Other · Ofsted report
Great Waltham Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
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115114
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Strengths
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- one another and the teacher were noted in one class, where pupils’ excellent listening skills ensured that they made good progress. p.35
- The subject co-ordinator is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and provides very effective leadership. p.41
- In these lessons, the teachers had planned and organised their lessons effectively, had very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and taught specific skills effectively. p.42
- This was seen in a good physical education lesson, where the clear instructions and high expectations of the teacher were made clear to the pupils even before they left the classroom. p.18
- This good progress is a direct result of the high quality teaching in some classes. p.34
Concerns
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- The main weakness in teaching is the lack of specific planning to meet the needs of children under five who are in a class with Year 1 pupils. p.18
- Where the quality of teaching is satisfactory, there remain weaknesses, mainly in the lack of suitably matched activities to meet pupils’ individual needs. p.36
- Weaknesses in teaching were concerned mainly with teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour and the lack of attention given towards developing specific skills. p.42
- There was no scheme of work, no co-ordinator and staff expertise was inadequate. p.38
- Although teachers engage pupils well in discussion of the class text, they do not sufficiently promote their knowledge of and tastes in quality children's literature; for example, they do not have an "author of the week" or displays of certain authors or genres, and do not sufficiently monitor pupils' choice of personal reading or discuss it with them. p.32
Next steps
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- The school has made satisfactory improvement since its last inspection which took place just over three years ago. p.6
- The school now has schemes of work in place which ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met, although planning in some subjects does not allow for pupils in mixed age classes, who may cover the same work twice at broadly similar levels. p.6
- Most teachers keep careful ongoing records of pupils’ progress and use these well to provide suitable work which matches pupils’ needs. p.6
- However, this is not always the case and some higher attaining pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable. p.6
- Standards in information technology and design and technology are now satisfactory. p.6
- The school shows a satisfactory capacity to improve in the future. p.6
- The grades above must be treated with caution as the cohort of pupils involved was very small and included pupils with significant special educational needs. p.7
- This had a major negative influence on the average standards attained by such a small group. p.7
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- Flesch 48, typical 45
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Full report text
INSPECTION REPORT
Great Waltham C of E Primary School Great Waltham
p.1
INSPECTION REPORT
Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Crown Copyright 1999
p.1
INSPECTION REPORT
This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.
p.2
INSPECTION REPORT
Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 3
p.2
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Type of school: Infant and Junior School
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: South Street Great Waltham Essex CM3 1DF
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Name of chair of governors: David Moncaster
p.3
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 4
p.3
Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Mary Summers Mathematics Science Information technology Music Physical education Equal opportunities Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Efficiency of the school Fran Luke Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Susy Powlesland English Design and technology History Geography Art Religious education Special educational needs Under fives Curriculum and assessment Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
p.4
Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
icp 360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN
p.4
Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:
p.4
Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 5
p.4
MAIN FINDINGS
What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school
p.5
INTRODUCTION
Characteristics of the school 1 - 3 Key indicators
p.5
PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school Attainment and progress 4 - 15 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 16 - 19 Attendance 20
p.5
PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
Quality of education provided Teaching 21 - 25 The curriculum and assessment 26 - 33 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 34 - 44 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 45 - 49 Partnership with parents and the community 50 - 55
p.5
PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
The management and efficiency of the school Leadership and management 56 - 60 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 61 - 66 The efficiency of the school 67 - 70
p.5
PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS
Areas of learning for children under five 71 - 80
p.5
PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS
English, mathematics and science 81 - 105
p.5
PART C: INSPECTION DATA
Data and indicators Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 6
p.5
What the school does well
• The provision made for pupils with special educational needs is good and they make good progress. • There are good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress. • The support and guidance provided for pupils are good. • Links with parents and the community are good. • Rates of attendance are very good. • There is a good number and variety of extra-curricular clubs for a school of this size. • Financial planning and control are good.
p.6
Where the school has weaknesses
• Standards in English, mathematics and science are not high enough by the end of Key Stage 2. • The provision for children aged under five is unsatisfactory. • Some subjects of the curriculum are not planned well enough to ensure that pupils do not repeat lessons from year to year. • Some subjects do not have designated co-ordinators and this hampers their development. • Procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of spending are not sufficiently formalised.
p.6
Where the school has weaknesses
The weaknesses are outweighed by the strengths but they will form the basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school.
p.6
How the school has improved since the last inspection
The school has made satisfactory improvement since its last inspection which took place just over three years ago. The school now has schemes of work in place which ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met, although planning in some subjects does not allow for pupils in mixed age classes, who may cover the same work twice at broadly similar levels. Most teachers keep careful ongoing records of pupils’ progress and use these well to provide suitable work which matches pupils’ needs. However, this is not always the case and some higher attaining pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable. Standards in information technology and design and technology are now satisfactory. The school shows a satisfactory capacity to improve in the future. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 7
p.6
Standards in subjects
This table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:
p.7
Key
well above average A above average B English E E* average C Mathematics D E below average D Science E E* well below average E very low E*
p.7
Key
The grades above must be treated with caution as the cohort of pupils involved was very small and included pupils with significant special educational needs. This had a major negative influence on the average standards attained by such a small group. The inspection findings are that current Year 6 pupils, again a very small group, are attaining below average standards in English, mathematics and science. About one third of the pupils in this cohort have special educational needs. They attain average standards for their ages in information technology, art, design and technology, geography, history, music, and physical education. Their attainment in religious education meets the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus.
p.7
Key
The 1998 test data for Key Stage 1 indicate well above average standards in reading and above average standards in writing and mathematics when compared with schools nationally. When compared with schools in similar circumstances, standards in reading are well above average and those in writing and mathematics are average. The inspection’s findings are that the current Year 2 pupils are attaining average standards in English, mathematics, science, information technology, art, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education. Standards in religious education meet the recommendations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. These findings differ from the test data for 1998. This is because a different group of pupils is involved and the current pupils have just moved up from Year 1, showing only average attainment for their age.
p.7
Key
Children aged under five reach expected standards for their age in language and literacy and in their physical, personal and social development. They are attaining below average standards in mathematics and some aspects of their knowledge and understanding of the world and in their creative development.
p.7
Key
Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs attain satisfactory standards for their capabilities. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 8
p.7
Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years
English satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory Mathematics unsatisfactory satisfactory satisfactory Science n/a satisfactory satisfactory Information technology n/a satisfactory satisfactory Religious education n/a satisfactory satisfactory Other subjects unsatisfactory satisfactory satisfactory
p.8
Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years
Teaching was very good in 10 per cent of lessons seen, good in 34 per cent and satisfactory in 51 per cent. It was unsatisfactory in five per cent of the lessons observed. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good.
p.8
Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years
Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses
p.8
Aspect Comment
Behaviour Satisfactory. Behaviour in the dining hall is good but in the playground is quite boisterous. No bullying was seen during the inspection. In class, pupils’ behaviour is generally satisfactory although sometimes pupils can be noisy and show poor concentration on their work. Attendance Very good. The rate of unauthorised absence is well below the national average. Ethos* Good. Most pupils are interested in their work and the quality of relationships in the school is good. Pupils are valued as individuals and their successes celebrated. Leadership and management Satisfactory. The school development plan is clear and is monitored well by governors. Some subjects have no designated co-ordinator and this hinders their development. Curriculum Satisfactory overall. There are weaknesses in the curriculum for children aged under five and in the planning for progression in some subjects in mixed age classes. Assessment
p.8
Aspect Comment
procedures are good but are not always well used to guide provision for higher attaining pupils in some subjects. Pupils with special educational needs Good. Staff work well together to ensure that the needs of these pupils are met effectively. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on the world about them. They are taught good moral values and to appreciate different cultures through their studies in geography, history, music and religious education. Staffing, resources and accommodation Satisfactory. There is a very good number of learning support assistants for the size of the school. There is a studio which is used for a variety of purposes and the school has a swimming pool and a good sized playing field. Learning resources are satisfactory in number and quality. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.
p.8
What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• Parents are encouraged to play a part in the life of the school. • Their children like school. • The attitudes and values which the school promotes. • The information which the school provides for parents. • The work which their children are expected to do at home. • How the school handles complaints from parents. • The progress of pupils at Key Stage 2. • The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Standards of behaviour in some classes.
p.9
What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
The findings of the inspection support the positive views of parents. The inspection findings also indicate that there are clear procedures for parents to follow if they have complaints. With the introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies and new schemes of work in place for many subjects, the progress of pupils at Key Stage 2 is now satisfactory. The provision made for pupils with special educational needs is good and they make good progress. Standards of behaviour are generally satisfactory, although a few examples of unruly behaviour were observed in a small number of classes. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 10
p.9
KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION
The governors, headteacher and staff should address the following matters in writing the action plan, in order to raise standards and improve the provision the school makes still further.
p.10
continuing the good work already begun in literacy and numeracy and by
following the new scheme of work in science. (Paras 407, 81, 92, 93, 100, 101)
p.10
ii. improve the provision for children aged under five by:
• planning more effectively within nationally recommended guidelines; • broadening their access to a range of appropriate activities; • improving the learning environment; • raising teachers’ expectations; • improving the range of learning resources, particularly those for outdoor activities; (paras 12, 22, 27, 62, 71-80)
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
year, particularly for those pupils in mixed age classes; (paras 28, 30, 31, 56, 105, 130)
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
i. ensure that there are specific co-ordinators for all subjects. (Paras 58, 110, 115, 125, 140)
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
ii. develop formal systems to evaluate the cost effectiveness of spending decisions. (para 67)
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
iii. ensure that all teachers use the good assessment information kept to identify and meet the needs of higher attaining pupils. (paras 22, 24, 33, 88, 98, 99, 102, 104)
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
iv. ensure that the statutory information for parents contains all the necessary information. (Para 60)
p.10
iii. ensure that curriculum planning provides effective progression from year to
v. ensure that all teachers maintain good levels of discipline in their classes. (paras, 24, 98) Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 11
p.10
Characteristics of the school
1. Great Waltham Church of England Primary school is located within the small village of Great Waltham and serves the neighbouring villages of Pleshey, Howe Street, the Chignalls and other outlying hamlets. The original school building dates from 1847 but it has been modernised and refurbished over the years. Pupils live in a variety of privately owned and residential properties and enter the school at broadly average levels of attainment. Nineteen per cent of pupils are identified as having special educational needs which is about average for a school of this size. None have statements of special educational need. There is one pupil who comes from an ethnic minority background for whom English is an additional language which is about average for a school of this size. Four per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals which is much lower than average. The school role has fallen in recent
p.11
Characteristics of the school
years, due mainly to a falling birth rate in the area. There are significant differences in the numbers of pupils in each year group which cause considerable difficulties for school organisation. Currently there is one class for Reception and Year 1 pupils, one for Year 5 and 6 pupils and one class for each of the other year groups. The school often has two year groups in each class. 2. Significant changes which have occurred since the school’s last OFSTED inspection in April 1996 include the retirement of the Chair of Governors and a series of different Chairs who have taken on the responsibility on a temporary basis. Over half the governing body has changed. A new Chair has recently been appointed and a new office manager, following the retirement of the previous school secretary approximately one year ago. Improvements to the accommodation include a new school office, the redecoration of classrooms and
p.11
Characteristics of the school
staffroom and new washrooms for Key Stage 1 pupils. 3. The school aims to create an atmosphere of mutual respect between all members of the school community and to ensure that everyone feels safe, gains in confidence and self- esteem, works hard, achieves success and that every pupil leaves the school with the skills to continue learning and become a sensitive, well-educated and caring adult. The school development plan covers the period 1999-2002 and identifies improvements in the curriculum, pupils’ welfare and support, people and resource management, and partnership with parents and the community. Priorities for this year include the implementation of the national numeracy strategy, the development of a new scheme of work for information technology, a review of multicultural resources and provision, training for midday assistants, implementation of home-school agreements and the initiation of a school council.
