Wroughton Junior School

Wroughton Junior School

Dates of inspection: 20 – 23 September 1999

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Wroughton Junior School

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

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Wroughton Junior School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Inverary Road Wroughton Swindon Wiltshire SN4 9DL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rev Michael Johnson

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Neil McAllister, RgI Information technology Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Tim Morgan, Lay Inspector Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Andrew Bond English Efficiency Physical Education Jacque Cook Special educational needs The work of the special unit for pupils with specific learning difficulties Equal opportunities History Geography Clive Lewis Science Curriculum and assessment Design and technology Patricia Pothecary Mathematics Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Art Carol Slade Religious Education Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Music

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd 66-68 Hills Road Cambridge CB2 1LA

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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What the school does well

• . Standards are above average in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science and pupils make good progress throughout the school. • . Teaching is at least sound in 97 per cent of lessons and is good or better in 71 per cent. • . Pupils behave well, have very good attitudes to learning and form good relationships. • The school is managed very well and this is supported by effective leadership by the headteacher and active involvement by subject co-ordinators in the development and monitoring of their subjects. • . The quality of curriculum planning is good and systems for assessing pupils’ progress and attainment are very good. • . The school has a particularly positive ethos and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. • . Pupils with special educational needs in the unit for specific learning difficulties and in mainstream classes make good progress. • Arrangements for the professional development of staff are very good.

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What the school does well

• . Links with the community are very good.

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What the school does well

I. The school development plan, while satisfactory overall, does not extend beyond the current year and does not clearly set out future plans for the specific learning difficulties unit. II. Long-term planning is insufficiently linked to budget forecasts and the school does not set aside a prudent proportion of its budget as a contingency each year. III. Too few opportunities are provided for pupils to practise and consolidate in classes the information technology skills learned in the computer suite.

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This is a good school and the weaknesses are far outweighed by what it does well, 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.

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This is a good school and the weaknesses are far outweighed by what it does well, but they will form the

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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This is a good school and the weaknesses are far outweighed by what it does well, but they will form the

The school has made good progress in addressing the weaknesses pointed out in the last inspection. Pupils of all levels of attainment, and in particular the more able pupils, are achieving well. The quality of teaching has improved significantly. Teachers’ planning is of good quality and identifies clearly what pupils should learn. Systems for assessing pupils’ progress and attainment are now very good and teachers make good use of assessment information when planning the next stage of pupils’ learning. This has been achieved through a very good programme of monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching in all classes.

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This is a good school and the weaknesses are far outweighed by what it does well, but they will form the

In addition to the initiatives in response to the key issues, there is evidence of good progress in other areas. Standards have improved in English, mathematics and science and good standards have been at least maintained in most other subjects. The school’s capacity for further improvement is good. · Standards in subjects This table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

Well above average A Above average B English B B Average C Mathematics C D Below average D Science C C Well below average E

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similar schools

The results in mathematics represented a significant and unexpected fall in standards in 1998 compared with the previous two years. Results of the 1999 tests indicate a substantial improvement in mathematics and further improvements in science. National comparative figures were not available at the time of the inspection but inspectors’ findings confirm that standards for eleven year olds are above average in English, mathematics and science.

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similar schools

Standards in information technology are broadly average and standards in religious education meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. In other subjects, progress is mostly good and in design and technology progress is satisfactory. Pupils with specific learning difficulties who attend the unit and other pupils with special educational needs in mainstream classes make good progress overall in relation to their prior attainment.

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similar schools

English Good Mathematics Good Science Good Information technology · Satisfactory

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similar schools

Religious education Good Other subjects Good

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similar schools

Teaching was at least satisfactory in 97 per cent of the lessons seen, and in 71 per cent of lessons it was good or better; two excellent lessons were seen. Three lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory. The specialist teaching of pupils with special learning difficulties is good. Overall judgements about teaching include evidence from lessons, from looking at previous work and from talking to pupils about their work and achievements.

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similar schools

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses · Other aspects of the school

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Good, particularly in lessons. Pupils support each other and work together very well. Attendance Satisfactory overall though slightly below average with a significant number of pupils taking holidays in term-time. Ethos* Very good. Pupils’ attitudes to work are particularly positive and relationships at all levels are good. The school is highly committed to improving standards. Leadership and management Very good. The headteacher and subject co-ordinators provide effective leadership; systems for development planning are satisfactory but lack a clear structure beyond the current year; very good systems for monitoring and evaluating curriculum development. Curriculum Good; well planned and with a good balance of activities that promote literacy and numeracy but maintain standards in other subjects; very good systems for assessing pupils’ progress and attainment. Pupils with special educational

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Aspect Comment

needs including those in the special needs unit. Overall provision is good; high quality support for individual pupils withdrawn from classes for specialist help and good support within classes.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good provision in all aspects. The school promotes a positive approach to behaviour and pupils’ personal development. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good overall; good levels of staffing; particularly good systems for staff professional development; good levels of practical learning resources; satisfactory accommodation. Value for money Good.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards.

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

IV. The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on their children. V. They find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with their children. VI. The school enables their children to achieve a good standard of work. VII.Their children like school. VIII. The school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school. IX. A lack of information about what is taught. X. Pupil’s behaviour. XI. Levels of homework and a lack of knowledge of

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

XII.Deterioration in the decoration and fabric of the

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

XIII. Their children are sometimes unable to

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

Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views. The quality of information provided for parents is good. Details of work to be taught are included in the first newsletter of each term. Pupils’ behaviour is good and was an important factor in the effective learning observed during the inspection. The school acknowledges that the previous Year 6 cohort, which has now moved on to secondary school, presented an unusually high degree of behavioural problems. Most parents feel the level of homework is about right and a new homework policy is in place following consultation with parents. Inspectors judge levels of homework to be satisfactory. The building provides satisfactory accommodation and there are no apparent serious safety hazards. The state of the corridors and general use areas of the ground floor of the building is satisfactory but some classrooms are overdue for repainting. The ceilings of the upper storey are in need of maintenance and there is some rotting of

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

the exterior fascia boards on the end of the upper storey. This represents a deterioration in the standard of decoration since the previous inspection. A few parents expressed concerns about their children being unable to participate in additional activities. All pupils have opportunities to join in the good range of extra-curricular activities available providing there are sufficient places available. · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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

In order to build on the existing good practice and further improve the quality of education in the school, the headteacher, governing body and staff should:

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

XIV. establish a framework for longer-term development planning that clearly sets out priorities for all aspects of management, including buildings, over a three year period; (paragraphs 66, 67, 79 and 81)

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

XV. link strategic planning more closely to budget forecasts and ensure a prudent proportion of the budget is set aside as a contingency each year; (paragraph 81)

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

XVI. implement an appropriate management plan for special needs provision in the unit that establishes clear priorities for its future development; (paragraph 69)

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

XVII. Improve the planning of information technology by ensuring that activities in classes build successfully on skills being learned in the computer suite; (paragraphs 69, 118 and 120)

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

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan. These are indicated in paragraphs 32, 39, 49, 57 and 72.

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

XVIII. There is insufficient monitoring of which lessons pupils miss when they are withdrawn for special needs support and for information technology tuition. XIX. Individual Education Plans for pupils with special educational needs do not have sufficiently clear targets to provide a useful measure of pupils’ progress. XX. Attendance, while not significantly below the national average, has dropped since the previous inspection and procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are underdeveloped. XXI. There are omissions from the governors’ annual report to parents and the school prospectus. ·

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INTRODUCTION

1. Wroughton Junior is an above average sized junior school for pupils between the ages of seven and eleven. There are currently 398 full-time pupils on roll. The school has additional special educational needs provision for 10 pupils with specific learning difficulties, most of whom live outside the school’s normal catchment area. The vast majority of pupils live within the large village of Wroughton. Pupils come from a range of backgrounds but, overall, the intake is broadly average in social and economic terms. As at the time of the previous inspection, many pupils come from relatively advantaged home backgrounds, although about ten per cent of pupils now come from a local authority short-term housing estate which has been established over the last two years on an ex-RAF base. The school has identified a significant number of these pupils as having learning or behavioural difficulties. A small number of

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INTRODUCTION

pupils are from a local static Traveller site.

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INTRODUCTION

2. The percentage of ethnic minority families in the local ward is very low compared with the national average; almost all pupils have English as their first language. Eleven per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals; this is similar to the national average. There are 81 pupils (20 per cent) on the register of special educational needs; this is close to the national average and includes the extra provision provided for the pupils in the unit all of whom have Statements of Special Educational Need for which the school receives additional funding. At the time of the inspection there were only six pupils in the unit although the remaining four places are likely to be filled during the current term; in the previous year the unit had eleven pupils. These pupils are integrated into mainstream classes but are withdrawn most days for specialist help. The majority of mainstream pupils on the register of special

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INTRODUCTION

educational needs are at the Stage 1 or Stage 2 level although five pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need. Overall, pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is broadly average.

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INTRODUCTION

3. The school’s main aim is to raise overall standards of achievement and to develop all pupils to their full potential by: • . enlarging their knowledge, experience and imaginative understanding and thus their awareness of moral values and the capacity for enjoyment; • . encouraging them to be active participants in society and responsible contributors to it and capable of achieving as much independence as possible; • . promoting the acquisition of knowledge, skills and practical abilities and the will to use them; • . developing in them qualities of mind, body, spirit, feelings and imagination, an appreciation of human achievements in art, music, science, technology and literature and a reasoned set of attitudes, values and beliefs.

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INTRODUCTION

1. Priorities for school development during the current year include: • . continuing the implementation of the national literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology initiatives; • . ensuring progress towards the targets set for pupils’ performance at the end of each year and in particular the 2002 targets; • . providing additional teaching for groups of low achieving pupils, particularly those in Year 4, in order to raise levels of attainment in English and mathematics; • . ensuring high standards in the non-core subjects are maintained; • . completing and making effective use of the new library. In addition to these priorities, the school development plan includes action plans for the ongoing development of all curricular subjects. · Key indicators

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2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 60 38 98

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 46 47 52 at NC Level 4 or Girls 29 27 31 above Total 75 74 83 Percentage at NC School 77 (75) 76 (57) 85 (78) Level 4 or above National (65) (59) (69)

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Results

· Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 43 40 46 at NC Level 4 or Girls 32 24 28 above Total 75 64 74 Percentage at NC School 77 (60) 65( 70) 76 (57) Level 4 or above National (65) (65) (72) ( Ø Results not available at present time)

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Results

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

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Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 6.1 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.3 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number the previous year: Fixed period 2 Permanent 0

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Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 26 Satisfactory or better 97 Less than satisfactory 3 · PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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· EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Results

1. The school’s results in the national tests for eleven year olds in 1998, when compared with all schools nationally, were: • . above average in English; • . average in mathematics and science. When compared with similar schools, standards were: • . above average in English; • . average in science; • . below average in mathematics. The results in mathematics represented a significant and unexpected fall in standards in 1998 compared with the previous two years. This reflected, to some extent, disruption during the year and less effective provision for the higher attaining groups.

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Results

1. Results of the 1999 tests indicate a substantial improvement in mathematics and further improvements in science with significantly more pupils achieving the higher Level 5 grades in all three subjects. National comparative figures were not available at the time of the inspection but inspectors’ findings confirm that standards in the current Year 6 are above average in English, mathematics and science. Compared to the findings of the previous inspection, this represents an improvement in all three subjects. The school has successfully addressed the issue of underachievement for the higher attaining pupils; grouping pupils by levels of prior attainment has, for example, been successful in meeting the needs of these pupils in mathematics and science and improvements in literacy planning have promoted clearer objectives for the higher attainers in English lessons. Targets have been set to improve standards

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Results

of literacy and numeracy over the next three years; these aim for an upward trend and reflect the expectations for year groups based on careful monitoring of their current attainment.

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Results

2. Standards in information technology are, overall, broadly average; pupils develop a secure knowledge of a range of computer applications and those in Year 6 handle these confidently. Standards in religious education meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus.

