 73 (72) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attendance

Boys 7 6 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 5 4 5

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 80 (63) 67 (63) 80 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attendance

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

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Attendance

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 7 14

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Attendance

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attendance

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

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 100 ( * ) 71 ( * ) 93 ( * ) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attendance

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attendance

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

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Attendance

Percentage of pupils School 71 ( * ) 64 ( * ) 100 ( * ) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (85) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year * In 1998 the cohort of pupils was less than 10, and the standards pupils attained are not reported. This is to ensure that the results of individual pupils remain confidential. Netherfield CE Primary School - 21

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Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Permanen t Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage Black – African heritage Black – African heritage Black – other Black – other Indian Indian Pakistani Pakistani Bangladeshi Bangladeshi Chinese Chinese 1 White 57 White Any other minority ethnic group 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.

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.2 Financial year 1999 - 2000

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.2

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Average class size 21.3 £ Total income 183,185 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 177,285 Total number of education support staff 4.0 Expenditure per pupil 2,162

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 63 Balance brought forward from previous year 4,553

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 10,453 Netherfield CE Primary School - 22

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 54 46 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 35 8 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 42 8 4 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 38 8 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 77 23 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 31 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 42 58 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 54 42 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 58 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 46 19 8 4

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