p.11
Characteristics of the school
Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 12 Key indicators
p.12
Characteristics of the school
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total
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Characteristics of the school
for latest reporting year: 1998 14 10 24
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Characteristics of the school
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
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Characteristics of the school
Number of pupils Boys 11 11 13 at NC Level 2 or Girls 10 10 10 above Total 21 21 23 Percentage at NC School 84 84 92 Level 2 or above National 80 81 84
p.12
Characteristics of the school
Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 11 13 13 at NC Level 2 or Girls 10 10 10 above Total 21 23 23 Percentage at NC School 84 92 92 Level 2 or above National 81 85 86
p.12
Characteristics of the school
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total
p.12
Characteristics of the school
National Curriculum Test Results English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 2 3 2 at NC Level 4 or Girls 5 3 3 above Total 7 6 5 Percentage at NC School 64 55 45 Level 4 or above National 65 59 69
p.12
Characteristics of the school
Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 2 2 1 at NC Level 4 or Girls 5 3 3 above Total 7 5 4 Percentage at NC School 64 45 36 Level 4 or above National 65 65 72
p.12
Characteristics of the school
____________________________________ 1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year ____________________________________ 2 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 13 Attendance
p.12
Characteristics of the school
Percentage of half days (sessions) missed %
p.13
Characteristics of the school
through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 4.3
p.13
Characteristics of the school
reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7
p.13
Characteristics of the school
Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number
p.13
Characteristics of the school
the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0
p.13
Characteristics of the school
Percentage of teaching observed which is: %
p.13
Characteristics of the school
Very good or better 10 Satisfactory or better 95 Less than satisfactory 5 Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 14
p.13
Attainment and progress
4. In comparison with schools nationally, the average levels attained by the pupils in the tests were well below average in English and science and below average in mathematics. When compared with schools in similar circumstances, average levels attained by the pupils were very low in English and science and below average in mathematics. The cohort of pupils in 1998 consisted of 11 pupils, including several who had significant special educational needs, which had a major negative influence on the average levels attained by the pupils. Analysis of the national end of Key Stage 2 tests for 1998 shows that standards in English and mathematics at Level 4 and above were close to the national average. In science, standards were well below the national average. The numbers of pupils who attained higher standards were below average in English and mathematics and well below average in science.
p.14
Attainment and progress
5. When the end of Key Stage 2 results at Level 4 and above for 1998 are compared with those reached by the school in 1996, they show falling standards in science, with mathematics standards remaining broadly the same. Standards in English rose in 1997 but fell in 1998. However, the small numbers in the school’s recent cohorts of pupils mean that these variations must be treated with extreme caution. Realistic targets for improvement have been set in English and mathematics and recent results show that the school is making good progress towards achieving them. The data from the last three years shows under attainment by boys compared with that of girls in English, but the inspection findings report no significant variations in attainment for pupils of different gender.
p.14
Attainment and progress
6. Although standards are improving, the inspection’s findings are that the current Year 6 pupils are on course to attain standards which are still just below the level of the national expectation in English, mathematics, science and information technology. The cohort of pupils is again small and includes one third who are identified as having special educational needs. Pupils’ work in religious education meets the recommendations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Standards are average for pupils’ ages in art, design and technology, history, geography, music and physical education. These findings show an improvement since the last inspection in design and technology and information technology, which were identified as key issues for improvement, but a drop in standards in English, mathematics and science. Standards in all other subjects remain the same. Standards in literacy and numeracy are improving but are still below average.
p.14
Attainment and progress
7. By the age of 11, standards are at the level of the national expectation in speaking and listening but are below expectations in reading and writing. Pupils ask and answer questions thoughtfully and usually listen well to their teachers and to one another. However, many do not develop a wide enough vocabulary to help them in other aspects of their English work. Most pupils enjoy their reading and can talk about the characters and the story but many are not reading fluently enough by themselves. Higher attaining pupils do not read a sufficiently challenging range of books to extend their experience. Most pupils can write using a fluent joined script and with reasonable attention to punctuation. They are secure in their ability to spell familiar words but their writing shows weak use of vocabulary and little imagination. In mathematics, by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know about positive and
p.14
Attainment and progress
negative numbers and can interpret information from a line graph. Their understanding of time is less confident, with many pupils being unable to calculate the gap between, for example, 7am and 10pm. Their mental arithmetic skills are weak, with many pupils not knowing their multiplication tables well enough or being able to calculate quickly enough in their heads. By the age of 11, in science, the pupils know of the existence of micro- Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 15 organisms and can describe their effects. They know how to make an electric circuit and can describe how different circuits affect the brightness of bulbs. However, their ability to devise and carry out their own experiments and record them in their own ways is weak. In religious education, pupils know about the major religions of the world and have a sound understanding of the important aspects of Christianity. For example, they talk sensitively
p.14
Attainment and progress
about stories contained in the Bible, as well as about important aspects of Sikhism, Judaism and Islam. By the end of Key Stage 2, in information technology, pupils communicate and handle information confidently through text, graphics and pictures. Their skills in the use of spreadsheets are well developed but they are less aware of how to use computers to control events or equipment.
p.15
Attainment and progress
8. By the age of 11, in art, pupils make good use of shading in their close observational drawings of fruit. They can work in the style of a range of famous artists. They design and make “Millennium samplers” successfully and carefully plan and cook a meal as part of their work in food technology. In geography, pupils develop good map skills and can compare life in a village in India to their own lives. In history, pupils’ understanding of chronology is uncertain, although they talk enthusiastically about the periods of history they have studied. Pupils sing a range of songs with good attention to pitch and they also have a good musical vocabulary. In physical education, pupils can play small-sided games with appropriate skill and attention to the rules and show good levels of co-ordination and balance in gymnastics. Standards in swimming are good.
p.15
Attainment and progress
9. Analysis of the national end of Key Stage 1 tests for 1998 shows that standards in reading and mathematics were above national expectations at Level 2 and above and that standards in writing were close to national expectations. Numbers of pupils attaining higher levels were very high in reading, well above average in writing and above average in mathematics. The average levels scored by pupils in the tests was well above average in reading and above average in writing and mathematics, compared with schools nationally and well above average in reading, and average in writing and mathematics, when compared with similar schools. Data from 1996 to 1998 shows that standards in reading have risen steadily, but that those in writing and mathematics have fallen slightly. The data shows that girls do better in reading and mathematics than boys but inspection findings currently indicate no significant differences between pupils of different gender.
p.15
Attainment and progress
10. Inspection findings show that, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are on course to attain standards at the level of the national expectation in English, mathematics, science and information technology. Their attainment in religious education meets the recommendations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Attainment in art, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education is average for their age. Standards in literacy and numeracy are satisfactory. These findings are in line with the findings of the school’s last OFSTED inspection except in information technology and design and technology where standards have risen. These findings also differ from the 1998 end of key stage tests. This is because a different group of pupils is involved and the standards at which the current pupils have come up from Year 1 are only average for their age.
p.15
Attainment and progress
11. In English, by the age of seven, pupils listen attentively and make appropriate responses to the teacher and to one another. Their attainment in reading is above average. They have a good sight vocabulary and use good phonic skills to read unfamiliar words. They can spell simple words from memory and can use their phonic skills to have a reasonable attempt at new words. In mathematics, they recognise simple shapes, and odd and even numbers. They can count in fives to fifty and they are developing sound mental strategies for calculation. They show a keen interest in science when they discuss with the school nurse how drugs can be harmful or helpful. They know some simple Bible stories and are aware of major Christian festivals. They show satisfactory skills in information technology when they use an art program to design and colour a picture. In art, they show satisfactory control of media in their line drawings and in their clay work. They design a
p.15
Attainment and progress
Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 16 healthy breakfast and make objects that fold out of paper and card. In geography, they begin to understand about maps when they plot where they went for their summer holidays. In history they begin to develop a sense of the past when they make books tracing their development since infancy. Pupils sing a number of songs off by heart and show a developing knowledge of musical vocabulary. They show a good awareness of space and good co-ordination during physical education lessons.
p.16
Attainment and progress
12. The attainment of children under five is broadly average for their age when they enter school, although they show above average attainment in their physical, personal and social development. Most children make satisfactory progress in language and literacy, and in their physical, personal and social development. However, their progress in mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world and in creative development is unsatisfactory and in these areas is below average by the age of five. This unsatisfactory progress is related directly to the weaknesses in provision in these areas. By the age of five, children know the sounds of some of the letters of the alphabet but many are unable to write their names independently. They can count and work with numbers to ten but their knowledge and understanding of shape, space and measures is weak. They use the computer well and talk about their observations of minibeasts but their investigative skills are underdeveloped. They
p.16
Attainment and progress
run, jump and skip with good co-ordination but have few opportunities to use small equipment such as scissors, paintbrushes and malleable materials to develop good control of small objects. Children show limited creative skills in the use of paint and modelling materials, in their use of musical instruments or in their imaginative role-play.
p.16
Attainment and progress
13. Pupils at Key Stage 1 make satisfactory progress over time in all subjects of the curriculum. They make better progress towards the end of the key stage than at the beginning. Progress is seen in English in the way that pupils develop their skills in spelling and punctuation and in their growing fluency in reading. In mathematics, they progress from counting numbers to undertaking simple addition and subtraction calculations. Satisfactory progress is seen in science as pupils develop their understanding of the human body and how to maintain good health. They develop from having simple control of the computer mouse and keyboard to having sound skills in word processing. In religious education they widen their knowledge of Bible stories and Christian festivals and in history, they begin to compare their lives with those of people in the past. Geography skills increase suitably in map work and in music they successfully extend their knowledge of different percussion
p.16
Attainment and progress
instruments and how to play them. In art they increase their skills in handling different media and in physical education their co-ordination and control of their bodies improve.
p.16
Attainment and progress
14. At Key Stage 2, pupils make satisfactory progress in all subjects. They make sound progress in writing skills such as handwriting, spelling and punctuation but less progress in improving the content of their writing. There is evidence of some good progress in mathematics in the lower junior classes, especially in mental arithmetic, where the daily practice within the numeracy hour is having a positive effect. In science, progress can be seen as pupils develop their knowledge and understanding, but there is less progress in developing good investigative skills and in making and recording their own observations. In religious education, pupils build upon their knowledge of Christianity in Key Stage 1, to develop an understanding of some aspects of other religions. Pupils’ progress in information technology can be seen in their increasing confidence and skill in the use of a range of software. Progress in art is noted in pupils’ understanding and representation of a range of
p.16
Attainment and progress
artists’ work. They build upon existing design skills when they design and make their samplers, showing good dexterity in their use of tools. Geographical skills develop as pupils learn about their own and other localities and begin to draw conclusions and their sense of history develops as they learn about different historical periods. They make satisfactory progress in music when they extend their skills in playing percussion instruments to devising their own compositions on a given theme. Physical skills increase as pupils extend their knowledge of games and improve their swimming skills. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 17 15. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and attain good standards for their capabilities. Their individual education plans identify appropriate, realistic targets, which are focused mainly on literacy and numeracy. Class teachers, teaching assistants and the co-ordinator for special needs work well together to provide effective
p.16
Attainment and progress
teaching and support. Pupils’ progress is reviewed regularly and targets are adjusted appropriately. Higher attaining pupils make satisfactory progress overall, but in some classes their needs are not being recognised and they do not make the progress of which they are capable. This is often the case in mathematics, science and information technology.
p.17
Attitudes, behaviour and personal development
16. Throughout the school the pupils’ attitudes to learning are satisfactory. They concentrate satisfactorily and do get involved in their work, but do not always show enthusiasm. In some lessons where teaching is good, representation is lively and there is good pace, pupils are very interested and concentrate well. However in a small number of lessons their concentration is not so good. Where teacher’s organisation is not very good, children spend too long on the carpet and there is a badly organised transition from carpet to group work, some of the pupils become noisy, disruptive and lose focus.
p.17
Attitudes, behaviour and personal development
17. Pupils are developing their capacity for personal study. This was seen generally in independent work in literacy and numeracy hours where pupils work hard and independently. In group reading pupils respond well.
p.17
Attitudes, behaviour and personal development
18. Pupils’ behaviour around school and in the classroom is satisfactory. Pupils generally behave well around the school. In some classes, where teachers have higher expectations, pupils’ behaviour is positive. There are instances, however, where expectations are not high enough, for example, during assembly where there is often an undercurrent of restlessness, which detracts from the sense of occasion. Behaviour on the playground is sometimes boisterous, however, behaviour in the dining hall is good. No bullying was seen during the inspection. Pupils show respect for property: no graffiti or litter was seen during the inspection and pupils use equipment such as computers, books and tools with care and respect.
p.17
Attitudes, behaviour and personal development
19. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. The ethos of the school contributes to their sense of community and respect for others. Pupils take responsibility both within the classroom with the different tasks that need be done and outside, for example setting out chairs for assembly. Pupils collect for various charities each year and take part in community events including collecting for harvest festival.