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Results

3. By the age of eleven, pupils speak clearly using a rich and varied vocabulary; they listen effectively in a range of situations. Pupils’ reading is generally fluent and their comprehension good; many use the higher order skills of skimming for information and making deductions from the text. They write in a range of styles and in a lively fashion with appropriate attention to grammar, punctuation and handwriting; spelling is generally good. In general, pupils’ literacy skills are developed well and support their work effectively across the curriculum. In mathematics, pupils have well-developed numeracy skills, work confidently with large numbers and use a range of strategies to solve problems. Standards are good in aspects of mathematics such as shape and data handling. Numeracy levels are good, enabling them to work well in other subjects where mathematical skill is needed. In science, pupils carry

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Results

out their own research and plan and record investigations confidently. Levels of factual understanding are secure in each aspect of the science Programmes of Study. Pupils demonstrate appropriate factual knowledge and satisfactory understanding of a wide range of faiths in religious education, begin to describe their similarities and differences and show an understanding of the place of religion in people’s lives. In information technology, attainment meets expectations by the end of the key stage and pupils build up a range of relevant skills, knowledge and understanding. Basic skills in word processing are good but levels of understanding are less secure in aspects such as interpretation of data and computer control.

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Results

4. Pupils’ progress is good overall, including that of the higher attainers, those with special educational needs and the very small number who have English as an additional language. While the attainment of pupils on entry has varied over recent years, results of the tests taken by seven year olds in the infant school indicate pupils enter the school with broadly average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. They make good progress through the key stage in these key areas and very good progress in many individual lessons. Pupils have plenty of opportunities to gain confidence in speaking and listening and the school’s strong emphasis on reading is reflected in the good progress made. Good progress in writing is promoted by effective teaching of the writing process and regular opportunities for extended writing. Setting is helping the progress of both higher and lower attaining pupils in

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Results

mathematics throughout the school and in science in Years 5 and 6. There are some variations in the results achieved in recent years by girls compared with boys but there is no specific pattern to this and, in the long term, there is no significant difference in the relative progress of boys and girls.

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Results

5. Pupils make at least satisfactory progress over time in religious education and in information technology their progress is sound overall; it is good in some aspects of the subject - for example, word processing - and was good in lessons in the computer suite. In the non-core subjects of geography, history, art, music and physical education, pupils make good progress across the key stage. This represents an improvement in history, music and physical education compared with the standards identified during the last inspection and a continuation of the good standards identified in geography and art. In design and technology, pupils continue to make sound progress. The school is successfully meeting its aim of maintaining high standards in most ‘non-core’ subjects.

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Results

6. Pupils with special educational needs continue to make good progress in improving their language and literacy skills. Those attending the unit for specific learning difficulties make good progress in reading, writing and spelling. Many enter the school not able to read and unwilling to write. Due to the high quality and specialist teaching provided by the teacher-in-charge, these pupils often add at least two or three years to their reading and spelling ages by the time they leave the school. This boosts their confidence and helps them to manage in other lessons where they make at least sound, and often good progress. The good rate of progress noted in many lessons is due to the well-targeted support they receive from a special support assistant and to the appropriateness of the work set by the class teachers. In a few instances where pupils are not supported by support staff, join a lesson late because they have

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Results

been withdrawn for one-to-one work, or find the work too easy or too difficult, their progress is slower. Other pupils with special educational needs also make good progress in learning to read, write and spell.

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Results

11. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Results

7. The school has sustained the good standards of pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development observed during the last inspection. Pupils throughout the school show very positive attitudes to learning. This represents a further improvement compared with the previous inspection and contributes substantially to the high standard of work seen. Pupils are enthusiastic about their work and contribute to group discussion with confidence in a large range of subjects in all year groups. In many subjects, and notably in mathematics, pupils persevere for some time until they solve a problem. In the majority of lessons pupils listen and concentrate well, although in a few lessons they take time to settle. Pupils show a pride in their work and present it well when required.

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Results

8. Pupils’ behaviour is good. In the playground, during lessons and around the school, pupils support each other and work together very well. A significant minority of parents who returned questionnaires voiced concerns about behaviour although those who attended the pre-inspection meeting at the end of the previous term spoke very positively about this aspect. The school acknowledges that the previous Year 6 cohort, which has now moved on to secondary school, presented an unusually high degree of behavioural problems. This is reflected in the two exclusions last year which were unusual for the school. Inspectors found very little evidence of any unsatisfactory behaviour during the inspection. Pupils conduct themselves maturely when no teacher is present; for example, a large number of pupils prepared sensibly and efficiently for chess club before the organiser arrived. Pupils organise rules for games in the

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Results

playground, playing exceptionally well together. In a few lessons the noise levels rise, but pupils normally respond well to requests to work more quietly. The good standard of behaviour in classrooms is an important factor in the effective learning observed. 9. The quality of relationships throughout the school is good. Pupils are polite and attitudes towards adults and each other are almost always respectful. They show respect for the values and beliefs of others, particularly in religious education, but also when pupils explain their thoughts openly, for example, in history, mathematics and art lessons. Another strongly positive feature of the school is the frequent collaboration between pupils who work together productively, not only in many lessons but also during clubs and when carrying out various duties such as clearing away the tables during the lunch break.

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Results

10. Pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils in Year 6 all have an opportunity to be monitors, taking the role seriously and carrying out these duties with enthusiasm. Pupils support new entrants when they start school, acting as support and mentor for the first few days. There are musical events in which pupils play an active role, such as the Christmas and Easter choirs, and pupils organise fundraising for various charities. When someone is upset pupils take the initiative to help them, responding in a particularly mature fashion. Pupils are involved in setting targets for their learning, taking responsibility to work towards higher standards. A group of pupils meet on a voluntary basis before school several mornings a week to follow a programme to increase the accuracy of their spelling.

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Results

11. The response of pupils with special educational needs is very good. They are keen to make progress and delighted when it is evident that they have done so. For example, a pupil in the unit commented on her review “I can read, I can read, I can read!” Another pupil spoke of his pleasure in getting his mathematics right. Parents of pupils with special educational needs report a pronounced increase in their children’s self-esteem. Their children want to come to school and staff are aware that the pupils are more prepared to answer questions in class. The behaviour of these pupils is usually very good. They work well in groups, for example, cutting and gluing symbols to a sheet or discussing the plight of animals in unsuitable zoo accommodation.

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Results

12. The rate of attendance is satisfactory although it is just below the national average. This represents a fall since the previous inspection when attendance was reported to be very good. There is very little unauthorised absence. A significant proportion of absence is due to family holidays being taken in term- time.

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Results

13. Almost all of the pupils are punctual. Registration is carried out efficiently ensuring a prompt start to lessons, which has a beneficial effect on pupils’ learning.

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Results

14. The quality of teaching throughout the school is good and enables pupils to make good progress. During the inspection, 97 per cent of the lessons seen were judged to be at least satisfactory and, of these, 71 per cent were considered good or better. Compared with the previous inspection this represents a dramatic reduction in the percentage of lessons judged unsatisfactory and a substantial increase in those judged good and very good. There is evidence that changes in teaching are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and personal development. The implementation of the strategies for literacy and numeracy and the arrangements for organising pupils into sets on the basis of their prior attainment in mathematics and science have led to significant improvements in provision. Weaknesses identified by the previous inspection, notably those concerned with classroom organisation and management, lesson objectives and

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Results

the use of ongoing assessment, have been largely overcome, although there are still some weak features in a very small minority of lessons.

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Results

15. Overall judgements about teaching are based on the quality seen in lessons during the inspection and on evidence drawn from teachers’ planning, from looking at pupils’ previous work and from talking to pupils about what they have done in the past. In the lessons seen in the core subjects of English, mathematics, science and religious education, the quality of teaching in almost all classes was consistently good. Teaching is judged to be satisfactory overall in information technology; it is good in lessons observed in the computer suite, mainly as a result of the effective support provided for small groups by the technician. However, most teachers provide insufficient opportunities in class lessons for pupils to consolidate and build on the skills learned in the computer suite. Teaching is judged to be sound overall in design and technology and consistently good in the non-core subjects of art, geography,

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Results

16. Teachers generally have a good knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach, of the National Curriculum and of the Agreed Syllabus for religious education. This is an improvement since the last inspection. They are comfortable with the requirements of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. Specialist knowledge is used well in music with the expertise of the co-ordinator and of peripatetic tutors benefiting pupils. Staff who deal directly with pupils with special needs are well trained and well informed.

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Results

17. A significant factor in the good quality of teaching throughout the school is the very high level of teachers’ expectations for their pupils. In the better lessons teachers demand a high level of involvement and output from pupils. The setting arrangements for mathematics and science enable teachers to provide appropriate levels of challenge in the vast majority of cases. Weakness in two of the unsatisfactory lessons observed, however, reflected low expectations by the teacher. Teachers are aware of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and the difficulties many have in writing, and in some instances communicating, what they have learnt. For example, in a history lesson one group of pupils used pictures rather than writing to illustrate the difference between Roman and Celtic soldiers.

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Results

18. Lesson planning is good and has improved significantly since the previous inspection. Teachers use agreed formats for their weekly plans which relate well to longer-term schemes of work and they plan efficiently in year group teams. They define clear objectives for their lessons. In the best practice, which is evident in most classes in English and in many other subjects, tasks are varied to meet the full range of pupils’ attainment; this includes the planning for ‘setted’ groups and in subjects such as history. This is a notable improvement since the last inspection, particularly regarding the higher attaining pupils who are now identified and for whom extension activities are frequently included in the planning of lessons. Planning for pupils with special educational needs in mainstream classes is generally good and systems for supporting pupils are clearly identified. Individual Education Plans provide information on

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Results

programmes being followed by special needs staff, primarily on literacy, but do not help class teachers sufficiently by providing clear targets to use when they are planning lessons. There are clearer targets for supporting the learning of ‘target children’. In a few instances, usually when classes are taught as a whole, activities for pupils with special educational needs are too hard or too easy. For example, some pupils with special needs were clearly adept at multiplying figures in their heads and found it unnecessary to consider using an addition method. Too few activities are planned in information technology during class lessons. Planning is beginning to promote the use of literacy and numeracy well across the curriculum.

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Results

19. The methods and organisation used by teachers are good. Particular strengths are the clear explanations given and the improved structure of lessons, many of which are divided effectively into a whole class introduction followed by group or individual tasks and a summary session to check progress. In the best lessons, pupils are encouraged to be independent where appropriate, to collaborate when working in groups and to take responsibility for elements of their learning. Teachers often use interventions well in lessons to demonstrate a teaching point or to extend pupils’ thinking.

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20. The management of behaviour is good in almost all lessons. Some teachers have developed particularly effective systems for promoting a positive and rigorous learning atmosphere and have established very good relationships with their pupils. Almost all teachers make good use of positive praise; very occasionally in lessons the methods of control are, however, too negative. This does not promote a quiet or purposeful atmosphere and does not promote good quality relationships between the teacher and pupils. 21. Learning resources are generally used well to promote interest and support pupils’ progress. For example, the use of well prepared worksheets, artefacts, pictures and computer files promotes progress in lessons. Additional adult support is used well by teachers, especially for lower attaining pupils. Teachers’ use of time is generally good and many lessons, particularly in literacy and numeracy, move at

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a brisk pace. In one lesson, the literacy hour elements were mistimed and poorly managed resulting in an inadequate plenary session.

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22. Good use is made of day-to-day assessment. Teachers know their pupils well and much useful assessment is done informally on a day-to-day basis. They frequently review previous work at the beginnings and ends of sessions and use good questioning techniques to check pupils’ understanding. Marking is carried out regularly and the quality of additional written comments is usually good although this varies between classes. In most cases it is diagnostic and useful to both teacher and pupil but in one class it is unnecessarily negative and relates to pupils’ attitudes rather than their knowledge and understanding. Teachers define assessment opportunities in many subjects in both their medium- and short-term plans. These result in useful written evaluations at the end of each week and the information gained is used where necessary to modify the planning of subsequent sessions. This is used very effectively to inform planning for the next stage of learning.

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Results

23. The provision for homework is currently satisfactory. There is a newly agreed policy and the amounts and quality of homework increase as pupils move through the school. Most tasks enable pupils to practise basic skills in reading, spelling and mathematics and there are some examples of research work undertaken at home.