p.17
Attendance
20. Attendance is well above the national average and is very good. Attendance rates have been maintained since the school’s last OFSTED report. Rates of unauthorised absence are well below the national average. Registration takes place promptly at the beginning of both the morning and afternoon sessions. Pupils are keen to attend school, and almost all arrive punctually at the start of the day. This view was supported by parents who attended the parents’ meeting. During the day, lessons start and finish on time.
p.17
Teaching
21. Overall the quality for teaching in the school is satisfactory. This judgement is broadly in line with the findings of the school’s last OFSTED inspection. Throughout the school, teaching is very good in 10 per cent of lessons, good in 34 per cent and satisfactory Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 18 in 51 per cent. However, in five per cent of the lessons observed it was unsatisfactory. Weaknesses in teaching relate mainly to the teaching of children aged under five, but also to the management of pupils’ behaviour and in planning to meet the needs of higher attaining pupils. The quality of teaching of literacy and numeracy is generally satisfactory. Literacy and numeracy are taught daily and the time is used effectively.
p.17
Teaching
22. Overall, the quality of teaching for children aged under five is unsatisfactory. There is a lack of clear understanding of the needs of very young children and how to provide for these within the classroom. There are strengths in provision for children’s physical development as was seen in a good lesson in the hall, where children practised throwing and catching a beanbag and showed good progress in their agility and co-ordination. Personal and social development is also promoted well, within a calm environment where pupils feel valued. This was demonstrated during story-time, when pupils were encouraged to think about times when they felt happy or sad and to share these experiences with the class. This also promoted pupils’ skills in speaking and listening. The teaching of literacy is broadly satisfactory, with children learning initial sounds and a range of words which they recognise. However, there is a lack of opportunity for them to practise and develop these skills in their
p.18
Teaching
writing and this inhibits their progress. The main weakness in teaching is the lack of specific planning to meet the needs of children under five who are in a class with Year 1 pupils. Although detailed records are kept, they are not used well enough to highlight higher attaining children. Consequently, these children often find the work too easy and do not make the progress of which they are capable. The teaching of numeracy is satisfactory but there are too few opportunities within the classroom for children to develop their knowledge of shape, position and measure. There is a lack of attention to developing specific mathematical language and pupils transfer to the next class without the necessary knowledge and skills to make a positive start. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop good skills of enquiry, for example, stimulating displays or activities where they can find things out for themselves. They do not have enough experiences of cutting and
p.18
Teaching
sticking materials and selecting their own equipment. The number of creative activities is extremely limited and children do not have the opportunity to paint and draw from a range of different materials. There is little in the classroom to stimulate children’s role play and imagination.
p.18
Teaching
23. At Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the subjects that they teach. They use the literacy and numeracy strategies well to teach specific skills and knowledge. For example, in a good group-reading session, the teacher prepared the pupils very well for reading a new text and involved each pupil individually. She used the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge of different sounds and drew their attention to certain aspects of the print. Teachers have good strategies to maintain pupils’ good behaviour and give clear explanations and instructions so that pupils know exactly what to do. This was seen in a good physical education lesson, where the clear instructions and high expectations of the teacher were made clear to the pupils even before they left the classroom. Homework is used well to help pupils practise what they have learned in school. For example, reading books are sent home nightly and
p.18
Teaching
there is good dialogue between parents and teachers. Very detailed records of pupils’ progress are kept and these are used appropriately to highlight those pupils who require extra support in their learning. However, they are sometimes not used well enough to identify the higher attaining pupils and to plan work which will challenge and extend their understanding. Lessons generally have a good pace, which maintains pupils’ interest and concentration, but sometimes pupils are kept sitting too long on the carpet and they become restless and distracted.
p.18
Teaching
24. At Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, although there were examples of good and very good teaching observed in some classes. In these instances the teacher had very good strategies to manage pupils’ behaviour effectively and this meant that they concentrated for a long period of time on the task in hand and made good progress. For Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 19 instance, in a very good gymnastics lesson in the hall, the teacher had established very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and the pupils therefore paid very good attention to safety and they devoted the maximum time available to carrying out their tasks. In these very good lessons, teachers kept a brisk pace and used a range of resources well which stimulated pupils’ interest and encouraged them to explore further. For example, in a science lesson, the teacher used class teaching, group work and individual work to provide interest and pace
p.18
Teaching
and had a range of different resources available including dentists’ mirrors for pupils to examine one another’s teeth. In this lesson the teaching assistant was used well to support pupils’ work and a parent also lent a useful hand. In the good lessons, learning support assistants are used well to support individual pupils and to gather assessment information. Where they are less effective, the teacher has not established high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and the pupils can be dismissive of the assistant’s help. Generally, lesson planning is clear and suitable activities are prepared for the lower attaining pupils. However, in some classes the needs of the higher attaining pupils are not taken into consideration, for example, in science, and the work presented is too easy for them. Homework is used appropriately to encourage pupils to practise the skills they have learned at school.
p.19
Teaching
25. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers liaise well with the special educational needs co-ordinator and the learning support assistants and provide work which is suited well to their needs and enables them to make good progress. Individual education plans are regularly reviewed and revised. The support for pupils during literacy sessions is particularly effective and well-planned. Careful assessments of pupils’ progress are made and these are used well to plan their future work.
p.19
The curriculum and assessment
26. The previous inspection found that schemes of work had been started for mathematics and science but other subjects did not yet have one. This had an adverse effect on continuity from year to year. There has been good school improvement in this, and all subjects now have schemes. Standards were low in design and technology and in information technology. This has also improved. Both subjects now have schemes of work which are followed and there has been significant improvement in information technology since the appointment of a new co-ordinator for the subject last year. The policy for special educational needs did not provide enough detail about procedures. There is now a good policy which is well used and pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards their targets. Assessment procedures were satisfactory but were not used effectively to match pupils’ work to their attainment and pupils, including the higher attaining,
p.19
The curriculum and assessment
were insufficiently stretched and challenged by the work they do. This was a key issue and is still a weakness now.
p.19
The curriculum and assessment
27. The curriculum planned for children under five is unsatisfactory. It is based on some, but not all, the appropriate areas of learning and does not ensure that children make good progress overall.
p.19
The curriculum and assessment
28. A broad and balanced curriculum, which covers all National Curriculum subjects and religious education, is taught throughout the rest of the school. All subjects have policies and schemes of work. The school follows a four-year rolling programme for topics and subjects because some classes are mixed age and the fluctuations in numbers mean that they do not follow a predictable pattern. Despite this, the fluctuation in numbers causes considerable difficulties. The four-year programme does not securely ensure the progression of skills. For example, pupils sometimes repeat work that was covered in the previous year with insufficient progression. In literacy and numeracy, teachers plan for different year groups but in other subjects, all pupils in the class cover the same work and this has a negative effect on attainment and progress. The subject policies and schemes do not address these difficulties
p.19
The curriculum and assessment
and there are no agreed and generally followed guidelines on class organisation and lesson planning to ensure the progression of skills in the mixed age classes. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 20 29. The curriculum generally meets statutory requirements. However, there are no resources for teaching control in information technology and no provision for teaching outdoor and adventurous activities in physical education. The curriculum generally promotes personal development. It includes sex and drugs education as part of the science and the personal, social and health education programmes.
p.19
The curriculum and assessment
30. The curriculum provides equality of access and opportunity in respect of gender and of pupils from different backgrounds. The school’s intake is predominantly from the local indigenous white population and contains a variety of social backgrounds. Pupils from all backgrounds take part in all lessons and activities equally and work and play well together. However, in some lessons, the mixed age classes result in some pupils, either from the younger or the older cohort, repeating work they have covered in a previous year at the same level as before and this lessens their access to full progression in their curriculum. The planned group work, which is intended to match the tasks to individual pupils’ attainment, sometimes presents the same task to pupils with the highest and the medium attainment and the highest attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged, which also lessens their access to
p.20
The curriculum and assessment
a curriculum which is equally challenging to all.
p.20
The curriculum and assessment
31. Pupils with special educational needs receive sufficient skilled support and make good progress towards the targets set for them. There is a comprehensive special needs policy which is well followed and meets the requirements of the code of practice. Each class has a learning support assistant who works with pupils who have special educational needs in that class. The special needs co-ordinator provides training and support for these assistants and they also work closely with their class teachers, take part in school in-service training and are full members of the school community, all of which adds to the effectiveness of their work with the pupils. Good procedures for identifying pupils with special educational needs, for agreeing targets with the pupils, teachers and parents, for involving outside bodies when appropriate and for keeping records of progress towards those targets are in place.
p.20
The curriculum and assessment
The special needs co-ordinator, class teacher and learning support assistant each have a copy of the records and targets of the pupils for whom they are responsible. The special needs co-ordinator keeps the complete register and ensures regular and frequent reviews of the stage each pupil has reached. Pupils often go down a stage or are taken off the register, as well as going up. The targets recorded in the special needs files and records are all academic ones, to do with specific targets in literacy and numeracy, and these guide the work of the learning support assistants. However, there are almost no targets to do with attitude or behaviour which are meant to inform planning for the pupil’s day in class as well as the specific work in the learning support group. For example, a pupil who is described as having very poor concentration and never able to finish any task without adult support, only
p.20
The curriculum and assessment
has phonic and counting targets and nothing like, for instance: “To be able to complete two tasks daily, each able to be completed in five minutes, to finish independently”, which when reached, could be extended. Similarly, a pupil having speech and listening difficulty again only has phonic and counting targets and not, for example: “Accurately take a short message, maximum 6 words, daily, to another child or adult.”
p.20
The curriculum and assessment
32. The difficulty in curriculum planning is to do with the fluctuating mixed age classes and the lack of a school policy or agreed school procedures to overcome it. Otherwise, teachers’ medium and short-term plans are appropriate and in most subjects, are well monitored by curriculum co-ordinators. History, physical education, design and technology and art, although like every other subject, they have a scheme of work, do not have a co- ordinator. The headteacher keeps an oversight of them. This has resulted in some weaknesses in these subjects, particularly in the progression of skills. Lesson planning is generally sound and sometimes good, with adequate detail. However, in some classes the plans do not clearly show what pupils are intended to learn by doing the activities and this lessens the effect of the lesson and the pupils’ progress in it. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 21 33. Extra-curricular provision is very good. At present it includes a school choir, football,
p.20
The curriculum and assessment
rounders and hockey as well as keep fit, craft, gardening, pottery and textile clubs. Most of the staff including some learning support assistants, a parent and a local artist take part in running the clubs and they are all well attended. The pupils decide at the beginning of the year three clubs they wish to have and the school then makes sure it will provide them in addition to existing ones. These clubs make a good contribution to pupils’ development of skills in music, art and sport and also to their personal and social development and to the good relationships in the school.
p.21
The curriculum and assessment
34. The school has very thorough and comprehensive assessment and record-keeping systems. All pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 take standard tests in mathematics and literacy. These, together with the results of the national tests at Years 2 and 6, are beginning to be analysed and used for curriculum development. This is not yet done sufficiently to uncover the specific strengths and the weaknesses which need to be addressed in curriculum planning. The previous inspection also stated that: “....a good start has been made in analysing these [national test results]....”; there has not been much progress since then, as analysis is still only beginning. Teachers keep comprehensive and detailed records for most subjects and use them well in determining the groups for literacy and numeracy work. There are many examples of teachers using the results of their records, for instance, in the teaching of phonic skills. However, many teachers do not use their records and
p.21
The curriculum and assessment
assessments to plan work which challenges the highest attaining pupils and this weakness is borne out by the national test results at the end of Key Stage 2, where there are significantly few pupils attaining the higher levels. End of year reports to parents meet statutory requirements. The quality of these reports varies. Some teachers give parents good, accurate information of their child’s progress in each subject and the specific strengths and weaknesses they have shown, but others give very general information and only mention what was covered in the subject.
p.21
Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
35. The last inspection found most aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development to be satisfactory. However, it found that there was a need to develop further and extend work on other cultures. This is still the case.
p.21
Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
36. Pupils’ values and their insight into their own and each other’s beliefs are fostered in various aspects of the school. Regular circle times in each class provide pupils with opportunities to reflect upon their own experience, share experiences with others and develop their self knowledge. The subject of science is sometimes used to help pupils appreciate the natural world, for instance, when Year 1 and Reception children went outside to look for mini beasts and found a big frog behind a log. They were filled with wonder and excitement, as were older pupils watching the reaction of yeast with sugar. During religious education lessons, pupils often have the opportunity to reflect on their own and others’ beliefs. They are taught about Christianity and aspects of the other major world religions and their festivals. Collective worship provides opportunities for pupils to celebrate their own and
p.21
Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
each other’s achievements. Music is well used to introduce times of quiet reflection but often pupils are not adequately prepared to take advantage of such occasions and a sense of spirituality is not evident.