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Results

24. The quality of the specialist teaching of literacy and language for pupils with special educational needs is high. The expertise in teaching language and literacy is a crucial factor in pupils’ positive rates of progress. Staff are well briefed and have the appropriate skills to teach the small number of pupils with English as a second language and the few Traveller children in the school. Planning of lessons where pupils work, often on a one-to-one basis, with the teacher-in-charge of the unit or with the special educational needs co-ordinator is meticulous. A wide range of appropriate strategies is used to reinforce each pupil’s learning. Teachers’ understanding of the need to help a pupil feel good about themselves, despite their learning difficulty, and their successful strategies used to manage pupils, emphasising and building on their successes, help pupils to learn. Support offered by special support assistants is

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effective. Their work, particularly when they withdraw pupils to work individually or in small groups, is well structured and written comments following the lesson clearly evaluate pupils’ progress and form the basis of subsequent teaching. In class they are unobtrusive and give timely support, for example, explaining how numbers may be sub-divided into tens and units when adding figures without writing them down.

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25. Significant improvements have been made to the curriculum since the last inspection. Planning systems have been revised and refined so that there is now a very clear focus on what pupils learn and how learning is assessed to inform future planning. Curriculum planning has been significantly improved, with new or revised policies and schemes of work in place for all subjects. These are contributing effectively to the progress pupils are making throughout the school.

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26. The school provides a broadly-based, well-balanced and relevant curriculum. It successfully promotes pupils’ intellectual, physical and personal development and prepares them well for the next stage of education. The curriculum meets the statutory requirements to teach all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education and places an appropriate emphasis on the development of literacy and numeracy. There are policies in place, agreed by the governing body, for sex and health and drugs education and there are detailed policies and schemes of work in place for all subjects. Effective use is made of the latest national schemes where appropriate. The school has implemented the national literacy hour very effectively and has successfully introduced the more recent numeracy initiative. In common with most primary schools, the time allotted to different parts of the curriculum has had to be reviewed

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and adjusted carefully over the past few terms to take account of the extra literacy and numeracy provision and the school has worked hard and determinedly to ensure other subjects continue to receive appropriate curriculum time. Extra ‘target groups’ of pupils have been established to address identified weaknesses, for example in reading and spelling; in agreement with parents and pupils, some of these take place before school.

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27. In general the curriculum provides equality of opportunity although currently not all pupils with special educational needs are receiving a sufficiently balanced curriculum because they are being withdrawn from whole or parts of lessons to work with special needs staff; at other times, groups of pupils are withdrawn from lessons to receive specialist support in information technology. For example, one pupil joined a geography lesson about fifteen minutes before the end, another missed the middle of a history lesson, a third missed music and various groups missed physical education to work in the new information technology suite. While pupils undoubtedly gain significant benefit from these activities there is insufficient monitoring of the effect of this on their access to the whole curriculum. Pupils with English as a second language and Traveller children are supported well to ensure they have access to the

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28. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is, overall, good. Pupils from the unit receive regular teaching on a one-to-one basis from specialist teachers and are supported effectively in their classes by the support assistant. Other pupils with special educational needs are taught successfully on a one-to-one basis by the special needs co-ordinator and by special support assistants who support pupils very well in classes and teach additional literacy to groups of pupils with good levels of success. Provision outlined on the Statements of Special Educational Needs is satisfactorily met; elements referring to language and literacy and specific physical development are well met.

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29. Planning for progression and continuity is good. Planning and teaching give due regard to the subject orders of the National Curriculum and there is clear evidence of full coverage of the Programmes of Study for the individual subjects in the lessons observed. The curriculum is planned effectively and in great detail. The teachers for each year group work together to produce detailed and useful medium- term plans based on the schemes of work. Their short-term weekly lesson plans usefully note details of classroom management strategies, include graded activities that meet the needs of the different levels of attainment within the class, provide extension activities and identify appropriate and manageable assessment opportunities. Planning takes clear account of what is to follow and what has gone before and provides good continuity and progression between years in the key stage, building systematically on

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existing knowledge, understanding and skills. Teachers’ termly plans do not always include details of the information technology to be taught.

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30. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities, including sporting activities, which take place after school and during lunch breaks. A few parents expressed concerns about their children being unable to participate in additional activities. All pupils have opportunities to join in extra-curricular activities providing there are sufficient places available. Names were selected from a hat for a popular residential trip to Brecon and another residential trip to Kingswood has been arranged for Year 6 pupils who did not get a place. There is a clear charging policy and smaller contributions towards an activity can be made rather than the full cost in cases of hardship.

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31. Homework is used satisfactorily to support the curriculum; pupils throughout the school take reading books home regularly and have spellings and ‘tables’ homework. At times, additional work linked to their current class work is set, the amount increasing as pupils move through the school. The recently agreed home-school contract states the school’s policy clearly. The curriculum is enhanced further by a number of visitors with specialist knowledge who are invited to the school to talk to and work with the pupils; for example, the recent ‘Story Box’ story teller. Additional arts and humanities activities, such as the ‘Creative Arts Week’ took place in the previous school year.

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32. The school has very good systems in place for assessing pupils’ attainment. A range of standardised tests are used throughout the school year. In addition to the statutory tests at the end of key stage, the school undertakes standardised spelling and reading tests and optional national tests at the end of each year. Detailed individual records of attainment in English, mathematics and science provide a very useful measure of pupils’ progress each year and enable increasingly accurate predictions of pupils’ performance at the end of the year. However, there is limited diagnostic assessment of specific reading skills for pupils other than those with special educational needs. All pupils have an assessment file in which is kept results of tests undertaken, copies of reports to parents and assessed examples of work. Results of teachers’ statutory assessments in previous years have at times been significantly different

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from test results and this indicates some inconsistencies in the accuracy of teachers’ judgements. Comprehensive records of attainment in most other subjects have been maintained although the school has recently made the decision to simplify systems for individual assessment in these subjects to make the process more manageable. In information technology, assessment has yet to be integrated within the planning systems recently adopted and does not currently provide an effective measure of pupils’ attainment and progress. Some aspects of assessment in physical education are similarly underdeveloped.

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33. Assessment data is used very well to inform curriculum planning. The results of tests are analysed in detail by senior managers and subject co-ordinators and the information gained is used very effectively. For example, based on data obtained, the school sets up ‘target groups’ of pupils in each class who teachers feel should be making better progress in English and mathematics; this involves parents and pupils in agreeing appropriate targets for the year. Data is also used to group pupils according to their levels of attainment in mathematics throughout the school and in science in Years 5 and 6; a successful strategy which has seen a considerable improvement in overall attainment at the end of the key stage. Different attainment levels are catered for well; one pupil with specific learning difficulties, for example, is taught in top sets and is making good progress. Weekly and longer-term evaluations of the outcomes

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of planning are an added check and used to modify subsequent plans as necessary. The school has a good marking policy which is followed effectively by most teachers.

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34. Systems for identifying and monitoring the progress of pupils with special educational needs are very good. Six-monthly reading and spelling tests identify pupils with difficulties and highlight those who are not making sufficient progress in these areas of learning. Further, diagnostic testing is carried out by special needs staff and used well to plan programmes of work. Termly testing of pupils with higher levels of special educational needs charts their progress in reading, spelling, reading accuracy and comprehension. This is particularly effective for pupils in the unit. Individual Education Plans are reviewed each term but targets often lack a clear focus with the result that progress is more difficult to measure.

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39. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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35. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good. The daily act of collective worship continues to meet statutory requirements. Since the previous report, however, significant changes have been made to improve the spiritual impact of assemblies and to give pupils more opportunities for quiet reflection on the assembly’s focus.

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36. Pupils’ spiritual development is good. Both in the school’s written aims and in its actions there is a clear recognition of pupils’ spiritual needs and how they will be addressed. Assemblies are central to the school’s regular provision. Each week has a new theme and includes a sensitive act of worship. A large candle is lit; music is played and an atmosphere of calm is successfully engendered amongst the large number of pupils. The meaning of religious songs is explored, related to current events in the world and used as a centre for quiet reflection. Throughout the curriculum, spiritual well-being is promoted. Pupils express their feelings through ‘circle-time’ discussion and the creation of poetry, music and art. The school building and grounds play an important part too. Pupils’ work is celebrated in displays along corridors and in classrooms. There are quiet wooded areas planted by former pupils in the school

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grounds and a strong mature willow tree shading the playground forms the school’s logo on its uniform sweat shirts. Through religious education, pupils experience insights to needs common to all humans. They know that all religions have special things, times and places and that prayer and reflection are central to all faiths. 37. The provision for moral education is good. The school gives clear messages about acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. In their religious education lessons pupils learn how world faiths have maintained their identity through rules and how these have helped people to live together. A teacher in assembly recalled making her Brownie promises at her enrolment. Classes develop their own ‘Golden Rules’ as part of a strong behaviour policy agreed by all the relevant adults in the school, including the lunch time supervisors. It promotes a positive approach to behaviour and badges and stickers are

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38. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social development. Co-operative and collaborative working is encouraged at times during most lessons. Plenary sessions make a major contribution to the literacy hour and other lessons. During these, pupils read together, share ideas about text and describe what they have been learning. Some classes have suggestions displayed for becoming a good listener and speaker. ‘Circle-time’ in some classes enables pupils to air their feelings and concerns. Class teachers are good social role models. They treat their pupils respectfully and fairly and have good-humoured caring relationships with them. Older pupils are given a satisfactory range of responsibilities; for example, as monitors. They support pupils new to the school and organise the equipment for daily assemblies. They hold open doors and spend time in younger classrooms during wet play times. Generally, however, this aspect of the school’s social provision is underdeveloped, particularly for the

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younger members of the school. The school provides a varied range of extra–curricular clubs which are always oversubscribed. These include a popular chess club which enters local tournaments, a cycling proficiency club and the choir which currently has over fifty members. It supports singing during assemblies and performs at celebrations for the benefit of parents and the wider community. It has won prize money which is used to further music provision for all the pupils in the school. Residential visits enable pupils to develop their social skills in a wider context.

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39. Provision for cultural education is good. Most subjects make a strong contribution to pupils’ cultural development. There is a wide range of poetry and story books available to pupils. Amongst the big books recently purchased for the literacy hour are traditional myths and legends as well as fables. The school has an extensive collection of taped and CD recorded music from many traditions and countries. There are reproductions of the work of well known artists. Historical figures such as the Tudor Dynasty are a rich source of cultural interest. Older pupils perform ‘The Tempest’ by William Shakespeare and musical productions are a regular feature of the school calendar. The school has an arts week during the summer term providing a wide range of cultural opportunities. Most subjects make some contribution to multicultural education but there is potential for further improvement in this area of provision.

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44. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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40. The good support and guidance that the school provides for the pupils have a beneficial effect on their attainment and progress. The pupils are well known by the staff and there is evident concern for their welfare and development. Parents say that Wroughton is a caring school.

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41. Pupils are given a useful introduction to their new teachers and surroundings in the preceding summer term, when they attend a three-day induction course. There are very good procedures for monitoring their academic progress as they move through the school, as evident in the regular testing which provides a good measure of attainment each year. Personal development is recorded in a less formal way but is effective. The marking of work is done regularly and comments are usually informative and indicate how pupils can improve. Pupils are encouraged to set their own academic and personal targets; ‘circle time’ plays a significant part in this, allowing pupils to discuss their achievements and concerns openly. Higher attaining pupils are consistently given opportunities to reach their full potential by the setting of more difficult class work and extension tasks; this is an improvement on the last inspection

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42. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teachers and classroom assistants, both in their own classes and in withdrawal lessons. Their requirements are carefully monitored, in consultation with parents and outside specialist agencies, to meet their Individual Education Plans. The school is aware of the particular requirements of Traveller children who are welcomed into the school and generally settle well.

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43. The procedures for monitoring discipline and promoting positive behaviour are good. The behaviour policy is backed up by a clear system of rewards and sanctions. There are procedures for dealing with bullying and harassment which several parents said were effective. A noteworthy scheme is the behaviour contract under which a pupil’s behaviour is monitored daily for a period of ten weeks; the written record is shared with the pupil and the parents and there is a pre-set reward for success in achieving any targets. The school’s Golden Rules are prominently displayed throughout the school and several classes have devised their own set of rules to complement these. There is a high level of awareness by staff, teaching and non-teaching, of the need for proper behaviour at all times. The school has not yet addressed the raising of a policy on the use of force to restrain pupils.

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44. There are satisfactory procedures for monitoring attendance and registers are completed correctly in accordance with requirements. There has been a significant drop in the level of attendance during the 3 years since the last inspection and the school has only in the last couple of terms started to remind parents of the need to ensure that their children do not miss school for trivial reasons. Holidays taken in term-time are about a quarter of the total absences. The school does not actively discourage these by insisting that a formal application must be made in advance for these holidays to be approved as authorised absence.

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45. The child protection policy is satisfactory and all staff are reminded regularly of the procedures. The school has established sound links with a range of professionals responsible for children’s health, welfare and education. School visits, including a residential stay in the Brecon Beacons, are planned thoroughly with due attention to safety and levels of supervision. There is a comprehensive personal, social and health education programme which is taught through various subjects and as discrete lessons; it is supported by outside agencies such as the ‘Life Centres’ mobile classroom, which deals with drug awareness, and by participation in the Junior Good Citizens Scheme which is run by the police and other emergency services.

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46. The arrangements for health and safety are good. There is a good policy which details responsibilities and procedures and all aspects are very well monitored and developed by the health and safety co- ordinator. There are two members of staff qualified in first aid and in-service training sessions have been held on emergency first aid and the treatment of pupils with severe allergic reactions. Fire equipment and notices are satisfactory but there is no recording of the date and outcome of the fire practices that are held each term. The caretaker is qualified to do the annual test of portable electrical equipment and he has almost completed checking all items. A formal risk assessment is carried out annually by the health and safety co-ordinator and some governors, one of whom has specific responsibility for health and safety. Their findings are recorded and necessary actions are identified for consideration by the whole

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51. Partnership with parents and the community

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47. Overall, the quality of the school’s partnership with parents and the community is good and contributes significantly to pupils’ attainment and progress.

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48. Teachers are available to be seen at the end of the day to deal with any queries that parents might have. A large majority of parents say that the staff are approachable, they feel welcome in the school and that any suggestions or complaints are dealt with appropriately. They feel encouraged to think of it as their school. The office staff provides a friendly welcome to parents and visitors.

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49. The quality of the information provided for parents is good. Frequent newsletters are sent out covering all aspects of school life. Some parents said that they were not informed about topics to be studied but these have been included in the first newsletter of each term. The dates of the Standard Assessment Tests held in the summer term are advised to parents in the previous September together with a request to avoid taking holidays at that time. There have been meetings about the literacy and numeracy strategies and on the home-school agreement. Parents were invited to view the Life Education Centres mobile classroom and then to attend a meeting on children’s health issues, particularly drugs awareness. A questionnaire was sent to parents seeking their opinions on homework. The policy has just been issued; a homework diary to be signed by parents is part of the scheme. The implementation of this

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policy should reassure the small number of parents who stated in the pre-inspection questionnaires that they were dissatisfied with the setting of homework.

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50. There are parents’ meetings with class teachers in the autumn and spring terms and a general open evening in the summer term. Annual reports on pupils are satisfactory. They state, for each subject, what has been covered, what the child can do and where there are aspects for improvement; direct information about reading levels and non-statutory test results are not given other than at the end of the key stage.

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51. There is good communication with the parents of pupils with special educational needs, including those in the unit and in mainstream classes. Parents attend annual reviews and many review the progress of the individual education plans with the teacher in charge of the unit or the special educational needs co- ordinator. Parents are confident they can talk with staff easily. Information for parents contained in the special needs policy reflects appropriately the practice of the school although some required elements are not included, for example, information on the school’s arrangements for in-service training of staff, links with other schools and specific facilities for pupils with special educational needs.

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52. The prospectus is quite brief and factual but generally informative. It fails to meet statutory requirements by omitting the rate of authorised absence; the results of the annual statutory tests are insufficiently detailed. The school has its own Internet web site which provides similar information about the school. The governors’ annual report generally meets requirements but omits to include information on the actions taken to strengthen links with the community. A considerable proportion of parents stated on the questionnaires that they do not have a clear understanding of what is taught. Inspection evidence shows that the information provided about the curriculum is at least satisfactory and frequently better.

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53. Parents are encouraged to play an active part in the life of the school but despite frequent appeals only about a dozen assist regularly in classrooms. Their work is well planned by the teachers and they are a valuable asset in the learning process. Other parents willingly help on school visits. The recently issued home-school agreement is a concise statement of what can be expected of the school, of the parents and of the pupils. A copy of the agreement signed by a parent and their child is being returned to the school. Reading books are taken home regularly and many parents make appropriate entries in the reading diary. Parents take part in the annual ‘Fun Run’ and there is a very good attendance at special assemblies, including the Harvest Festival and at musical productions.

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54. The ‘Friends of Wroughton Junior School’ play a significant part in the life of the school. A variety of functions are organised by a small, hard-working committee of parents and staff. The main fundraising events are the Christmas and Summer Fairs and the Fun Run but there are also social functions such as discos for the pupils. All events get the full support of the staff and a very good response from parents. Last year the Friends raised over £6000 of which they donated almost £5000 to the construction and furnishing of the new library.

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55. Links with the local and wider community are very good. Effective liaison with the infant school and the nearby secondary school ensures a sharing of expertise and the smooth transition of pupils between the phases of education. The choir sings at the secondary school and in the shopping mall in Swindon. The local vicar is the chair of governors and regularly leads whole school assemblies. The community policeman is on the governing body and is well known by the pupils in that role and for his frequent visits in his professional role. Other visitors include the local Member of Parliament, the mayor and the librarian for the ‘Books and Beyond’ project which also involves parents and grandparents. Pupils have raised funds for the local hospice.

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56. Students from the secondary school come in to take football and drama groups as part of their course work. Eight Initial Teacher Training students will do their classroom practice in the school this year. Swindon Town Football Club provides football coaching for the pupils and has also made available some information technology training. There are specific project links with a computer component manufacturer and a national building society.

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57. Good use is made of the local area for topic work and the pupils visit locations such as theatres, museums, art galleries, a farm and a Victorian schoolroom; further afield, there has been a trip to Caerleon. The links with the local and wider community, and the range of visits, enrich the experiences of pupils and make a particularly positive contribution to their learning, achievements and personal development.

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62. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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58. The school is managed very well. The headteacher provides purposeful and effective leadership, has a clear vision for the school’s future and is supported well by the governing body. All staff and particularly the subject co-ordinators are actively involved in the school’s development. Together they have successfully moved the school forward since the previous inspection. Good progress has been made in addressing the weaknesses identified in the previous report and subsequent improvements have become integrated effectively into the school’s policies for teaching and learning.

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59. An important feature in the school’s improvement has been the strong emphasis on monitoring, supporting and evaluating curriculum development. This has successfully involved all staff and indicates that the school is well placed to secure further improvement. Job descriptions for all teachers indicate specific roles and responsibilities along with agreed key tasks for the year ahead. The school handbook provides particularly useful guidance on school aims, routines and policies. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have carried out a structured programme of classroom monitoring, linked to appraisal and staff development and an extra overview of the quality of teaching has been provided by advisers from the local education authority who have visited to evaluate specific aspects of the school and provided useful feedback on their observations. Subject co-ordinators carry out regular audits of their subjects and

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maintain a good overview by monitoring teachers’ plans and pupils’ work and, in many subjects, carrying out observations of teaching. Of particular note is the clear linking of termly written evaluations to current initiatives and the impact of these on standards in each subject. For example, the previous term’s evaluations focused on the impact of reduced time for teaching history.

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60. Policies and schemes of work for all subjects have been regularly reviewed and revised and provide good guidance for teachers’ planning. Standards in most subjects have subsequently been raised. The school’s approach to the recent national initiatives for literacy and numeracy have been particularly effective in raising standards and improving the quality of teaching and learning in English and mathematics.

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61. The school is supported well by an active governing body. Governors have established systems for overseeing and evaluating most aspects of the school’s development. For example, recent visits to observe the implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies have resulted in detailed and useful written reports which begin to relate the success of these initiatives to pupils’ attainment and progress. Systems for ensuring the governing body has an appropriate role in deciding the strategic direction for the school’s development are however not made clear; this was a weakness noted in the previous report. This is particularly evident in the school development plan and in longer-term financial planning.

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62. Systems for planning the future development of the school are satisfactory. The school development plan has many strengths but does not provide a suitably clear structure for development beyond the current year. It focuses mainly on curriculum issues, establishing the main priorities for the year ahead and includes detailed action plans for all subjects and associated elements such as health, ‘more able’ pupils and special educational needs. In most cases these include specific targets, how these will be achieved and anticipated costs. Focused evaluations of success in meeting the targets set in the previous year are, in most cases, effective in helping to direct priorities for the year ahead. The strategic direction and development of some subjects is summarised but there is no shared framework for longer-term development in other aspects of the school’s management, notably the buildings, and how future

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developments are linked to long-term budget forecasts.

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63. The school has clearly defined aims for its work which are evident in its policies and translated very well into practice. These are regularly reviewed by all staff and were an important element in the development of the home-school contract recently agreed with parents and implemented. A very positive ethos has been created. A strong commitment to raising standards is evident in all subjects, particularly the core subjects of English, mathematics and science where regular analyses of pupils’ performance in tests are now taking place and realistic targets for improvement are set. ‘Target groups’ have been set up to promote the progress of the higher attaining pupils and those with identified weaknesses. At the same time, the school is successfully meeting its aim of maintaining good standards in other subjects. It provides an effective learning environment and continually seeks ways of improving this through its

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monitoring and evaluating programme. Relationships within the school and with parents and the community are good.

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64. The involvement of the governing body in overseeing the special needs provision is sound. There is a nominated governor with responsibility for this aspect who makes appropriate, regular visits. These visits have a general focus and also provide opportunities for consultation with the teacher-in-charge of the unit and the special educational needs co-ordinator. There is an oral feed back to the governing body but no written report following a visit. The teacher-in-charge of the unit, who is also the deputy headteacher, provides a good source of information where necessary. This dual role of the deputy headteacher is effective as responsibilities for monitoring the curriculum and assessment provide good opportunities for insuring teachers work in line with the policy for special educational needs. While the school development plan includes a specific section for special educational needs this refers mostly to

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mainstream provision and there is no separate section for the special needs unit. This is an important omission considering the special status of the unit and the extra funding it attracts.

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65. The school has clear regard to the Code of Practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs and statutory requirements are substantially met although there are some omissions from the policy for special educational needs. The senior management team of the school supports the special educational needs co-ordinator very well. Although meetings are not formally arranged, there are frequent discussions between the teacher-in-charge of the unit and the co-ordinator. Termly meetings, between the special needs co-ordinator and each class teacher, review the progress of each pupil on the special needs register. The register and documentation concerning pupils is well maintained. Teachers also seek advice and support as the need arises from both the co-ordinator and the teacher-in-charge of the unit. The special support assistants are managed very well. Their work, plans

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and records are closely monitored which contributes towards the high standard of their support.

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66. A short, but explicit, policy on equal opportunities underpins the work of the school. In all respects, apart from monitoring which lessons pupils are missing when they are withdrawn for specialist support or for work in the computer suite, the policy is successfully implemented. The policy for Traveller children and the multi-cultural policy are also implemented well and are evident in practice.

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67. In general, the school complies well with statutory requirements, although there are some omissions from the governors’ annual report to parents regarding community links and some elements of special needs provision and, from the prospectus, notably regarding statutory test results and authorised absence rates.

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72. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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68. The school has a sufficient number of teaching staff with the appropriate qualifications, knowledge and experience to meet the demands of the National Curriculum. There is a good balance between experienced and recently qualified teachers. The teaching of one class is shared by two graduate, but unqualified, teachers who have been in the school for several years as Education Support Assistants. They are following a very well constructed and monitored programme which, if successfully completed, will result in the award of a teaching certificate. Although it is very early in their first term, their complementary skills and excellent working relationship give every indication that the arrangement has a positive effect on their pupils’ learning.

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69. There are sufficient, experienced teachers for the pupils with special educational needs and an appropriate number of special support assistants. The support staff are well trained, particularly with regard to numeracy and literacy strategies and the special needs co-ordinator has attended a wide range of relevant courses. The teacher-in-charge of the unit has a recognised qualification for teaching pupils with specific learning difficulties. The school has employed a well qualified and extremely knowledgeable technician to support the teaching of information technology; the quality of this support is having a significant impact .