p.21
Moral development
37. Throughout the school pupils show initiative and take responsibility. Within classes the children are given jobs to do, in addition they are expected to set out the music for assembly, and set out chairs for adults.
p.21
Moral development
38. The role of pupils as house captains on the school forum has a positive effect on their development. At lunchtimes all the pupils take responsibility for tasks given to them by Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 22 the midday assistants. Extra-curricular football gives pupils opportunity to learn about fair play and the need for rules. Golden rules set out encouragement for good behaviour.
p.21
Moral development
39. In the Year 5 class, children were seen to discus environmental issues and discuss how humans could misuse the environment. Learning support assistants have a positive role in this development.
p.22
Moral development
40. The school does provide a moral code as a basis for behaviour, which is promoted through the life of the school. However, in a small number of cases children who are not abiding by the rules are not always reminded of their responsibilities.
p.22
Social development
41. The school's provision for pupils’ social development is satisfactory. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are satisfactory. Generally pupils form positive relationships with each other and adults in the school. When working together children often discuss their work, help one another and share equipment. However, in several classes a minority, generally of the older children, display poor relationships, calling each other names and arguing.
p.22
Social development
42. There is generally mutual respect between pupils and teachers. Staff are good role models; staff in every class work well as the team. Only a small number of examples was seen where pupils were expected to work collaboratively, however, where it was required, pupils did work well together. In science, information and communication technology and physical education pupils generally responded well to this. There were no problems of racial disharmony.
p.22
Social development
43. Golden rules are signed by the children and displayed in the school hall. Story times are often used to bring out moral issues, for example, in geography, Chembokoli Village in India was discussed with issues about poverty and the effect on education being considered.
p.22
Social development
44. Pupils develop knowledge and appreciation of their own culture in the context of various subjects and occasions. Music is used well in assemblies and pupils learn about the composers appropriately. In art lessons, pupils learn about various Western artists, often in the context of working in the artists’ style and trying out their techniques. A local artist frequently works with pupils in the school. In English, children are introduced to quality children’s authors, to poetry and to Shakespeare. The school goes some way towards fulfilling its stated aims of fostering an understanding of our multi-cultural society through all aspects of the curriculum. Pupils learn songs and pieces of music from other cultures; the reading book schemes pupils use feature characters from many cultural backgrounds and teachers sometimes use a text book about another culture in the literacy hour; when learning
p.22
Social development
about other countries in geography, pupils learn about the ways of life and the traditions of that country, as they did about India and an African village, at the time of the inspection. However, this is still an under-developed and infrequent part of the curriculum and has not yet succeeded in raising most pupils’ awareness of the cultural diversity and richness to be found in the world, or indeed in Great Britain.
p.22
Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare
45. The procedures for monitoring the progress and personal development of pupils are very good. Assessments are made of attainment in reading, English and mathematics. The Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 23 monitoring of progress of personal development is also very good with all teachers keeping detailed pupil profiles sheets on each pupil, which are updated termly.
p.22
Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare
46. The procedures for promoting discipline and good behaviour are good. A behaviour policy is in place and advertised around the school. Pupils understand rules and their signed acceptance of the rules are displayed in the school hall. There was no bullying seen during the inspection, but pupils spoken to said they were happy they could go to someone for help or advice if they needed to. Records kept by the headteacher confirm that any problems are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly.
p.23
Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare
47. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are very good. Parents are reminded of the need to notify the school for the reasons of their child's absence. The school has a policy of first day contact, a parent of an absent child who has not been in touch with the school by 9:30 am is contacted and asked for the reason. Because of this, registers are checked daily.
p.23
Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare
48. There are good links between the school and the local playgroup. Induction procedures for children aged under five starting school, which include some visits to the class before admission, are good.
p.23
Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare
49. Generally the school provides a safe and caring environment for the pupils. The headteacher is the designated officer for child protection. Staff are aware of the policy and of the need to inform the headteacher if they have any concerns. A health and safety policy is in place, and appropriate regular checks are made of the grounds, buildings and equipment. Governors regularly review health and safety and are also involved in the annual Health and Safety audit. Appropriate staff are qualified in the administration of first aid.
p.23
Partnership with parents and the community
50. The previous inspection found out that the school placed great emphasis on developing its partnership with parents and the village community, and that this had been very successful. This is still the case. In this respect, most parents who responded to the questionnaire confirmed that they felt they were encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school.
p.23
Partnership with parents and the community
51. The information provided for parents by the school is generally good. Reports for parents are satisfactory overall, they give a clear indication of a pupil's progress in English and mathematics, but comments on other subjects tend to be more descriptive and to not always say clearly what pupils know, understand and can do. Nearly 80 per cent of parents who responded to the questionnaire felt that the school kept them informed of their child's progress, but 15 per cent disagreed.
p.23
Partnership with parents and the community
52. Annual reports for parents and the school prospectus are missing some minor statutory information, for example, the school prospectus does not inform parents of their right to withdraw their children from religious education and acts of collective worship. Regular newsletters and letters are sent to parents informing them of dates and events. The school has held curriculum evenings. There is a parent representative on the school forum for each class, as well as a parent representative in each class. These are identified to all parents as someone they could go to if they wished to. The majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire confirmed that they would find it easy to approach the school if they had any complaints. Although some concerns were raised over the way in which complaints were dealt with, the inspection found that good procedures were in hand and parents notified about the correct route. Parental concerns are investigated thoroughly by
p.23
Partnership with parents and the community
staff. The headteacher and other staff are available both before and after school for informal discussion. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 24 53. Parents are invited to help out in school and a large number do so. A number also helps out on school visits. There are very positive links with the playgroup children, who make regular visits to the school and participate in lessons. Parents take part in the home- school reading scheme and support their children with their homework. Only a small number said they were unhappy with the work their children are expected to do at home.
p.23
Partnership with parents and the community
54. Pupils from the school take part in a number of events within the community and the local church. These include entertaining senior citizens and raising money for charities and giving harvest gifts to the church for distribution. Christmas presents are also donated each year.
p.24
Partnership with parents and the community
55. Overall the quality of information provided for parents is very good. The links with parents contribute well to pupils’ learning. The work of the school is enriched by links with the wider community.
p.24
Leadership and management
56. The quality of the school’s leadership and management is satisfactory. This is similar to the findings of the school’s previous OFSTED inspection. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, although the rate of improvement was affected initially by tensions which existed between the governing body and the headteacher. The rate of improvement over the past year has been much faster and indicates that school staff and governors are now working together in a positive fashion. The school now has schemes of work in place which ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are covered, although planning in some subjects, for example, science, does not allow for pupils in mixed age classes, who cover the same work twice at broadly similar levels. Most teachers keep careful ongoing records of pupils’ progress and use these effectively to prepare work which is suited appropriately to pupils’ individual needs. There are now
p.24
Leadership and management
policies and schemes of work in place for information technology and design and technology and standards in these subjects have improved since the last inspection. The school shows a satisfactory capacity to improve in the future.
p.24
Leadership and management
57. The school development plan is a very useful management tool which gives the school a clear educational direction. It outlines development for a three-year period and gives more details for the current year. The plan is related appropriately to the school’s aims, recognises successful developments, clearly defines appropriate priorities, gives a time scale for development, indicates costs and specifies outcomes. The plan is supported by individual subject review and development plans, which are submitted to the governing body annually by subject co-ordinators. The curriculum committee monitors the plan termly and reports back to the full governing body.
p.24
Leadership and management
58. The special educational needs co-ordinator manages provision made for pupils with special needs well. The literacy and numeracy co-ordinators and the headteacher have been involved in monitoring provision in classrooms and the records of feedback to teachers indicate that some weaknesses have been identified and fed back to the staff involved. Monitoring visits have also indicated a specific need for further professional development in some cases and good provision has been made through the provision of courses, visits to other schools and support from local education authority advisors. However, this has had limited success in improving practice in particular areas. There are clear plans for the monitoring of some other subjects but the lack of specific co-ordinators in art, design and technology, history and physical education hinders development in these subjects. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 25
p.24
Leadership and management
59. The governors make an effective contribution to the leadership of the school. They have a number of good strategies to gain an overview of it including a range of committees and receiving reports from the headteacher and co-ordinators. However, although there are very useful guidelines to advise governors on procedures to follow during their visits to see the school in action, few governors have visited in recent months. Governors are aware of this and have decided at a recent meeting to increase the number of visits to help them to gain first-hand experience of teaching and learning.
p.25
Leadership and management
60. The school has a positive ethos and this is particularly evident in the good relationships which exist between all members of the school staff, who provide good role models to the pupils in the way that they work and relate to one another. The school’s aims have recently been reviewed and school staff are working hard to ensure that these are met. Pupils are valued as individuals and their successes celebrated, notably during the weekly celebration assembly to which parents and friends are invited. All pupils, apart from children aged under five and higher attaining pupils in a few classes, receive equal opportunities to have their needs recognised and met. The school’s policies are carried out reasonably effectively, although many of them are new and are still in the early stages of implementation. Statutory requirements are generally well met, apart from some minor omissions in the statutory information for parents.
p.25
Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
61. The number, qualifications and experience of the school’s teaching staff meet the needs of the curriculum satisfactorily. The last inspection identified lack of expertise in art, design and technology and information technology. The headteacher still assumes responsibility for art and design and technology and additional training and development have ensured that provision in these subjects is now satisfactory. A new information technology co-ordinator has been appointed and has had a considerable impact on provision and in the standards attained by pupils. The expertise of the school’s permanent staff is well supplemented by a part –time special educational needs co-ordinator and two visiting teachers who provide instrumental music tuition. There is a wide range in the length of service of the teaching staff, which provides a good mixture of age and experience. There is a very good number of well-trained support staff for the size of the school. In addition the
p.25
Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
school employs an instructor to teach swimming in the summer months.
p.25
Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
62. The school’s arrangements for the professional development of teaching and support staff are related to both the priorities of the school development plan and to the needs of individual staff. Teaching and support staff have experienced a good number of appropriate training opportunities, including those for the introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies. However, although a wide range of training opportunities have been afforded to staff who teach children aged under five, these have had limited effect upon provision. The school’s arrangements for the appraisal of teachers meet requirements. Induction procedures are effective in enabling new staff to settle quickly into the school.
p.25
Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
63. The last inspection found that the available accommodation helped pupils learning in a number of ways. However one classroom lacked a water supply which created difficulties for teaching art and science, the school office was very small and the head teacher's office was on the first floor and rather inaccessible for parents. Adaptations have been carried out to the school office which has been increased in size, but the other two points have not been addressed.
p.25
Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
64. Overall, the accommodation is satisfactory for the numbers on roll and ages of the children, and for the range of curriculum and activities. Classes are of sufficient size, and there are appropriate spaces for small group or individual work. Good use is made of the studio room for music and food technology. However, if numbers on roll increase, classes would quickly become cramped. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 26 65. The outside area is pleasant with a swimming pool, play equipment and a large school field. The playground is bare and somewhat uninteresting, but there are plans for this to be improved.
p.25
Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
66. Overall, the quality and quantity of the school’s learning resources are satisfactory, apart from some shortcomings in the reference library in art and music, and in the classroom for the children aged under five. The resources for physical education are good, with a good range of small games and large gymnastics equipment, which are well maintained and organised. Resources beyond the school are used appropriately to enrich the learning experience. For example, visits to the local environment as part of pupils’ studies in geography and science make a valuable contribution.
p.26
The efficiency of the school
67. Overall, the management of the school’s resources is good. The quality of financial planning is good, with the headteacher, office manager and governors working together to plan the budget and taking careful consideration of the school’s development plan. However, the plan’s criteria for judging how successfully developments have been carried out are sometimes not sufficiently evaluative to assist the governors in deciding how well money has been spent. The school spends a much lower than average proportion of its funds on teaching staff and a much higher than average amount on its administrative and education support staff but there are no formal procedures in place to evaluate the success of these decisions. Subject co-ordinators have a budget to support curriculum development and this system works successfully to ensure a satisfactory level of resources.
p.26
The efficiency of the school
68. Procedures for monitoring the school’s spending are very good. Members of the finance committee receive and check details of spending monthly, and report back to the full governing body. Their work is aided considerably by the high quality of support provided by the school’s office manager. The school was last audited in 1996 and all but a very few of the minor recommendations have been fully addressed. Funding provided for staff training is used appropriately. Money allocated for pupils with special educational needs is spent effectively and supports the good provision made for these pupils and the good progress which they make.
p.26
The efficiency of the school
69. The school’s teaching and support staff are used well. Teachers are appropriately deployed as class teachers and in suitable management roles, although there are no specific co-ordinators with responsibility for art, design and technology, history and physical education. Currently the headteacher oversees provision but the workload is too much for her to ensure effective development in these subjects. Although most members of staff have current job descriptions which state clearly their roles and responsibilities, the headteacher’s is out of date and does not reflect her current responsibilities. Support staff are well used and make an important contribution to the progress made by the pupils. Satisfactory use is made of the school’s accommodation. There is a separate room for music which is used fully in other ways, for example, for pupils who do not want to go out to play at lunchtimes. The
p.26
The efficiency of the school
library and corridor space is used effectively for literacy groups and for computer work. Good use is made of the pond area to support pupils’ work in science. The playing field is used for games and athletics during the summer months and also to support a good number of extra- curricular clubs. Teachers organise suitable learning resources in lessons and pupils use them effectively.