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70. There are experienced staff to deal with school administration and there are sufficient midday supervisors to ensure a proper level of supervision during lunchtime. The school employs only two cleaning staff for what is a relatively large area and much credit is due to the caretaker and his assistants for the high standards of cleanliness throughout the building. All staff work well together and there is a strong shared commitment from teachers, classroom assistants, clerical staff and ancillary staff to promote pupils’ progress and personal development.

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71. Arrangements for professional staff training are very good with a wide range of external courses and well prepared in-house training sessions that are tied to teachers’ personal needs and the school development plan. The two newly qualified teachers have a detailed induction programme that is well monitored. There are very good job descriptions for staff and the appraisal system is thorough and effectively linked to teachers’ professional development. The staff handbook is comprehensive and is kept up to date.

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72. The accommodation is satisfactory for the teaching of the whole curriculum. A few of the classrooms are rather small but good classroom management overcomes this. The hall is of a good size for gymnastics and dance. The newly constructed library will be a very valuable asset when it is fully furnished with its books and computerised recording system; it will also provide a useful extra space for small group or individual teaching. The accommodation for pupils with special educational needs both in the unit and in the mainstream special needs room is good. Resources are to hand and work is displayed attractively making these areas pleasant places for pupils to work and make progress. The information technology suite is well set out; because of its size, only about a third of each class can be taught at the same time. Physically disabled pupils would have full access to the ground level part of the school but stairs would

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prevent them getting to the classrooms and information technology suite on the upper floor.

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73. There are extensive outside hard surfaced and grassed play areas and a sports field for football or other team games; these areas are all well maintained and have been enhanced in many ways. The adventurous play equipment is surrounded by a chipped bark surface and there are games, such as a chessboard, painted on the hard surfaces. Some benches and tables are provided in the playground used by the younger pupils and there is some shade from mature trees. There is a ‘wild’ area and pond and a delightful nature area planted with a variety of trees and bushes, for which the school received a Forestry Commission award. This is well used both by pupils during breaks and to support curriculum activities.

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74. The state of the corridors and general use areas of the ground floor of the building is satisfactory but some classrooms are overdue for repainting and the overall maintenance of the building reflects a deterioration since the previous inspection. The ceilings of the upper storey are in need of maintenance. Outside there is some rotting of the fascia boards on the end of the upper storey. The governors are reluctant to proceed with any work on the upper storey because they believe that there is a structural problem with the roof and the issue of responsibility has yet to be resolved with the local education authority. The school development plan does not include any reference to maintenance and redecoration but a survey of the whole school has recently been completed by the governors and they are now prioritising a redecoration programme. 75. Resources are generally good and are very good in some aspects of some subjects, for example the

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quality of musical instruments and physical education equipment. Resources are regularly audited and are stored adequately. Requirements for each subject are identified in the school development plan; there has been a high level of spending on resources in the last year and forecast for this year, which is reflected in the good provision. Reference and fiction books, which are of good quality and range, will soon be housed in the new library. There is a good range of books and other resources for teaching language and literacy skills to pupils with special educational needs. Each classroom has a computer and most are networked to the others in the school; some older computers are to be replaced this year. The information technology suite is equipped with a good range of computer hardware and appropriate software to meet the needs of the information technology Programmes of Study. This good quality

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provision is having a significant impact on pupils’ progress.

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76. The school’s systems for financial planning are generally sound. There are well developed curriculum action plans, especially in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, with appropriate costings and lead personnel to implement plans. They are based on thorough school audits which take account of staff expertise, resources and the monitoring of pupils’ attainment levels. The implementation of these plans has made a significant impact on school improvement. However, the financial planning structure for the development of the school building is weak. Appropriate finance is set aside for the maintenance of the accommodation but there is no overall clearly recorded school strategy for building improvement. Within the school development plan no specific sum of money is set aside for contingencies. The school relies on an unplanned underspend being available to deal with any unforeseen financial problems. There is little evidence of longer-term forecasting of potential surpluses

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and considering how best to use these. For example, an unexpected surplus in the previous year was instrumental in decisions to create a new library but this was not part of any recorded longer-term strategy. The school development plan sets out suitable targets for one year, but with the exception of some curriculum areas, does not project financial planning further into the future with long-term priorities and targets.

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77. The governing body, through a properly delegated finance committee, fulfils its strategic role to monitor the planning and use of financial resources. They receive accurate updated information and monitor budget spending regularly. There are no formal mechanisms for the assessment of cost effectiveness of financial decisions but the governors and headteacher have a sound overview of the effect of previous spending decisions on school development. Visits by governors have taken place, for example, to observe the implementation of the literacy and numeracy initiatives and subsequent reports have emphasised the importance of evaluating the outcomes in terms of pupils’ progress and attainment.

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78. Teachers and support staff are used effectively to support teaching and learning throughout the school. Subject co-ordinators use their non-contact time to monitor and develop curriculum areas successfully. Support teachers are actively involved in planning and make effective use of their time in classes when releasing co-ordinators. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection when their involvement was judged to be passive at times. The senior staff deployed to support pupils with special educational needs promotes good progress for these pupils. It is notable, however, that pupils are often taught on a one-to-one basis which is less efficient when timely use of information technology or alternative teaching methods would enable pupils to be taught together for some of the time.

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79. The accommodation and site facilities are used well to further curriculum aims. The small teaching areas for pupils with special educational needs are used to good effect to provide support for individuals and small groups. Space for a small computer suite has cleverly been found. An extension to the main building has recently been completed and will accommodate a library with modern computerised facilities. This is a positive response to the last inspection report when library facilities were criticised. Learning resources are effectively used to support pupils’ learning and make a direct impact on educational outcomes. The resources purchased to support the recently introduced literacy and numeracy initiatives are particularly well used to promote progress towards school targets. 80. The school has good systems for financial control and administration. The most recent external audit report of the school accounts in October 1998 judged the school procedures to be sound. There were only

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a small number of minor recommendation, which have now been implemented. School funds are audited regularly in line with recommended practice. Day-to-day school administration is good. Two administrative staff undertake their duties conscientiously and have efficient systems which are well established within school routines.

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81. The school raises additional funds from lettings of the premises and donations from the parents’ association and from other sources. These are profitably used to enhance the quality of pupils’ education as evident, for example, in the new library and the computer provision. Additional funds are received from the local education authority for the funding of special educational needs provision both in the unit and for mainstream support. These are used well to provide good levels of teaching support and practical resources which are promoting good progress in pupils’ language and literacy skills.

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82. Pupils generally enter the school with attainments in line with the national average. They make good progress throughout the school and achieve standards above the nationally expected levels in most subjects by the time they leave the school. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive and the quality of teaching is good. The expenditure per pupil is relatively low compared with schools of a similar type. Taking all these factors into account the school is judged to give good value for money. 87. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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83. By the end of the key stage, pupils’ attainment in all aspects of English is above average and this represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection. These judgements are reflected in the results of the 1998 National Curriculum tests which were above the national average and confirmed by the results of the latest tests, taken in 1999, which indicated a further slight improvement overall with substantially more pupils achieving the higher Level 5 grade. Results show a steady improvement in pupils’ attainment over the past three years. Overall, pupils are making good progress across all areas of the English curriculum. They enter school with attainment levels broadly in line with national averages and leave at the end of the key stage with above average attainment. Pupils with special educational needs are also making good progress towards the targets that have been set for them.

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84. By the end of the key stage, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is above average. Pupils talk and listen confidently in a range of situations. They respond well to teachers’ questions, the most articulate replying in complex sentences. A rich and varied vocabulary is often used to convey the pupils’ opinions. This is particularly well demonstrated in a Year 6 class when pupils comfortably discuss both local and national news items gleaned from newspaper articles. Pupils of average and below average attainment are generally confident in discussion situations when offering viewpoints. Listening skills are well developed, with pupils of all ability groups sustaining concentration. They are attentive in lessons, especially during teachers’ introductory sessions in the literacy hour.

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85. Pupils’ progress in this aspect is good throughout the school. Pupils have opportunities to gain confidence in developing their speaking skills through reading their written work to the whole class and responding to well-crafted teacher questions. Teachers ensure that the majority of pupils are involved in discussion during question and answer sessions. They provide a good management framework within which expectations for pupils’ concentration are high. Stimulating material is also provided to promote interesting and rich spoken language, as demonstrated when text from the ‘Iron Man’ was used in a Year 5 literacy hour lesson. A significant proportion of pupils experience speech and language difficulties, a few with severe difficulties when they join the school. These pupils steadily improve their pronunciation, clarity and understanding of language. The high quality of the teaching of pupils who

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are withdrawn from lessons by the special needs co-ordinator and special support assistants is a major factor in their rate of progress.

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86. Pupils’ levels of attainment in reading are generally good. By the end of the key stage many pupils are very good readers. They are proficient in many higher-order reading skills, such as skimming to seek information and using evidence from the text to justify their viewpoint. These higher attaining pupils are enthusiastic. They read silently with sustained concentration. They recall stories readily and have clear preferences on authors and their particular styles. Pupils of average attainment are reasonably fluent when reading aloud. They identify punctuation and pause appropriately to convey meaning when reading aloud. They talk comfortably about the plot and give an outline of the main characters in the book. Dictionary skills are quite well developed with pupils finding appropriate words systematically using the alphabet. Many lower attaining pupils are competent readers. They read with reasonable

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fluency and a fair degree of accuracy. They are equipped with a number of basic reading strategies which help them to identify unfamiliar words. Knowledge of book conventions are well established. They are familiar with terms such as contents page, index, title, author and illustrator.

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87. Pupils’ progress is generally good throughout the school. The school gives a high priority to the development of reading. There are ample opportunities to practise during the school day and there is a well structured range of materials to draw from. Pupils are also expected to read at home regularly and this is monitored by teachers. The skills of reading are taught by teachers through the programmes set out in the National Literacy Strategy. However, teachers do not make sufficient regular assessments of individual pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in reading, so limiting opportunities to enhance their reading skills yet further.

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88. Standards of attainment in writing are generally good, with a large percentage of pupils in Year 6 achieving above expected levels. They write in a range of styles for different audiences, ranging from rhyming poetry to an empathetic diary style, based on Anne Frank’s writing. These pupils use rich imaginative language, accurately punctuated. Handwriting is legible and fluently formed. Spelling is normally correct even when adventurous words are used. Pupils of average attainment produce lively writing. When constructing sentences, capital letters, full stops, commas and question marks are usually inserted accurately. The work of the relatively small number of lower attaining pupils is less imaginative but nevertheless well structured to convey meaning. The spelling of most common words is accurate. Handwriting is tidily presented but lacks the flowing style of the more able pupils.

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89. Pupils throughout the ability range make good progress in their writing. Spelling is taught consistently throughout the school, this being a criticism in the last inspection report which has been rectified. Regular practice in handwriting enables pupils to progress well in the forming of a joined fluent, legible style. The processes of writing are taught well. Pupils write using an increasing range of styles and for different purposes. Teachers give pupils good guidance on drafting and the layout of formal and informal writing. The marking of written work by teachers also has a positive effect on pupils’ progress. In almost classes they are given clear and often constructive advice on how to improve their work.

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90. The school’s implementation of the literacy strategy has been very successful. Teachers are following the guidelines enthusiastically and providing a good range of challenging activities for pupils in their classes. Literacy pervades the whole school curriculum, with some good examples of pupils using their skills in cross-curricular work. Pupils in Year 6 give their written opinions on environmental issues in geography and describe the appearance of the ‘Christmas Star’ in religious education. In history pupils write graphically in a ‘first hand’ account of an air raid and in physical education pupils form a structured plan for a lesson, setting out appropriate activities. The school staff choose resources carefully and ensure that literacy materials purchased include texts representing a wide range of subjects. The local and wider school community are also encouraged to participate in literacy through the ‘Books and

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Beyond’ project and the Swindon Schools Shakespeare initiative. Some good examples of effective use of information technology to support literacy skills were seen in one Year 4 class although this aspect is currently underdeveloped throughout the school.

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91. Pupils’ response in English lessons is almost always good. Attitudes are positive. Pupils listen carefully to teachers’ explanations and settle well to tasks. They show enjoyment and answer teachers’ questions enthusiastically. Pupils’ work is generally well presented. Occasionally, teachers spend too long during the introductory session and pupils then become fidgety and restless. Pupils’ behaviour is usually good.

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92. The teaching of English throughout the school is good. Three-quarters of lessons observed during the inspection were good, and some of these were judged to be very good. The percentage of good teaching has increased significantly since the last inspection. Teachers’ lesson planning is thorough with clear learning objectives established for the lesson. Tasks are thoroughly prepared and matched well to pupils’ attainment levels. In the most successful lessons teachers have very high expectations of pupils. Teachers’ questions are focused to enhance understanding and knowledge. Pupils are managed well by teachers and their work is monitored to identify any misconceptions early on in the lesson. Resources are used effectively to stimulate pupils’ interest. In one lesson the pace was too slow and pupils made insufficient progress in the time available. This was related to the teacher’s low expectations and lack of

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clarity in what the pupils should learn in the lesson.

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93. The school has based its English curriculum on the National Literacy Strategy but has wisely allocated additional curriculum time to reading, spelling, handwriting, extended writing and literature. This benefits the curriculum considerably by giving breadth and balance. Assessment procedures are generally very good. Pupils’ progress is monitored regularly through a range of suitable tests and the checking of skills acquired. The information from annual assessments is used effectively to inform future planning and to provide predicted targets for individuals. This represents an improvement since the last inspection.

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94. The co-ordinator, ably supported by two other staff with responsibilities for aspects of English, gives very good leadership in the development of the subject. The quality of teaching and learning is monitored successfully. Annual audits provide the basis for carefully planned development over the coming year. The organisation, accessibility and the range of resources available, enable a rich curriculum to be delivered. The school is close to completing the refurbishment of the new specially built library area. This will further strengthen the English provision in the school.

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95. Standards in mathematics are above average and this represents an improvement since the previous inspection. Although results of the 1998 National Curriculum tests and assessments for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 were in line with the national average and lower than the previous year, the most recent 1999 test results show a dramatic improvement. , particularly in Year 6 where an extra group has been created to cater for the needs of the highest attainers. The school is successfully implementing the numeracy strategy and is well placed to secure further improvement in the subject.

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96. Work in lessons indicate that, by Year 6, pupils are working above nationally expected levels, particularly with number work and in the use and application of their skills and knowledge in solving problems. Lower attainers use a wide vocabulary; for example, when dividing, they understand ‘half’, ‘divide’, ‘multiple’, ‘share’ and ‘percentage’ and work out that 0.5 is the same as half. Higher attainers show a good grasp of different calculation skills, including inverse operations, and they have a secure recall of their multiplication tables which they apply well in solving problems. All pupils by this stage are able to describe their calculations and most can multiply and divide two- and three-digit numbers with ease. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of shape and data-handling is also of a good standard; for example, pupils learn about the properties of shape by building three-dimensional models as well as

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using a computer to make graphs and charts.

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97. Progress overall is good, including the progress of pupils with special educational needs. Attainment is broadly average when pupils enter the school and they make good progress through Years 3 and 4. By the end of Year 3, pupils can compare frequency using a bar chart, begin to name angles, and tell the time on a digital and an analogue clock. The youngest pupils learn the basic principles of calculating number problems including place value, halving, doubling and counting on. This strong foundation leads to continuing good progress in Years 5 and 6 where almost a third of pupils are working in advance of the expectation for their age groups, particularly with number and problem solving activities and this is further evident in some good work on the basics of algebraic equations. The majority of pupils show a good understanding of the different methods that can be used to estimate and check calculations. Particularly good progress in lessons was seen amongst the lower attaining pupils across

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98. Progress in numeracy and the more practical aspects of mathematics is further developed in other subjects, particularly geography, history and science. In these subjects coordinates, scale, comparisons of data using graphs and charts, measurements of flow, depth, calibrations and temperature are a few examples of previously learned mathematics being applied. Pupils secure knowledge of number helps them tackle these aspects with confidence.

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99. The behaviour and attitudes of pupils in mathematics lessons is usually good, and it is very good in almost half of all lessons seen. In these lessons, pupils work hard, sustain concentration and are enthusiastic and keen to do well. Most pupils make contributions towards discussion with great confidence. Pupils’ attitudes and the good behaviour seen contribute significantly towards the good progress made throughout the school. A noticeable element of all mathematics lessons is the way pupils work together in pairs or groups to explore the problems given and develop their thinking through collaboration. In one isolated lesson where behaviour was poor, pupils became restless and annoyed one another. This reflected work which was too difficult and weaknesses in the teachers’ management and organisation of the class.

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100. The quality of mathematics teaching is good or better in three quarters of all lessons, and in just under half of all lessons seen is very good; two lesson were judged to be excellent. The teaching staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the elements leading to a thorough foundation in the basics, particularly number and suitable mental strategies for calculation. The structure provided by the National Numeracy Project is used well in teachers’ planning, which is thorough and in most lessons builds very effectively on pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding. In the most successful lessons work is carefully prepared for the needs of different groups, pace is brisk and the challenge sufficient to keep pupils motivated and making progress. A particularly strong feature of mathematics lessons is the respect which is shown towards the contributions of all pupils, which supports their social development.

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Two unsatisfactory lessons were observed. In these the work was not well matched to pupils’ ability and behaviour was not well managed.

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101. The curriculum places an appropriate emphasis on numeracy development and is very well implemented throughout the school. Effective curriculum planning ensures that pupils’ knowledge and skills develop in a clear sequence. Assessment systems to support lesson planning are very good. Pupils’ overall progress is very well documented and carefully monitored. Annual tests provide a useful measure of progress and the information gathered is used effectively to give accurate predictions of future performance and to inform decisions about placing pupils in setted groups.

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102. The subject is very well managed. The work is shared between two co-ordinators who monitor effectively, support staff very well and keep a useful detailed record of their work. The school staff and the co-ordinators have done an excellent job in implementing a new curriculum and working methods so effectively at such an early stage in the year. Resources are satisfactory, with some good resources for the more practical aspects of mathematics; their use to support progress has improved since the last report. Use of computer technology is developing well and planned improvements to software provision and its use will further support pupils’ ability to express themselves mathematically. Expenditure has been carefully and efficiently managed to gauge the needs of teachers during these early stages of implementing the National Numeracy Strategy. In all aspects of the subject, standards have been maintained or improved since the last report.

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103. Attainment at the end of the key stage is above average and this represents an overall improvement since the previous inspection. Results of the 1998 statutory tests for eleven year olds were broadly in line with national averages although the percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 grade was below average. However, results of the 1999 tests show a significant improvement in science results overall, especially in the percentage of pupils achieving the higher grade and observations during the inspection confirm this improvement. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 are taught in groups based on pupils’ prior attainment levels and this arrangement has been very successful in improving overall attainment at the end of the key stage. Since the inspection was undertaken at the start of the school year, there were, understandably, limited samples of work undertaken during the current year. However, a close scrutiny

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of work from the previous school year revealed that pupils undertake a wide range of appropriate science activities covering all attainment targets well. These indicate good progress in pupils’ knowledge and understanding and in the development of their investigative skills. They plan and undertake experiments, understand the need for a fair test, and make appropriate conclusions based on their findings.

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104. In Year 3, pupils give appropriate explanations for changes in living things and use simple classifications to sort food into groups; understanding, for example, that meat, vegetable and cereals ‘are good for you’ and that lots of fat and sugar in the diet can be ‘unhealthy’. Most pupils studying life processes understand that nutrition, movement, growth, reproduction, etc. are common to all animals and are beginning to use this knowledge to differentiate living and non-living things. Pupils in Year 4 studying light explain ‘translucent’, ‘opaque’ and ‘transparent’ and know that, when light is unable to pass through certain materials, shadows are cast and that some surfaces, such as mirrors, reflect light. When planning and carrying out an experiment to test rocks for permeability, pupils in the higher attaining Year 5 set demonstrated a particularly good awareness of experimental methods and the

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concept of a ‘fair test’, understanding the concept of changing one variable and gauging its effect. Pupils in this set and the middle ability set are working at above national expectations and the majority of pupils in the lower ability set are working at appropriate levels for their age. In Year 6, pupils in the higher ability set are working at levels which are well above national expectations. They understand that light as we normally see it is called ‘white light’ and that prisms can be used to demonstrate that white light is made up of the colours of the spectrum. They know that light bends when it hits a new medium such as glass or water and that convex and concave lenses bend light rays outward and inward. The majority of pupils in the lower ability group, which contains a number of pupils with special educational needs, are attaining below expectations for their age but are making good progress in

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relation to their prior attainment. Pupils with special educational needs in all year groups are supported well and make at least satisfactory progress overall.

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105. Pupils’ response in lessons is good overall. They work quietly and conscientiously, clearly enjoying their science lessons. In the best cases pupils show great interest in the activities and are keen to answer the teachers’ questions, replying with enthusiasm and confidence. They collaborate effectively when carrying out experimental work in groups and record their work carefully.

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106. The quality of teaching is good overall. Teaching in lessons observed was frequently very good and was never less than satisfactory. Teachers give clear explanations and are confident in their subject knowledge; they plan lessons very well, with clear links to the Programmes of Study, and make good links with other curriculum areas such as English and mathematics. For example, practical work involving data collection provides useful opportunities for pupils to practise their numeracy skills. Where teaching was very good, teachers motivated pupils very well, maintained a brisk pace throughout the lesson, had a very good rapport with their pupils and had appropriately high expectations of work and behaviour.

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107. The subject co-ordinator has a good overview of science in the school obtained through careful monitoring of standards, pupils’ work and teachers’ plans. Science topics are planned on a rolling programme of two-year cycles and this system provides good progression and continuity in learning and covers all the science attainment targets appropriately. Regular assessments of science work covered are undertaken and appropriate records kept by the class teachers. Resources include a good range of practical equipment and teachers’ support materials.

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108. Attainment in information technology by the end of the key stage is in line with expectations. The majority of the oldest pupils have a satisfactory range of skills in most elements of the subject and are particularly proficient in word processing and the general handling of software. At the time of the previous inspection standards were judged to be high and this suggests that the school has not kept pace with the rapid developments in the subject over recent years. The current inspection took place at the beginning of the academic year and the school is nearing the completion of an ambitious programme for upgrading its hardware and software. It is well placed to secure improvements in pupils’ attainment.

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109. Pupils in Year 6 have a good grasp of general routines such as logging on to the network and saving, retrieving and printing their work. They use a word processor to create different styles of writing, changing the font, size and colour and adding graphic images to their work. They explain how they used simple data-logging equipment to measure and record changes in sound levels as part of their work in science during the previous year. The highest attainers, who generally have wide experience of information technology at home, confidently select software for a specific task and confidently explain how to combine these in order to create a particular presentation. Pupils collect information about local traffic, enter it into a database and produce a graph. They interrogate prepared databases at a simple level but show limited awareness of how to search and interpret more complex data. They have some

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experience of simple computer control, for example using a programmable robot, but their understanding in this area is weaker than in other aspects. Both these elements are due to be taught during the coming year.

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110. Overall progress through the key stage is sound and pupils make good progress in lessons in the computer suite which are taught by a highly skilled part-time technician. The small group size allows close individual support but means there is a long time between sessions; each year group has access once over a three or four week period. Longer-term progress is further limited by the lack of opportunities in classes for pupils to practise and consolidate the skills they are learning in the computer suite. Little use was made of the computer suite in the mornings during the inspection although older pupils do usually make use of the suite most mornings. Pupils with special needs in the unit make use of skills-practice software but this aspect is underdeveloped; their progress is currently limited further by the need for repairs to one computer.

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111. Pupils in Year 3 enter the school with broadly typical experience and attainment. They make satisfactory progress in class lessons and make good progress in basic word processing when working in the computer suite. Pupils in Year 4 show increasing confidence in using their word-processing skills and create their own pictures using ‘painting’ software. Some higher attainers produce highly detailed and imaginative art work for their age on the computer. Pupils in this year group explain how, as part of their science work, they measured the amount of light coming through different materials using data- logging equipment and how they entered the information into a spreadsheet to produce a graph. In Year 5, pupils use a prepared spreadsheet to investigate alternative ways of spending money on items for a child’s party and in Year 6 they begin to develop skills in multimedia presentations. The school’s

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portfolio of pupils’ work indicates that the work produced by pupils increases in complexity, range and quality as they move through the school and gain experience.