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The efficiency of the school
70. Overall, the pupils enter the school at average standards and make satisfactory progress at both key stages, although standards in the end of Key Stage 2 tests are below average because of the significant numbers of pupils with special educational needs and the low numbers in the cohorts involved. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress although a few higher attaining pupils in some classes make insufficient progress. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 27 The school ethos is positive and the support and guidance provided for pupils is good. There are weaknesses in provision for children aged under five and in curriculum progression in some subjects. The school’s expenditure per pupil is high compared with national average figures. As at the time of the last inspection, it provides satisfactory value for money. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 28
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
71. The last inspection did not report on the areas of learning for children under five.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
72. During the inspection there was one teacher and one learning support assistant working with a class for both reception age children and Year 1. There were four children under five in a class of eighteen and ten more were expected to join the class by the end of the academic year. Nearly all children attend a nearby pre-school playgroup before entry and there is very good co-operation between the playgroup and the class: playgroup children visit regularly, the class teacher visits the playgroup and there is a joint format for record- keeping which is passed from the playgroup to the school when children join it. The classroom is of a reasonable size and has many of the areas which promote learning for children under five. There is a sand and a water tray, role play area and the carpet area is sometimes used for construction and small world materials. However, the areas are not attractive or well planned to invite children's interest or promote their learning. There are
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
three weekly physical education lesson and children also go out to play with the main school, but they do not have an area for outdoor play. The planning and classroom organisation does not include any specific mention of under fives, although group work, particularly in the literacy and numeracy hours, is sometimes planned for pupils of different attainment and thereby results in work planned for a group which includes them.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
73. All children are assessed on entry and this provides teachers with a baseline. The attainment on entry is average overall but there are some strengths in certain aspects of development. Most children come to school with early counting skills and some understanding of print - for instance, that in a book, the print carries the message. The under fives programme is likely to ensure that, by the age of five, children will meet the desirable outcomes for children's learning in personal and social development, language and literacy, some but not all aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world and physical development but not in mathematical development, some aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world or in creative development. Children's progress is generally unsatisfactory. However, children with special educational needs receive good support and make good progress towards the targets set for them.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
74. Teaching for the under fives is generally unsatisfactory although there are examples of sound and good teaching. Staff do not have a good understanding of all aspects of the under fives curriculum. However, they promote children's personal and social development well and maintain good relationships and a calm and welcoming atmosphere. Another good aspect of teaching is that good and detailed records are kept and that these follow on from the playgroup and use the same format. However, the records are not adequately used to inform the day-to-day planning and work is not always well matched to the pupils' attainment. The records are not sufficiently well organised or ordered to promote such use. Planning does not sufficiently show what the children are intended to learn by doing the activity and this results in activities being provided during which children make little progress. Under fives are not specifically planned for, and although they do sometimes work together in a
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
group with an adult, this group is generally also planned to contain low attaining pupils from Year 1 and thus does not meet the particular under five curricular needs. The special educational needs co-ordinator works closely with the class teacher and the learning support assistant and children with special educational needs receive good support and make good progress.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
75. Personal and social development is satisfactory. Children come into class happily and confidently at the beginning of the day. They are able to share, for example, when using Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 29 constructional materials on the carpet and passing each other pieces they need. When taking part in a physical education lesson, they can take turns in using the apparatus. Children usually behave well and respond well to their teacher. They can listen with complete attention to a story although they are sometimes restless when engaged in an activity. They persevere with a task, for instance when looking at mini beasts they have found in the school garden and sorting them, specially when working with an adult. There is good dialogue with parents. The teacher has an individual meeting with each parent before the child starts school and a follow up meeting after completion of the baseline assessment.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
After this, she meets with them at their request at any time. There are very good relations with the pre-school playgroup to which nearly all children go before starting school, and several mutual visits. This careful start makes a good contribution to children's personal and social development.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
76. A large proportion of time is spent on the development of children's language and literacy and they make generally sound progress. The good ratio of staff to children ensures that they have wide experience of personal talk with an adult. The daily story time as well as the whole-class discussion and reading of text during the literacy hour is a strength of the class. Teaching is good and these occasions are used well to promote children's thinking and encourage growth of vocabulary and confidence in speaking. Most of the group work is based on the acquisition of skills such as knowledge of initial sounds and children make good progress in this. However, children have few opportunities to use these skills for various purposes. They have books in which to write their 'news', but a very small proportion of the week is spent on this and they do not engage in other writing regularly. The whole
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
class takes part in a regular class lesson of handwriting practice during which all children, under fives and Year 1, of whatever level of skill, write the same letters on similar pieces of paper using the same kind of crayon. This practice hinders good progress both of the most skilled first years and of the under fives, most of whom cannot yet write their names correctly independently. The full under five curriculum for language and literacy is underdeveloped. For example, children have occasional opportunities to write independently for their own purposes, for instance in the home corner, but these are not general and are not used or developed. There is a book area but no display of books or story boards to encourage children's independent love and use of books. The home corner, which is at present a doctor's surgery, is not imaginatively resourced with a variety of doctor and nurse equipment
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
and clothes, charts on the wall, prescription pads or other things to stimulate more imaginative role play and a wider vocabulary. There are sand and water trays in the classroom but they are not resourced to promote use of language or imagination, for instance with small world materials for story making.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
77. The class has this term started work in the National Numeracy strategy and under fives fully take part in this. Their progress in the aspect of number is satisfactory but other aspects of mathematics are underdeveloped. As part of their numeracy work, they learn number rhymes and take part in many oral counting on and counting back activities. They can count to at least ten, some can count to 20 or beyond, and can recognise and make attempts at writing numbers below ten. They can take part in problem-solving activities, counting on one and two from a given number and writing the answer. However, they do not have sufficient opportunity to develop other aspects of mathematics such as shape, position and measure. Practical activities to promote these aspects of mathematics, such as sand and water, are available but not attractive or inviting and are not resourced to promote mathematical learning. Staff seldom introduce mathematical language such as: "more than",
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
"less than", "in front of", "bigger than", "more" in the context of practical activities. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 30 Knowledge and understanding of the world
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
78. Children talk about their families and past and present events in their lives. They have made books with photographs of themselves as babies, as toddlers and as they are at present. They can talk about where they live and their environment and some of its features. They are interested in mini beasts and can observe them carefully; for instance, during the week of the inspection, they turned over stones in the school garden and brought what they found into class. They distinguished between living and non-living objects and started to sort the living ones, using criteria such as whether they had legs or shells. However, there are no attractive and stimulating displays in the class to promote the questioning of why things happen and no collection of objects to encourage children to investigate how things work. There are sand and water trays in the class but these are not attractive or interesting, are
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
seldom used and are not resourced to encourage children to investigate the properties of materials. Children do not regularly have the opportunity to select materials and equipment to use skills such as cutting, joining, folding and building, they only have the opportunity to use such skills as part of a set activity once a week. Children develop good information technology skills. They have access to a computer every day and develop a good understanding of the current programme and good mouse control.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
79. Some aspects of physical development are good. The physical education lesson taken either in the school hall or the grounds is good and children make good progress. Their running, jumping, climbing and use of space are good and they develop an awareness of the good variety of movements different parts of their bodies can make. However, this weekly lesson is not backed up by regular experience of outdoor play such as learning to control wheeled vehicles and getting additional experience in climbing, sliding and balancing. Children have very limited opportunities to use tools such as scissors, malleable materials and objects of various kinds. Scissors may be available as part of a set activity which takes place once a week, and so may paint brushes, but if they are not part of the planned activity that week, children have no access to them at all. This hinders their progress in skill and confidence in using small equipment.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
80. Children's progress in the area of creative development is unsatisfactory. Their opportunities to explore sound is very limited. They have a music lesson once a week but no opportunities to follow this up in the classroom. There are no percussion or other instruments in the classroom for children's own experimentation or follow up of the music lesson. There is one art activity put out for children once a week, often a very restricted activity. For example, on the week of the inspection, children reproduced one of a choice of three nursery rhyme characters to paint outlines for in coloured dots, using ready mix paint. There was no choice of materials or encouragement to experiment or explore colour, texture or technique. The role play area as a doctor’s surgery is not set up sufficiently carefully or thoughtfully to encourage the development of good role play nor are small world materials
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
presented so as to encourage imaginative story making.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
81. The previous inspection report judged that standards in English were in line with, or better than, the national expectations. The results of the National Curriculum assessments were at, or better than, the national averages at both key stages. Speaking and listening were generally good, although some older pupils did not listen to each other well. Standards in reading were generally sound although some older pupils did not seem to enjoy reading Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 31 and read little at home. Pupils with special educational needs made good progress. Standards in writing were also sound but pupils did not have enough opportunity to write creatively through extended planned story writing. Teaching was mostly sound. Lessons were well planned although they did not sufficiently meet the needs of higher attaining pupils. Although test results in Key Stage 2 are now lower, this is because of the very small number
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
of pupils in the oldest year group and a high percentage of pupils with special educational needs. The school has made sound improvement in some areas since this, including raising the enjoyment of older pupils in their reading and the regular introduction of extended planned story writing.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
82. For pupils aged seven, the 1998 results showed that their performance in both reading and writing was above the national average and that it was higher in reading than in writing. This was also so when results were compared to those of schools whose pupils came from similar backgrounds. In reading, test results show improvement year on year for the last three years, but during this time, standards in writing fell slightly. For pupils aged 11, 1998 test results showed that their performance in English was well below the national average and also well below the average of schools whose pupils come from similar backgrounds. During the last three years, standards rose in 1997 but fell again in 1998. However, the number taking the test at age 11 has been very small and of these, a significant proportion has special educational needs. This is still the case for the pupils who are currently the oldest in the school. However, inspection evidence indicates that standards
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
are improving and that pupils in the younger classes in Key Stage 2 are reaching national expectations. The National Literacy Strategy has had a positive effect on standards and provides the framework to ensure continuity and progression.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
83. Pupils' speaking and listening skills are sound in both key stages. In most lessons, they listen attentively to their teachers and to each other. During class discussion of the text, they often make clear, pertinent and thoughtful contributions. However, many older pupils do not develop a sufficiently wide vocabulary to give them full access to the whole English curriculum or to enable their full understanding of more complex books.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
84. Attainment in reading is good in Key Stage 1. By the age of seven, most pupils have a good sight vocabulary and are able to use their phonic skills to read unfamiliar words and make sense of the text. Most can read simple books fluently and with good expression and understanding. Some can do so with more complex books. The regular discussion of text, often through the use of big books as part of the literacy hour, is helping them to acquire the wider literacy skills of predicting, discussing characters and their motivation, comparing different kinds of books. The pupils at the top of Key Stage 2 read with interest and enjoyment and can talk about the books they have read, the characters and the story. Some can read complex books with good fluency and understanding, some do so more hesitantly with lower level books. However, although pupils are introduced to good quality children's books, Shakespeare plays and poetry, most are not developing a knowledge of, or tastes in,
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
quality children's literature, authors or poetry to support their personal reading.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
85. Standards of attainment in writing are generally sound by the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils can spell many simple words accurately from memory and can make phonetically plausible approximations for most words in their independent writing. They can write about personal events and are beginning to put in interesting detail. They are starting to put in a little description in their writing. Most pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 can use a fluent cursive handwriting style and mostly accurate punctuation. They can use dictionaries to support their spelling and many have a good vocabulary of words they can spell correctly independently. They can write for various purposes, for instance devising their own continuation of a section of 'The Wind in the Willows'. They write across the curriculum in the form of reports, instructions or descriptions. Although their writing is often competent, it is seldom lively or imaginative.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 32 86. Pupils make satisfactory progress in English throughout the school. They make gains in their ability to speak confidently and thoughtfully. Pupils in Year 1, for instance, can talk in short and simple terms about how the bear in their class text felt when he fell in the pond, while pupils in Year 4 can discuss in detail the motivation of the characters in their class text and the vocabulary the author uses to give us clues about this. This increasingly thoughtful discussion of text and use of words, however, is not often carried over into the quality of pupils' writing. Pupils make sound progress in writing skills such as handwriting, spelling and the use of punctuation, but not as much in the quality of the content of their writing. They are encouraged to use adjectives, and the use of synonyms is often the subject of a lesson. However, the development of imaginative and varied writing is hindered