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112. Pupils have positive attitudes and show great enthusiasm in their work. The younger pupils begin to develop independence and the older pupils persevere when they encounter problems, often using trial and error successfully. They support each other well and take great care and attention to detail, for example when creating ‘paintings’ on screen.

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113. The quality of teaching is sound overall and is good in lessons observed in the computer suite. The opportunity to concentrate on the needs of a small group of pupils ensures they make good progress. This good progress occurs even in some lessons, as for example with a Year 3 group, where the objective is too broad and much time is spent in addressing the needs of individual pupils who require constant help. In the better and more successful lessons - as seen, for example, with a Year 5 group - there is a clear focus on the task and well prepared work files enable the teacher and pupils to concentrate on the specific skills targeted. In those lessons observed in classes where information technology was being taught during the inspection week, teachers generally organise their time satisfactorily to enable the teaching of a small group. They are secure in their knowledge of the software, explain and demonstrate effectively and plan time during the following days for these pupils to

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practise and consolidate their skills. Strategies to integrate the use of the computer into lessons in many other classes are, however, limited and in many classes the computer was left unused during the week.

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114. The school is making increasing use of information technology to support work in literacy. Pupils experiment with different vocabulary, draft their written work and identify parts of speech in text carefully prepared by teachers. Work with spreadsheets promotes pupils’ numeracy skills and their knowledge and understanding of data-handling in mathematics. Good use is made of the computer in art lessons in one Year 4 class to extend pupils’ experience in using different media to create ‘paintings’ in the style of Monet. Limited use is currently made of information technology to support work in other subjects, for example history, geography and music, although appropriate software is being introduced and most subject co-ordinators make clear in their action plans how this aspect will be addressed in the current year. Pupils in the unit use phonics and a talking word-processing program, which helps them

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with reading, writing and spelling but this aspect is underdeveloped. It is recognised by the school that information technology is not used sufficiently to support pupils with special educational needs and to free staff to work with more than one pupil in a session.

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115. The school has recently adapted elements of the nationally recommended scheme of work in order to provide a balanced programme of activities over the key stage. The long-term planning clearly sets out what will be taught in the computer suite but there is insufficient guidance on linking this to classroom activities. Teachers’ termly plans do not always include details of the information technology to be taught. Systems for assessing pupils’ attainment are being replaced to ensure a closer link to the new schemes of work.

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116. Resources for information technology have improved significantly since the previous inspection and the overall provision is above average compared with similar schools. There is a good range of appropriate ‘basic’ software and this is being extended in other subjects. Newer technologies such as a digital camera and scanner are being introduced and the school has its own web site. Clever use of a cloakroom area has provided a small suite of computers and most classrooms now have a computer networked to these. The newly appointed co-ordinator has an appropriate strategic action plan in place that identifies the important issues for development and the school is suitably placed to secure further improvement in all aspects of the subject.

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117. Since the last inspection the school has continued to maintain the standards required in the five attainment targets for the Locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education in Wiltshire.

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118. By the end of Key Stage 2, attainment for the majority of pupils is in line with the expectations of the Agreed Syllabus and a significant number of higher attaining pupils are achieving above this level. Pupils know that there are places which are special to religious faiths. They visit the local parish church and the Sikh Gurdwara. They understand how rules help people to identify with where they belong. They know that Islam has its ‘five pillars’ of wisdom and that Christianity has the ‘new commandment’ given by Jesus. Each class annually makes its own rules for belonging and living in harmony. Pupils understand how the cycle of life strongly influences religious practice. They know creation stories, experience new year celebrations from other cultures and understand how religious ceremonies such as baptism and marriage mark the passage of human life. Discussions about relationships promote the

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positive ethos of the school. Pupils see themselves through the eyes of their peers and explore the importance of friendship and family life. Through a study of the importance of such secular signs as road traffic indicators pupils understand the underlying significance of symbolism in religious faiths. They know that the cross has an unspoken meaning for Christians whilst the wearing of particular artefacts means special things to members of the Sikh faith.

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119. Most pupils make satisfactory progress in their knowledge and understanding and good progress is made by more able pupils. Discussions during lessons are lively and open. In response to the parable of the talents pupils share their own talents and celebrate those of their friends. Through their own experiences other pupils empathise well with the feelings of both Jesus and Muhammad as they sought peace and quiet in which to pray. Through collective worship, religious education makes a regular and significant contribution to the daily life of the whole school. When pupils with special educational needs are supported in their classes they make at least satisfactory progress.

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120. Pupils respond positively to their lessons. They listen attentively to their teachers and make reflective and perceptive responses to open questions. They settle quickly to their work and concentrate well during periods of individual study. Pride is generally taken in presentation whether narrative text, responses to questions, illustrated form or worksheets. A fine example of pupils’ co-operative working can be seen in the large painting of the parish church on display in one work area.

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121. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers try hard to make their lessons enjoyable and meaningful. They have good subject knowledge and high expectations of their pupils both in terms of quality of learning and of behaviour. They are skilful managers, have good humoured relationships with the pupils and share their own thoughts and feelings. Lessons are generally well paced to fit in with a tight allocation of time and teachers make good use of plenary sessions to sensitively draw upon pupils’ thoughts and ideas. Lessons are well planned with clear objectives and often stimulating activities to facilitate understanding.

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122. The co-ordinator is a committed, enthusiastic exemplar for religious education and has raised the profile of the subject across the school since her appointment to the post. She monitors teachers’ planning each term and supports staff development but does not have specific time allocated for this purpose. A practical scheme of work is in place which reflects the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus in all year groups. Staff make satisfactory use of a sufficient range of resources for multi-faith teaching and the school uses a central loans service to supplement these.

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123. Pupils, including those with special needs, make good progress in lessons and develop a wide range of skills. The high standards identified in the previous inspection have been maintained. In Year 3, work with colour and tone leads to three-dimensional work in clay and papier-maché as well as experience of different types of printing. Pupils in Year 4 learn to design, sketch and then make beautiful sculptures using the style of Giacometti. The water colour work of this group demonstrates sensitive use of paint to reflect their experiences of nature. By Year 5, the high standard of observational work in the sketch books underpins the detailed work using different paint and textures. In Year 6, work with repeat pattern leads towards an understanding of the art of different cultures such as the Islamic patterns of prayer mats. A strong feature throughout the school is the use of work from a broad range of well known

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artists. Many pupils discuss these with confidence, carefully considering the techniques used and successfully creating their own effects in similar styles.

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124. Pupils’ attitudes and responses in all art lessons are at least good and often very good. Some very thoughtful observations about various paintings are given confidently and pupils are able to build their perceptions by listening to others. They are keen to try out the techniques for themselves such as rearranging photographs to reproduce the fragmentation of image used by Picasso to show the horrors of war. Behaviour is very good and contributes to the good learning taking place.

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125. The quality of teaching is good overall and was very good in two lessons seen. Work from the sketch books, class portfolios and displays shows that teaching is generally good with some high quality work clearly reflecting teachers’ high expectations. Teachers demonstrate a wide knowledge of the main aspects of art teaching with a consistency of planning which ensures progression of skills and knowledge. The pace, challenge and engaging presentation of lessons ensures that pupils retain a positive attitude and remain focused on their work. A simple but effective assessment system also ensures that pupils are able to build well upon skills learned earlier.

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126. The very good art curriculum is broad, sequential and maintains a firm focus on the development of skills using different media, as well as opportunities for reflection and critical discussion of the process. The subject is led very well by the co-ordinator who supports and advises colleagues. Useful information on which stage of perceptual development pupils have reached in each year is a particularly good feature of the monitoring process. The use of external resources such as Swindon art gallery and visits to local works of interest supports the subject in school. A regular art club is very well attended and other initiatives include an artist in residence and the arts week.

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127. Progress is satisfactory throughout the key stage and the standards identified in the previous report have been maintained. Four design and technology lessons were observed during the inspection and evidence from these lessons, from samples of work on display around the school and from photographic evidence provided by the subject co-ordinator, shows that work is planned at an appropriate level for each year group and that pupils make satisfactory progress in both designing and making as they move through the school. No lessons took place in Year 4 or Year 6 during the inspection.

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128. In Year 3, pupils evaluate a range of commercially-prepared sandwiches, taking them apart and evaluating their strengths and weaknesses in order to see if they meet the needs of consumers. They use appropriate terminology for the materials and techniques used and appreciate health and safety considerations. Pupils in Year 5 evaluate a series of musical instruments and develop an understanding of how materials are used according to their properties; for example, how wood, metal, surface texture and tension are used to create varying sounds. They begin to gather information and use it to help generate ideas prior to designing their own. In another Year 5 lesson, pupils choose appropriate materials, such as paper, card, rubber bands, sticky tape, construction kits and combine them in temporary ways to try out different techniques before evaluating the resulting sounds. Photographs of work produced by the previous Year 6 pupils indicate that pupils undertake an appropriately wide and

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varied range of designing and making activities.

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129. Pupils’ response in lessons is positive. In the best cases, pupils are well motivated by the task, respond well to their teacher’s questions and explain their findings with confidence. The majority of pupils work well together and support each other, sharing resources appropriately.

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130. Teaching in design and technology lessons is satisfactory overall and was good in two lessons observed. In the best lessons, teachers explain lesson objectives clearly, ensuring that pupils know what is expected, and have appropriately high expectations of work and behaviour. They provide a good range of resources to support practical work and use questioning well to probe and direct pupils’ learning. There is a revised policy for the subject, written by the subject co-ordinator, and the school has recently adopted a national scheme of work for the subject which ensures at least satisfactory continuity and progression in the key skills. The co-ordinator maintains a sound overview of the subject through monitoring teachers’ plans and the work produced by pupils.

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131. Most pupils make good progress throughout the key stage but a few pupils with special educational needs make slower progress because they are withdrawn from lessons to work on their reading and writing. Younger pupils place symbols of classroom furniture on a sheet of paper to make a plan of their classroom. They learn to orientate objects appropriately and to justify where they have put them. Pupils study the local area and become skilled in asking geographical questions. Higher attaining pupils write detailed and informative guides to Wroughton based on information they have gathered. Pupils’ knowledge widens as they learn about life in a village in India. They record facts about different countries from around the world and use this information effectively, months later, when studying a map showing world climate. Pupils gain a great deal from their studies of rivers, naming features and

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understanding the effects of rates of flow on the riverbed.

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132. Pupils’ attitudes to their work are consistently good. They enjoy the challenge of practical work, for example, making a different plan for their classroom and older pupils are looking forward to a residential trip in the Brecons, which will shortly take place. Their work clearly shows they take a pride in the way they present it, often using clear illustrations. They are polite and considerate towards each other in class, for example, offering help to a pupil colour matching for a climate map. They are prepared to listen to and consider other points of view and share resources including scissors and glue amicably.

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133. The quality of teaching is good. This has a positive effect on the progress which pupils make. Teachers have a good level of subject knowledge. They consistently use appropriate terms, for example, referring to zones, deserts and tropical climates. Lesson planning is effective. There are often practical activities to involve the pupils and keep them interested. Work is carefully chosen to ensure all pupils can do it to the best of their ability, for example, pupils drew posters showing information they had gathered about river flow and higher attaining pupils worked out average flow in different places. Appropriate ‘enquiry’ methods are used successfully. Pace is maintained effectively by setting time limits for what they are doing, although occasionally too much time is spent on one part of a lesson and tasks are incomplete. Pupils are managed well including using phrases such as ‘pencils down’ and ‘eyes this

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way’ or clicking fingers to gain the attention of the whole class quickly. Teachers move around the classrooms assessing skilfully how pupils are doing. The area around the school is used well by teachers. Pupils explore how water lays after rain outside the building, and are asked to choose and justify a location for a bench seat.

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134. Teachers provide a range of opportunities for pupils to practise their literacy and numeracy skills in geography. Pupils increase their vocabulary through learning correct terms. They are asked to read and interpret information, for example, from maps and to search for information by studying books and atlases. Both bar and line graphs are drawn to display data that they have collected and they measure depth and flow of rivers.

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135. Recent positive changes to the schemes of work for geography, utilising the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority documentation and moving to a yearly cycle from a two-year topic based system, contribute strongly to the progress pupils make. Since the last inspection the co-ordinator has devised an effective system to encourage staff to include higher levels of attainment when planning lessons. This is proving a powerful tool to raise standards in the subject. Thorough monitoring, a high level of expertise and enthusiasm and a new recording system ensure the co-ordination role is carried out efficiently and skilfully. The subject development plan shows that the co-ordinator is aware of deficits in the use of information technology to assist in teaching geography and a number of programs are to be purchased. The display of recent newspaper cuttings linked to places on a world map is a source of

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discussion in many classrooms. This helps pupils to increase their learning about geography and particularly to be aware of the impact of recent disasters and wars; for example, the fighting in East Timor and earthquakes in Turkey.

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136. There has been a significant improvement in the progress pupils make in history since the last inspection as now they make at least good progress overall through the key stage and often make very good progress in lessons. Pupils learn to use sources of evidence and to make inferences and deductions from what they see. For example, a Year 4 group compared the armour and weapons of a Celt and a Roman soldier. A skilful portrayal of facts helped them deduce that the Romans had the advantage in all but the weather conditions. Older pupils become skilled in using primary and secondary evidence. They learn to question the evidence in front of their eyes, deciding that a portrait of Henry VIII is flattering. Higher attaining pupils use their prior knowledge and evidence on time lines to conclude that the painter of Henry’s son Edward was trying to make him look healthy. Pupils know about the Victorians and

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local history. They compare census data looking for reasons for change and learn about inventions and local industry, for example, the development of the Triang Toy factory.

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137. Pupils’ attitudes to learning history are always good and often very good. They clearly enjoy the challenge of finding things out and making inferences from evidence. They are often totally absorbed in listening and watching the teacher or examining evidence. They express views in response to questions and listen to others expressing theirs. Sometimes they are so involved they are reluctant to stop the lesson! Pupils work together well, sharing resources of pictures and text and exchanging opinions. Almost all pupils behave very well indeed. Occasionally, if the teacher talks for a little too long, a few become restless but quickly become involved in an activity.

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138. The teaching of history has improved since the last inspection and is now at least good and often very good. A particularly strong element of history teaching is the careful planning of lessons and the provision of activities with different levels of difficulty; for example, different examples of primary evidence of portraits of the Tudor royal family and tasks with differing levels of guidance including one which could be answered largely using pictures and short sentences and another which needed a high order of critical skills. Assessment objectives are clearly stated on lesson plans and expectations are high with ‘quality work’ requested from the pupils. Resources are used well, particularly pictures and census figures. Pupils are managed very effectively. In one instance a potentially restless group did their work with the teacher exploring true and false facts about Henry VIII together whilst the rest of the

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class worked independently without fuss.

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139. Pupils develop their literacy skills effectively during history lessons. They read and interpret written evidence and discuss what they have discovered. They write in a range of ways, for example, relating grandparents’ reminiscences about life during the war, identifying with the life women led in Sparta and exploring the life of an evacuee. Numeracy skills are also enhanced through pupils’ developing understanding of chronology. They use time lines and work out lengths of reigns and compare census data.

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140. Since the last inspection, the curriculum for history has been reviewed to take into account advice offered through the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority documents and has adopted a one-year cycle rather than a two-year topic approach. This is very effective in ensuring that there is continuity from one year to the next and that the National Curriculum requirements are met. Particular care has been taken to ensure higher attaining pupils have work set at a suitable level. Co-ordination of the subject is good and monitoring procedures are effective. The co-ordinator has developed a very good sheet to help staff record levels of attainment and supporting evidence using clear examples of what is expected. Staff have looked at a range of history work and agreed levels, which ensures they apply consistent standards when assessing work. There is a good range of resources but, currently, insufficient

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use of information technology. The co-ordinator is aware of the deficiency and has indicated plans to introduce a range of suitable programs. The effective co-ordination of the subject and consistency of approach contributes strongly to the raising of standards in history.

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141. There has been an improvement in progress since the last inspection and a large majority of pupils are now making good progress in their musical knowledge, skills and understanding in performance and composition as well as in listening and appraising. The role of music co-ordinator has been strengthened and the subject’s profile raised significantly since the last inspection.

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142. In class lessons pupils listen well and learn to follow an easy formal musical score. The oldest pupils know simple note values and how they are arranged. They recognise beat and repeating musical patterns of increasing complexity. As well as using voice and pitched and unpitched musical instruments to complement a melody they also enjoy using body parts as unpitched percussion, composing a series of interesting textured sounds to keep in time with pre-recorded music. Pupils learn that different musical instruments produce characteristic sounds which can be used together or in series in composition to create sound pictures. They develop their own notation so that their compositions can be performed by others. They listen to and appreciate music from a wide variety of cultures and styles. Each week, pupils hear the work of a different composer during collective worship. A weekly hymn practice of high quality

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has a major impact on musical standards. When practising and improving a variety of songs pupils learn the significance of posture and breathing in voice production. Each pupil experiences dynamics and tempo for themselves and can see how music is phrased. The meaning of words is emphasised and pupils know how to interpret them sensitively. A significant number of pupils benefit from private group or individual music tuition on a variety of instruments during school time. These pupils sometimes perform for the school in assemblies and during school celebrations. Where pupils with special educational needs are supported in the classroom they make satisfactory progress. Some pupils with special educational needs who are regularly withdrawn for their additional learning support during music lessons are not receiving their full national curriculum entitlement.

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143. Pupils’ responses to music lessons are good. They listen well and try hard to follow their teachers’ instructions. They enjoy playing musical instruments together, listening carefully to their peers, keeping in time and stopping and starting together. During hymn practice and in assemblies pupils sing enthusiastically with a pure light tone with descant harmonies. Most pupils work productively in co- operative groups though there are a small minority in some lessons who find this more difficult. 144. The quality of music teaching is good. In the best lessons the teacher has confident subject expertise and promotes high expectations of pupils’ efforts and behaviour. The brisk pace of lessons keeps pupils motivated. Teachers ensure that pupils understand the meaning of the words they sing and adopt a range of strategies to promote good quality singing. Where lessons are less successful teachers are over

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ambitious in their planning, giving insufficient time to elements of the lesson and for effective practice and consolidation.

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145. The music co-ordinator has played a key role in raising the quality of music provision. She has implemented a successful scheme of work across the school and introduced a published music scheme which helps non-specialist teachers to provide a full music curriculum. She has further organised in- service training for staff to raise their self-confidence and expertise. Regular assessments are built into the published music scheme. The school’s overall resource provision is good. By asking parents to collect vouchers distributed by a major supermarket chain the school has usefully extended, without cost, the range and quality of its pitched and unpitched musical instruments for use in class teaching. The school has a popular, successful choir which sings in local community events and competitions in Swindon. It is managed by the music co-ordinator who is regularly supported by an enthusiastic local

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volunteer musician who also plays the piano for some assemblies. Prize money collected over the last two years is used to extend resource provision for music across the school. As yet, the use of information technology is underdeveloped in the music curriculum.

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146. Pupils make good progress in physical education throughout the school. Pupils’ progress in swimming is particularly good and the oldest pupils reach above expected standards of performance. Pupils participating in swimming in Year 5 achieve good levels of proficiency in a range of different strokes to propel themselves through the water. They refine their movement and show sustained commitment to improve style and speed. The most able swimmers cover distances well beyond 100m and are developing an understanding of the principles of water safety. Pupils in Year 3 sustain energetic exercise well in warm up sessions in games. They practise and refine their movements in gymnastic activity when building up sequences. They develop a good knowledge of the muscles used in physical exercise. In Year 4, high attaining pupils achieve very good standards of performance in gymnastics, showing control and

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imagination in their work. Pupils throughout the year group are aware of safety requirements when using apparatus, collaborating well to lift and carry equipment. Levels of confidence increase as pupils mature and become more experienced in physical activity.

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147. The oldest pupils in school in Year 6 classes display good skills in games lessons, becoming competent in throwing and catching large balls in netball simulated activities. They are becoming aware of tactics in sport by moving into spaces to receive a pass. Pupils have a well developed understanding of the effects of exercise on the body and the need for a healthy life style. They discuss their feelings after vigorous exercise and are acutely aware of the need to cool down gradually. Pupils do have opportunities to appraise their own performance but this is inconsistently developed throughout the school. Teachers do not always make this element a feature of their lessons.

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148. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in all elements of physical education. They are well supported by teachers and are encouraged by other pupils in their classes.

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149. Pupils enjoy lessons in physical education. They show commitment to exercise. Behaviour is almost always good and they collaborate well in team games and group work. Pupils and staff are always appropriately dressed for lessons.

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150. The quality of teaching is generally good throughout the school. In the most successful lessons, teachers’ expectations are high and they present the pupils with challenging, stimulating activities. They stress the importance of exercise within a safe environment. The good management of pupils is a common feature of many lessons. Lessons are well planned and resources are effectively used to give pupils the breadth of activity required by the National Curriculum. Teachers are generally enthusiastic and demonstrate good subject expertise. In the small number of less successful lessons, teachers’ behaviour management strategies are less well developed and the pace of lessons is only moderate. Pupils are less committed in these lessons but make satisfactory progress.

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151. The school provides a well-balanced and broad curriculum, covering all six elements successfully. Particular attention is paid to a healthy lifestyle, including safety, fitness and hygiene. The curriculum promotes progression throughout the school, building successfully on previous experiences. However, during the period of inspection, pupils were withdrawn from physical education lessons to undertake work in information technology. Although this is viewed by the school as a temporary arrangement, it does have a detrimental effect on pupils acquiring the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding in the subject. The school benefits from links with a number of local sports clubs, especially Swindon Town FC. Residential experiences for older pupils enable the school to deliver outdoor and adventurous activities in an appropriate setting. Suitable procedures are in place for the assessment of swimming and

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athletics but no systems are in place for monitoring pupils’ progress in other areas of physical education. Without these systems it is difficult for teachers to monitor individual progress accurately.

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152. The subject is well lead by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator who has developed a good ethos for learning in the school, but the monitoring of teaching is not undertaken and some inconsistencies in teachers’ approaches exist within the school.

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153. Since the last inspection the school has maintained the standard of pupils’ attainment in swimming. Teaching has improved, with a higher percentage of good teaching and no unsatisfactory practice. Resources to support the subject have also improved but pupil self-evaluation is still insufficiently developed to contribute to improved performance. 158. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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154. The inspection was carried out by a team of seven inspectors, four of whom each spent four days in the school and three of whom spent three days in the school. Total time spent in classes, discussions with pupils and evaluating their work was in excess of 89 hours.

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155. During the period of the inspection :

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* 86 lessons or parts of lessons were observed; * discussions were held with the pupils, the staff, governors and parents; * a sample of individual pupils from all classes was heard reading; * various registration sessions were attended; * samples of work from pupils in all classes and subjects were inspected, including work from the previous year; * a range of school documents, including the school development plan, schemes of work and teachers’ plans, was examined; * attendance registers, the records kept on the pupils and their reports were examined; * the budget figures and other financial data were analysed; * a pre-inspection meeting was attended by 15 parents; * 98 questionnaires were completed by parents and their responses were analysed.

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161. Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals Y3 - Y6 398 12 81 45

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161. Qualified teachers (Y3 – Y6)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 16.6 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 23.97

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161. Education support staff (Y3 – Y6)

Total number of education support staff: 5 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 104

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161. Financial data

£ Total Income 569,161 Total Expenditure 574,014 Expenditure per pupil 1,378 Balance brought forward from previous year 9,011 Balance carried forward to next year 4,159

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 413 Number of questionnaires returned: 98

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 28 51 15 6 0

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 34 55 7 2 2

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 11 44 37 5 3

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 16 57 15 10 2

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 17 57 16 7 3

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 24 63 7 6 0

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 23 42 19 15 1

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 10 54 13 20 3

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 23 51 16 9 1

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 21 42 16 18 3

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161. PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 28 58 5 8 1

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161. Other issues raised by parents

About 20 per cent of the 98 questionnaires included written comments from parents. Many of these indicated strong support for the school and commented positively about its values and the support it provided for pupils. Nine parents, however, indicated they were not happy with the amount of information received from the school. A few similar comments about a lack of effective communication were also voiced at the parents’ meeting. Other issues of concern to parents included: • . levels of homework and a lack of knowledge of the school’s policy; • . deterioration in the decoration and fabric of the building.

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