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
in many pupils by their continuing narrow vocabulary and because they do not spend enough time on occasions of writing for a purpose. Progress in reading is sound and pupils read increasingly complex texts with greater accuracy as they become older, although they do not generally develop personal tastes in good children's literature. Pupils with special educational needs receive skilled support from the learning support assistants and make good progress towards the targets set for them.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
87. Throughout the school, pupils are usually interested in the whole-class session at the beginning of the literacy hour. This generally includes reading and discussing a text and pupils become very involved and sometimes enthusiastic about this. In most lessons, where the tasks that follow the whole-class session are well matched to pupils' attainment and presented in a lively and imaginative way, pupils settle to them well and become concentrated and absorbed. They often work hard and take pride in what they produce. In a small number of lessons, however, where the work is not well matched, particularly to the pupils with higher attainment, a few pupils do not work carefully or show concern about the presentation of what they have done and easily lose concentration. Pupils are generally friendly to each other although they are seldom given the opportunity to work collaboratively.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
88. Teachers have sound, and in some cases good, knowledge and understanding of the curriculum for English. With the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy last year, teachers all took part in extensive in-service training. Their medium and short-term plans are mostly detailed and appropriately based on the strategy. Teachers are particularly skilled in the presentation of the whole-class sharing of text at the beginning of the literacy hour. They keep a good pace, involve pupils well in discussion and have a good questioning technique. However, they do not introduce sufficient vocabulary extension or other planned occasions for speaking. Although pupils do sometimes engage in formal discussion or debates and also in drama presentations for assembly, this is done very infrequently. Group tasks are generally carefully planned and resourced. In some lessons the tasks are well matched to
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
pupils' attainment but in other lessons the highest attaining pupils are doing the same work as pupils with medium attainment and this is not challenging for them and lowers their progress and interest. Although teachers engage pupils well in discussion of the class text, they do not sufficiently promote their knowledge of and tastes in quality children's literature; for example, they do not have an "author of the week" or displays of certain authors or genres, and do not sufficiently monitor pupils' choice of personal reading or discuss it with them. In some classes in both key stages, teachers do not plan a good balance between work which practises skills and work which uses those skills in writing for a variety of purposes: the skills work predominates inappropriately. In most classes, teachers' management of pupils' behaviour during English lessons is good, particularly during the whole-class session. In a minority of classes, behaviour is not as good when pupils change
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
from the whole-class session to the group work and during the group work. Teachers have very good and comprehensive systems of assessment. All pupils from Year 3 do standard tests in reading and writing annually and these are kept as a permanent record for each pupil as a judge of progress. The results are also used to determine the groups pupils will work in. Teachers also keep ongoing records for each aspect of English which has been covered and use these to guide daily planning including the planning of the guided reading groups. Teachers are very thorough and conscientious in keeping these records but some teachers Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 33 do not yet use them sufficiently to match the work accurately to the attainment of the pupils, particularly to those with the highest attainment. Teachers make good use of homework. All pupils take books home to read regularly and they also take spelling lists and other
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
89. The subject is guided by the National Literacy Strategy which the school is implementing fully. A particular strength of the curriculum is the use of the whole-class sessions based on the reading and discussion of a text. However, the curriculum for English does not make sufficient provision for all pupils to develop a wide vocabulary; to develop knowledge of and tastes in quality children's literature, authors or genres; to develop lively, interesting and imaginative writing for various purposes or to develop speaking and listening in a variety of situations. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and provides equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs receive good and effective support from skilled learning support assistants who are guided by the special needs co-ordinator. Many of the targets are based on the subject and pupils make good
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
progress towards attaining them. Where classes have more than one age group, as is the case this year with Years 5 and 6, the teacher's planning of the group work provides for differences in age as well as attainment, thus providing continuity and progression for these as well as for the single age classes. This is not done as consistently or successfully in the class which has under fives as well as Year 1. The annual tests in reading, comprehension and writing have recently started to be analysed by the senior management team and are beginning to inform curriculum planning. For instance, a weakness in pupils' response to work on non-fiction texts has resulted in an increase in the budget for the non-fiction library.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
90. There is good co-ordination of the subject by an experienced and knowledgeable teacher. Both the headteacher and the co-ordinator monitor the delivery of the literacy hour and the teachers' termly and weekly plans, ensuring implementation of the literacy strategy while working towards school improvement.
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ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE
91. The classroom accommodation is sufficient for the teaching of English, although the libraries, being part of a walk-through corridor, cannot easily be used for study or for browsing. Resources are adequate. The school has a good number and selection of reading scheme books and of fiction for both key stages, as well as of sets of group reading books. Some non-fiction sections are sparsely stocked, however, particularly science. The school is aware of this and is planning to remedy it. Classroom book areas are usually, but not always, orderly and well organised. However, they are not generally used to celebrate authors or genres or to inspire pupils' book choices.
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Mathematics
92. Analysis of the national end of Key Stage 2 tests for 1998 shows that, in mathematics, standards were close to national averages at Level 4 and above but below average at Level 5 and above. When the average level attained by pupils is compared with schools nationally, it shows that standards in mathematics are below average, and well below average when compared with schools in similar circumstances. Standards in mathematics have fallen since the last inspection in 1996, when they were judged to be above the national average. However, the cohort of pupils who sat the tests in 1998 was very small and included pupils who were identified with considerable special educational needs. These factors had a significant effect upon the average level attained by the pupils. The school set targets for improvement in the 1999 tests and these have been achieved.
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Mathematics
93. The findings of this inspection indicate that pupils in Year 6 are on course to attain below average standards by the time they leave the school. The cohort again is very small and one third of the pupils has been identified as having special educational needs, which is well above the national average. Standards in numeracy are also below average. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils know about positive and negative numbers and can interpret Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 34 information about temperatures from a line graph. About half the pupils are beginning to understand what the mode and median of a series of numbers are, but still require much support in carrying out their work on this. A few can calculate the time gap between, for example, 7am and 10pm, but the majority of pupils are unable to do this accurately. Many pupils have weak mental arithmetic strategies and are still unsure of their multiplication
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Mathematics
tables. They cannot calculate addition and subtraction problems quickly enough in their heads and are often unsure as to how they reached their answers. Most have a satisfactory understanding of place value to a thousand, but many are unable to make a reasonable estimation of, for example, 297 multiplied by three. This weakness was identified at the last inspection and is still the case. There is limited evidence of pupils carrying out mathematical investigations or of developing their own mental strategies to overcome difficulties. They have a satisfactory understanding of mathematical vocabulary, for example in their work on data collection when they discuss the mean, median and mode of a group of numbers.
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Mathematics
94. Analysis of the end of Key Stage 1 tests and assessments by teachers for 1998 shows that standards were above national expectations. The average level gained by the pupils was above the average of schools nationally and average when compared with similar schools. Levels have been consistently above average for the past three years.
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Mathematics
95. The findings of this inspection are that most pupils are on course to attain standards at the level of the national expectation by the end of Year 2. These findings are different to those of the last inspection when they were judged to be above the national average. They also differ from the standards attained in the 1998 tests. This is because there is a different cohort of pupils involved and pupils have just transferred from Year 1, where standards are just about average for their age. Standards in numeracy are average, with the majority of pupils able to count series of objects reliably, but their recall of addition and subtraction facts is not fast enough. They recognise a half of an object, for example a square or a circle and most can describe the difference between odd and even numbers. Most know a satisfactory range of mathematical vocabulary, and can talk confidently about objects which are longer or
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Mathematics
shorter than 10 centimetres. However, many are still unsure of what one centimetre or one metre represents and have difficulty making a sensible estimate. Pupils have not yet developed good strategies for recording their own work; they often depend, for example, on teacher-produced worksheets or number problems written in their books where they merely have to fill in the answer.
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Mathematics
96. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout both key stages and those with special educational needs make good progress. The implementation of the national numeracy strategy has ensured that pupils are now receiving daily practice in mental arithmetic and pupils are now making satisfactory progress in this aspect, although progress might have been better if this had been addressed earlier. Although pupils in Year 6 are on course to attain below average standards at the end of the year, they are making satisfactory progress for their capabilities. Pupils in other year groups are making satisfactory and occasionally good progress. This good progress is a direct result of the high quality teaching in some classes. For example, in a lesson in a Year 4 class, pupils were challenged to investigate the results of adding odd and even numbers. Careful questioning by the teacher resulted in all groups of pupils making good progress in developing their mathematical
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Mathematics
thinking. In the vast majority of classes, teachers prepare work which is suited appropriately to the different ages and capabilities of pupils but, in the youngest class, higher attaining pupils are not challenged sufficiently by the work set, and they make limited progress.
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Mathematics
97. Most pupils respond appropriately to the teaching of mathematics. In two out of the seven lessons observed, pupils’ response was good and in one lesson it was very good. However, in one lesson, pupils’ response was unsatisfactory. In this lesson, pupils were not engaged either in the whole-class sessions or in the independent work which followed. They were restless and noisy, often talking while the teacher was talking and a few pupils distracted others by making inappropriate remarks and calling out. However, the majority of Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 35 pupils enjoy their mathematics work and respond particularly well during the mental arithmetic section. They settle quickly to their work and often discuss it and help one another. Behaviour is generally satisfactory with pupils’ raising their hands politely and sharing books and equipment successfully. Very good levels of politeness and respect for
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Mathematics
one another and the teacher were noted in one class, where pupils’ excellent listening skills ensured that they made good progress.
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Mathematics
98. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory and a few examples of good teaching were observed. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Most teachers plan their lessons well, using the framework of the national numeracy strategy effectively and the results of previous assessments successfully to provide work which interests and challenges their pupils. Very occasionally, however, this is not the case and the work planned for higher attaining pupils is too easy for them. Teachers generally have secure knowledge and understanding of mathematics. Although teachers use questions effectively to remind pupils of previous lessons and to assess their levels of understanding, many teachers do not challenge pupils to explain their thinking well enough and this prevents pupils from further developing their mental strategies. Generally, teaching assistants are well deployed to provide good support for pupils with special educational needs. However, very occasionally,
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Mathematics
where the teacher has not laid down high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, this support is less effective, as a few pupils do not listen or accept advice readily.
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Mathematics
99. The management of the subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has planned effectively for the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. There are clear systems in place to monitor and evaluate both the quality of provision and standards across the school. However, this is sometimes not rigorous enough to ensure that pupils are making the progress of which they are capable. The last inspection identified insufficient opportunities for pupils to practise their mental agility skills and this has been improved in recent months, although the school was slow in addressing this following the last inspection. Assessment systems have been developed successfully and pupils are assessed at the end of each school year, using a range of standardised tests. In addition to this, teachers keep careful ongoing records of pupils’ progress and, in the main, these are used appropriately to meet the individual needs of pupils. However, there are occasional
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Mathematics
exceptions to this in meeting the needs of higher attaining pupils. The co-ordinator reports annually to governors on the development of the subject and identifies areas for future improvement. The numeracy governor helps in school on a regular basis and has frequent contact with the co-ordinator. A numeracy evening for parents is planned for the near future. Information technology is used effectively to support pupils’ learning in mathematics for example, when pupils use a spreadsheet to help them with research into levels of pocket money.
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Science
100. Analysis of the national end of Key Stage 2 tests for 1998 shows that standards were well below the national average. The average level scored by pupils in 1998 was also well below average and was very low in comparison with similar schools. However, the cohort of pupils was very small and included a significant number who were identified with special educational needs. This affected the average level attained by the pupils. The school recognised that standards were too low and fixed targets for improvement. Results in the 1999 tests show significant improvement.
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Science
101. The inspection findings are that pupils are on course to attain below average standards this year. This differs from the findings of the school’s previous inspection when standards were found to be above average. The present cohort of pupils is again small and one third of them has special educational needs, which is well above the national average. By the time they are 11, most pupils know of the existence of micro-organisms and that they can be helpful or harmful. They observe how yeast and sugar react when mixed and record Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 36 their observations and conclusions clearly. Some pupils can describe the water cycle and how condensation and evaporation occur. They describe how to make an electric circuit and how different types of circuits affect the brightness of bulbs. About half the pupils recognise the need for a fair test and how to vary one factor whilst keeping the rest the same. This was
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Science
seen in their discussions with the teacher about their experiments with yeast, when they varied the temperatures whilst maintaining other factors. Although pupils carry out observations and record their findings clearly, there are weaknesses in their abilities to devise and carry out their own experiments and to record them in their own ways.
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Science
102. Although standards of attainment in Year 6 are below average, pupils are making satisfactory progress for their capabilities. Pupils in most other year groups also make satisfactory progress. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that Year 3 pupils understand how living things can be classified according to their characteristics. As they progress through the school, they begin to understand about food chains and finally in Year 6 they study how different plants exist in different habitats when they visit a nearby nature park. Pupils in Year 2 develop their understanding of drugs when the school nurse visits. They talk about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, describing the benefits of a good diet and exercise. In Year 3, pupils learn about teeth, their construction and their uses and discuss how different animals require different types of teeth, according to their lifestyle. In some classes pupils have good
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Science
opportunities to investigate for themselves and record their findings in their own ways. For example, in a Year 4 class, pupils took accurate measurements of each other’s arms to find out whether boys’ or girls’ arms were longer. They learned that to be fair, their sample must consist of an equal number of boys and girls. However, in the oldest class, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to carry out their own investigations and they make less progress in this aspect of science. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as they have good levels of support in lessons and they are given work which is matched appropriately to their capabilities. Higher attaining pupils generally make satisfactory progress, although in a few classes, their needs are not identified successfully and the work prepared for them is too easy.
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Science
103. Throughout the school, the pupils’ attitude to learning in science is positive. They are interested in the content of the lessons and are keen to participate. They ask and answer questions readily. Behaviour is generally good in most classes and many pupils work well in pairs and small groups when carrying out practical work.
p.36
Science
104. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and in some cases it is good and occasionally very good. Where it is good or very good, the teacher has planned the lesson very clearly, and often shares the learning objective with the pupils. The management of pupils is of a high standard and results in pupils listening carefully and making good progress. These good lessons are well organised with a suitable balance between class teaching and practical activities, which ensures that pupils maintain a keen interest and concentrate well. Teachers ask questions which challenge and extend pupils’ thinking. Where the quality of teaching is satisfactory, there remain weaknesses, mainly in the lack of suitably matched activities to meet pupils’ individual needs. Although the lower attaining pupils manage their work appropriately with the support of teaching assistants, often the higher attaining pupils are not extended sufficiently and make limited progress.
p.36
Science
105. The co-ordinator has had responsibility for the subject for one year and, during that time, has worked hard to devise and implement a new scheme of work which is based on nationally recommended guidelines. The plans show how each year group will progress through the National Curriculum programmes of study. However, currently, the oldest class includes both Year 5 and 6 pupils and the teacher is covering both programmes with all the pupils over the year. This has a number of consequences: the programmes are not being covered in sufficient detail; all pupils carry out the same work, with no allowance for their capabilities; there are few opportunities for pupils to plan and carry out their own investigations; and those pupils in Year 5 will cover the same work in Year 6. This is a Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 37 considerable problem for the school as, in most years, there are two year groups in each
p.36
Science
class, not just in the oldest class as at present. Assessments are made at the end of each year but there are plans to introduce ongoing records of pupils’ progress to work alongside the scheme of work. The co-ordinator has collected samples of pupils’ work which teachers have moderated and annotated with National Curriculum levels. Resources are well- organised, accessible and cover a satisfactory range across all areas of study. Appropriate use is made of the school’s environmental and pond area within the grounds in their study of environmental science. The science curriculum is enriched by visits to a local nature centre and by bringing exhibits such as a mobile planetarium to the school. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ social development when they work together and share resources during practical investigations.
p.37
Art
106. The last inspection found that attainment in art was just sound. This is still the case now. There was no scheme of work for art which ensured progression of skills and there is still no such scheme. Teacher knowledge and understanding of the subject has recently benefited from an in-service training session with a local adviser but overall there has not been improvement in this subject since the last inspection.
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Art
107. Three art lessons and one art group activity were seen during the inspection, two lessons in Key Stage 2 and one lesson and the group activity were seen in Key Stage 1. Additional evidence was taken from a scrutiny of displays, an interview with the headteacher who oversees art, teachers’ planning and discussions with staff and pupils. On the basis of this, pupils including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress.
p.37
Art
108. The work seen around the school shows that a variety of work is done using a range of materials and media, much of it attractive and carefully executed, with good detail and use of colour. Self portraits have been done in all parts of the school, from the reception and Year 1 class to some Key Stage 2 classes, and these indicate some progression in accuracy and also the use of various media such as collage, paint and pastels. Planning shows that pupils sometimes learn about notable western artists and attempt to work in the style of the artists they are studying. A local artist comes into school regularly to work with pupils. Displays around the school show that most classes have experience of three-dimensional work using clay or salt dough. There is a very attractive display of ceramic tiles made by older pupils, showing in relief various buildings in the local area. Younger pupils have made
p.37
Art
and painted salt dough and clay animals which are attractive, accurate and well finished. The lessons seen in Key Stage 1 included work on line and pattern making which linked appropriately with a computer program the pupils were using. In another class, it also included very undemanding group work during which pupils used some ready mixed paints to make dotted outline pictures and another group was drawing round animal templates and colouring them in. Neither group was offered any opportunity for the use of imagination or the development of skills. During one of the Key Stage 2 lessons seen, the pupils made good progress in close observation during the lesson, doing a detailed greatly enlarged pencil drawing of a bisected fruit. However, although they had two pencils, one soft and one hard, they did not have good shading skills and were not sure which pencil to use for different purposes, indicating a lack of past experience in this kind of work.
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Art
109. In most of the lessons seen, pupils were interested in the activity they were engaged in and enjoyed their work. In the three more demanding lessons, pupils worked with good concentration and effort and took pride in the finished product. They are not generally asked to work collaboratively in art, but they were helpful to each other and shared the materials willingly. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 38 110. Although the headteacher oversees art, there is no co-ordinator to monitor the subject and take responsibility for subject development and improvement in standards. There is no scheme to ensure the systematic progression of skills throughout the school.
p.37
Design and technology
111. The last inspection found that pupils’ attainment and progress in design and technology were unsatisfactory. There was no scheme of work, no co-ordinator and staff expertise was inadequate. Raising pupils’ standards in design and technology was a key issue. There has been sound school improvement in some respects. By the end of both key stages, many pupils’ attainment reaches national expectations in making, although it is not as good in designing, and they make satisfactory progress during the time they spend in the school. There is a comprehensive scheme of work which gives good guidance on resourcing and lesson organisation. Staff expertise has been raised by some in-service training since the last inspection, although this is not recent. However, the subject has no co-ordinator. It is overseen by the headteacher but is only monitored during more general class observations and no targets for its improvement are set.
p.38
Design and technology
112. Only one lesson in design and technology was seen and additional evidence was obtained by an interview with the head, who oversees the subject, by a scrutiny of pupils’ work, although this contained very little evidence for this subject, by talking with staff and pupils and by a scrutiny of planning and of displays. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress.
p.38
Design and technology
113. The planning for this year shows a good range of making experiences for each year and good progression of skills. Reception and Year 1, for instance, were making paper and card objects using one fold and also designing breakfasts at the beginning of the year and will be making items that change direction and movement and designing and making a wall hanging with fabrics and threads by the end of the year. Year 3 have been making pop up cards. Year 5 and 6 have been making, testing and evaluating items that change direction and movement and also designing, making and evaluating a meal. Much of this work is still on display. Year 3’s pop up cards, for instance, show evidence of design and show different themes and ways of moving. The design element of the meal being made by Years 5 and 6 is the shopping list and plans of who was going to do the various parts of the cooking and clearing up. However, although the oldest pupils did take into account that the users - that is,
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Design and technology
those that were to eat the meal, had preferences, and also evaluated their work as they went along, there is no evidence in this or other pieces of work that pupils gather and use information independently or that they use a variety of models and sketches and make choices between them. In the lesson seen, Year 6 pupils were sewing ‘millennium’ samplers and could design their patterns carefully on squared paper, subsequently translating them carefully into practice on embroidery fabric - a difficult and skilful process.
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Design and technology
114. Pupils’ attitudes to their work in design and technology are sound and sometimes good. In talking about work they have done, they demonstrate pride, interest and enjoyment. In the lesson seen, pupils were very concentrated and most showed interest and enjoyment.
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Design and technology
115. Teachers took part in extensive in-service training in the subject two years ago and have a good understanding of the making experiences and the progression that can be expected. They know that pupils need to prepare a design for what they are about to make but are less certain of which elements of design pupils need to develop. The subject still does not have a co-ordinator to monitor the quality of pupils’ work and learning, to advise teachers and to ensure the progression of skills, particularly design skills. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 39
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Geography
116. The last inspection found that attainment in geography was sound with good attainment in map work and in studies of the school’s locality.
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Geography
117. Only one lesson in geography took place and was seen during this inspection. Additional evidence was taken from the scrutiny of work, wall displays, an interview with the geography co-ordinator, teachers’ planning and talks with staff and pupils. On the basis of this, pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress.
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Geography
118. Pupils cover a range of geographical work in their years in the school. In the reception and Year 1 class, they discuss family holidays and where they took place and have maps and photographs to examine and become familiar with different parts of the world and of the British Isles. They take part with enthusiasm in the Barnaby Bear project, where a toy bear accompanies children and staff on holiday and there are maps and photographs of where he has been, and often picture post cards describing, for instance, the climate. In some classes in Key Stage 2, and in the one lesson seen, pupils are learning about a village in India. They learn to locate it on a map and to draw detailed maps of the village itself and they also learn about many aspects of people’s lives, the produce and agriculture and the effect of weather, climate and lack of transport. In the lesson seen, pupils showed high levels of geographical skills and were able to make judgements and inferences about the
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Geography
way people lived there in comparison to the way we live. There is evidence of local studies with pictures and ceramic tiles depicting local buildings and features. The scrutiny of work showed some evidence of river studies although pupils in the present Year 6 did not know, or could not remember, some of the vocabulary of this study, such as estuary or meander. The oldest pupils have a school journey in Walton-Super-Mare every other year and use this occasion for the geographical study of another place in the British Isles.
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Geography
119. In the lesson seen, pupils were very interested in their discussion. They were completely concentrated and involved and were very attentive to their teacher and each other, and very well behaved. This may not generally be the case, as the pupils in some classes were not very interested or well informed about the geographical displays on the walls. When talking about their own work on display, however, they showed pride in their work and some interest in the subject of it.
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Geography
120. The subject has a sound policy and scheme of work and an active and enthusiastic co-ordinator who monitors teachers’ plans to ensure the delivery of the scheme of work. Resources are adequate and well used.
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History
121. The previous inspection found that there were satisfactory programmes for teaching history and that standards were sound overall. However, there was no scheme of work to ensure progression and to make sure the knowledge of the period of study is linked to historical skills such as chronology and interpretation of historical sources. There has been some school improvement as there is now a scheme of work which provides some links between the period of study and historical skills. However, these links are not sufficiently detailed or explicit in the scheme to ensure good progression of skills and there is no co- ordinator to monitor the delivery of the scheme.
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History
122. No lessons in history took place during the days of the inspection and only two displays with a historical theme were found. Additional evidence was taken from the scrutiny of work, an interview with the headteacher who oversees history, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils and staff. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 40 123. Teachers’ plans and the scheme of work show good variety of historical topics covered. Pupils in Reception and Year 1 are making books with photographs of themselves as babies, toddlers and of themselves as they are now to develop a vocabulary and a sense of the present and the past. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have made detailed family trees from 1930 to today in preparation for a study of Victorian Britain which will take place next term. Both these show a developing sense of chronology. Years five and six studied the Tudors last year, and their work showed a good range of knowledge, including, for instance, the
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History
comparison of the lives of children who came from rich and from poor families. On the basis of the work seen in pupils’ books and around the school, they make satisfactory progress in history. Pupils with special educational needs also make satisfactory progress.
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History
124. Pupils talking about their work showed good interest in the periods they had studied. They had a very uncertain sense of chronology and could not relate one period of past study, for instance the Tudors, to another. Pupils occasionally have the opportunity to handle artefacts and this promotes the skill of historical enquiry.
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History
125. The headteacher oversees the subject but there is no co-ordinator to monitor the delivery of the scheme of work, ensure the progression of historical skills or advise and enthuse teachers. The scheme usefully points out cross-curricular links with other subjects.
p.40
History
126. Most pupils reach appropriate standards for their ages. There is above average attainment in spreadsheet modelling but there is little evidence of the use of information technology for control. This judgement is an improvement on the findings of the school’s previous inspection. Classes receive specific lessons in the use of information technology and skills are consolidated through the use of the computer within other subjects. Pupils in Year 6 can communicate and handle information through text and pictures. They use a word processor to draft their work and can edit, save and print it with support. They can use an art program to draw pictures and patterns, showing good awareness of menus and a good level of skill in changing colour and line. They collect, enter data and interpret the information. For example, they compare how much pocket money they receive and enter a formula into a spreadsheet to find out the mode and median to support their current lessons in
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History
mathematics. Younger pupils design covers for their topic books, showing an ability to import a picture, resize and move sections of text. They learn how to combine text and pictures that include a range of typefaces and different punctuation. They learn to use the shift key to type characters such as question marks. At all stages information technology is used appropriately across the curriculum.
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History
127. Across the school pupils make satisfactory progress. They gain in confidence in keyboard and computer mouse skills and in an appreciation of the many ways in which information technology can support their learning. Pupils build successfully on previous word-processing skills and data handling to enable them to cope with more complex tasks as they get older. With support, pupils with special educational needs make good progress in information technology.
p.40
History
128. The pupils’ attitude to information technology is good. They are enthusiastic about the use of computers and share the equipment well when working in co-operation with others. They are confident to try out new ideas and enjoy talking about their skills and prior experiences. They listen carefully during class lessons, as was noted in a Year 4 class learning how to cut and paste sections of text. Their behaviour is good and pupils often work outside the classroom requiring a minimum of supervision by the teacher.
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History
129. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and is occasionally good. Teachers plan challenging tasks for pupils which are often linked to work in other subjects, such as data handling in mathematics, word processing in English and finding out information using a CD Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 41 ROM to support their work in history. Most teachers are competent and confident in the use of computers. Assessment is carried out by teachers at the end of each unit of work, generally every half term, although teachers also keep informal ongoing records. Although these records enable teachers to monitor coverage and record attainment, they are not used well enough to plan to meet the needs of individual pupils, for example higher attaining pupils. Some younger pupils who have computers at home have good levels of skill and are not challenged sufficiently by their work at school.
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History
130. The subject co-ordinator is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and provides very effective leadership. She is well informed and has worked hard to develop a new scheme of work for the school, based upon nationally recommended guidelines. She provides teachers with the necessary information to support their teaching of individual units and has devised a good system to assess pupils' progress. Current medium term planning for the subject does not allow for sufficient progression in mixed age classes, where all pupils do the same work with no differentiation for age. The subject makes a sound contribution to pupils’ social development through group work. At present, the levels of resources are satisfactory, although there is no software to support pupils' learning in control technology. The school plans to connect to the Internet next summer.
p.41
Music
131. During the inspection, four music lessons were observed and also a hymn practice for the whole school. Pupils sing a range of familiar songs with appropriate attention to rhythm, dynamics and diction and most have good pitch. Pupils in Year 6 can compose a piece of music to represent an earthquake and they can record it using their own method of notation. They have a good range of musical vocabulary, knowing, for example, the meanings of “crescendo” and “diminuendo”, as well as “piano” and “forte”. They play percussion instruments carefully and can achieve a good range of effects by using these in different ways. Pupils have good opportunities to listen to a range of music at the beginning and end of daily assemblies and they respond to these well. However, their knowledge of different composers is limited. Their attainment in music is satisfactory for their ages. This is an improvement since the school’s last OFSTED inspection when standards were deemed to
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Music
132. Pupils make satisfactory progress in music. This is seen in their developing musical vocabulary and in their increasing ability to perform and compose as they move through the school. Pupils in Year 2 talk about “loud” and “soft” and they progress to using complex vocabulary in Year 6. In Year 2 they explore voice sounds and as they get older, learn how to use percussion to achieve particular effects. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.
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Music
133. Most pupils enjoy their music lessons although in some classes, they become over excited and show unsatisfactory behaviour. When they are involved in practical music making activities, as was observed in a lesson in Year 4, they work extremely well, concentrating and discussing their work in a mature fashion. However, where the teacher does not set down clear expectations for their behaviour, they often become silly and distract those around them.
p.41
Music
134. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan to include the National Curriculum programmes of study effectively using a commercial scheme of work. This benefits those teachers who do not have particular expertise in the subject. In some classes, the teachers provide clear instructions and explanations and have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, but in others, teachers do not maintain pupils’ attention well and this affects their progress. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 42 135. The co-ordinator manages the subject effectively and provides useful advice and support to her colleagues. Resources in the subject are satisfactory and percussion instruments are used effectively to develop pupils’ skills in composition and performance. The range of recorded music is narrow and there is little from non-Western cultures. There are three recorder groups which meet at lunchtime and occasionally perform in assemblies.
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Music
Pupils have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and receive lessons from visiting teachers once a week. These lessons are short, and, although pupils are withdrawn from their normal classroom lessons, teachers ensure that they receive support when they return to catch up with anything they have missed. The school takes an active part in local music festivals, and performs concerts at Christmas for parents. Pupils visit the church for their annual Carol Service and also perform for a local community group. An annual recital for parents provides good opportunities for pupils who learn a musical instrument to perform in front of family and friends.
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Physical education
136. During the inspection, six lessons were observed covering dance games and gymnastics lessons and the evidence indicates that pupils reach average standards for their ages. Swimming is taught in the summer term and records show that pupils achieve good standards for their ages. This reflects the findings of the school’s last OFSTED inspection. Older pupils have satisfactory skills in throwing and catching and can evaluate and improve their performances effectively. Younger pupils show good awareness of space and good co- ordination, as was seen in a lesson in Year 1, where they ran and skipped around the hall showing care and attention towards others. High levels of co-ordination were seen in a Year 4 class who were developing stretching and balancing sequences. They evaluated one another’s movements and made sensitive suggestions of how they could be improved. In dance, Year 3 pupils showed their ability to respond to different types of music and develop
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Physical education
appropriate sequences, working in pairs and small groups.
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Physical education
137. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in swimming. In a small number of lessons, progress is good and occasionally very good; pupils develop their co-ordination and balance very successfully. Progress is occasionally more limited when there is too much dependence on a recorded programme, and limited encouragement for pupils to extend specific skills.
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Physical education
138. Pupils’ response to physical education lessons is usually satisfactory and is often good. Generally pupils listen to their teachers and try their best to achieve high standards. This was noted particularly in lessons in Year 1 and 4, where pupils worked hard and achieved good results. Pupils occasionally become over-excited and, where this is not channelled effectively by the teacher, behaviour can deteriorate and affect the rate of progress made. Usually pupils work well together in pairs or small groups but occasionally there is a lack of care shown to each other. Sometimes group work is dominated by boys who fail to work sensitively with others in the group.
p.42
Physical education
139. Generally, the quality of teaching is satisfactory and, in half of the lessons seen it was good and occasionally very good. In these lessons, the teachers had planned and organised their lessons effectively, had very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and taught specific skills effectively. They demonstrated particular techniques to their pupils and used pupils well to show examples of good standards. Weaknesses in teaching were concerned mainly with teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour and the lack of attention given towards developing specific skills.
p.42
Physical education
140. There is currently no co-ordinator for the subject and the headteacher oversees provision. The school follows a commercial scheme of work which ensures that skills in games and gymnastics are developed effectively as pupils move through the school. The school is fortunate to have a covered swimming pool and swimming is taught by a specialist Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 43 instructor in the summer term. Currently there is no provision to provide pupils in Key Stage 2 with outdoor and adventure activities. Levels of resources are good and are well organised. Large gymnastics equipment is checked annually for safety and any necessary repairs made. A good feature is that pupils are always dressed appropriately for physical education activities and this gives them a sense of community and belonging, as the colour of their shirts denotes which house they are in. The school has a good sized field which is
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Physical education
used for games and athletics and the hard playground is also used effectively for games. Extra-curricular activities include football, rounders and hockey and there is a keep-fit club for pupils in Years 5 and 6. The subject makes a sound contribution to pupils’ moral and social development as pupils learn about the importance of rules and how to play in teams.
p.43
Religious education
141. By the end of both key stages, standards are average and meet the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus. This reflects the findings of the previous inspection. Year 6 pupils talk knowledgeably about the religions covered during their time in school, such as Christianity Sikhism, Judaism and Islam. They know the Bible is a special book of the Christian faith and that it consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament. They understand the significance of symbolism contained in the Christmas story and the celebrations associated with Holy Week and Easter. Pupils in Year 5 know a range of Old and New Testament stories, such as Joseph’s interpretation of dreams and the feeding of the five thousand. They know about the flight of the Israelites from Egypt and in discussion empathise with the Egyptian families when their first born child was killed. They know the creation story and write their own versions of how the world was made. Pupils in Year 2
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Religious education
learn about why certain festivals, such as Christmas and Harvest, are celebrated and know simple Bible stories such as Moses in the bullrushes.
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Religious education
142. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in deepening their knowledge and understanding of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Islam. They begin to understand that all faiths have special people and festivals. They become confident in putting forward their ideas about the meaning behind some of the stories they hear and make good use of the appropriate vocabulary.
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Religious education
143. Pupils show an interest in the subject and respond well to questions. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 talk knowledgeably and with pleasure about previous experiences. Their recorded work is presented appropriately in their topic books. The pupils show respect for the beliefs of people of various faiths.
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Religious education
144. Although no lessons in the subject were observed, teachers’ planning and pupils’ work were scrutinised and a discussion were held with the co-ordinator. On the basis of this evidence, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers have adequate knowledge to teach the locally Agreed Syllabus. There is sufficient direct teaching about the relevant religions and planning indicates that teachers provide a range of useful experiences, including good opportunities for discussion.
p.43
Religious education
145. The school uses a commercial scheme of work to provide ensure that the Agreed Syllabus is covered. This provides useful guidance for teachers. The subject has satisfactory resources, including religious artefacts and an appropriate range of information books. There are some links with the local church, but there have been few visits to places of worship for faiths other than Christianity. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 44
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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE
The inspection team consisted of three inspectors, one of whom was a lay inspector. The team spent a combined total of 10 days altogether gathering evidence, and during the inspection 41 lessons, or parts of lessons, were seen. The total time spent in observing lessons, sampling pupils' work and talking to pupils had taken nearly 31 hours. Discussions with pupils took place during lessons and at other times. Specific discussions with pupils representing different age and ability groups contributed to evidence of attainment, for instance in reading. Samples of pupils' work from each year group were examined separately and during the daily activities in the classroom. Other evidence was drawn from displays of work, records and reports. Discussions were held with governors and members of staff, both teaching and non-teaching. A wide range of documentation provided by the school was also inspected. The views of parents
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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE
on aspects of school life were sought in a meeting arranged for this purpose. Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 45
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Qualified teachers (YR – Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 6.2
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 19.35
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Education support staff (YR – Y6) Total number of education support staff: 6
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Total aggregate hours worked each week: 115
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Average class size: 24 Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 46 Financial data
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DATA AND INDICATORS
Balance brought forward from previous year
p.46
DATA AND INDICATORS
Balance carried forward to next year 25,273.00 Great Waltham C of E Primary School - 47
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PARENTAL SURVEY
Responses (percentage of answers in each category):
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PARENTAL SURVEY
Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagre e Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 44 48 4 4 0
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PARENTAL SURVEY
I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 41 41 7 4 7
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school handles complaints from parents well 7 33 33 11 7
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 7 59 22 11 0
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 19 59 7 15 0
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 15 63 19 0 4
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 15 56 19 11 0
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PARENTAL SURVEY
I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 15 59 19 7 0
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 22 63 4 4 7
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PARENTAL SURVEY
The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 11 63 11 15 0
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PARENTAL SURVEY
My child(ren) like(s) school 56 37 4 4 0
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