The Vineyard School

THE VINEYARD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd – 23 rd January 2001

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THE VINEYARD SCHOOL

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

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THE VINEYARD SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. The Vineyard School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Friars Stile Road Richmond upon Thames Surrey

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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: Mr J Buckingham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th January 1997 The Vineyard School - 2

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Team members

1624 J Woodcock Registered inspector 18919 J Kerr Lay inspector 5565 B Thakur Team inspector 23056 T Manzi Team inspector

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Vineyard School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Vineyard is bigger than other primary schools in the country with a current roll of 380 full-time pupils aged between 4 and 11 years. Pupils’ attainment on entry to school is above the expected level as measured by baseline assessments in reading, writing and mathematics. Seventy-one pupils speak English as an additional language; this is high and is an increase since the last inspection report. Fifteen pupils are at an early stage of English language acquisition. The school has identified 94 pupils as having special educational needs; this is broadly in line with the national average. Eleven pupils have statements of special educational needs; this is high and is an increase since the last inspection report. The proportion receiving free school meals is well below the national average. The movement of pupils joining and leaving the school is high, particularly in the infants.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school; it has many strengths and is very effective. By the age of eleven, pupils make very good progress and achieve well. Standards are consistently above average and often well above average because the teaching is stimulating and challenging. The headteacher, staff and governors work well together and aspire to even higher standards. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

§ Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. § Teaching is very good or excellent in 48 per cent of lessons and good in a further 36 per cent. § Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is also very good. § The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good. § The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and the action taken to bring about further improvements are very good. § The leadership and management of the headteacher and key members of staff are very good. They are supported well by staff and governors in seeking to raise pupils’ levels of achievement in all subjects.

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What could be improved

§ Pupils’ writing skills in the infants. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has improved significantly since the last inspection in January 1997. The leadership and management of the school and the quality of teaching have improved and are significant factors in helping pupils achieve high levels of performance. Overall, attainment in English, mathematics and science has improved from being average to well above average by the age of eleven. The key issues have been addressed well. The school development plan is now based on clear educational objectives, priorities for action are defined well and the plan is closely linked to a balanced budget. The leadership and management of subject coordinators and senior staff are very good. Their skills and expertise are used effectively to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The rigorous and systematic monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning are now a strength of the school. In the infants, the quality of teaching has improved from being unsatisfactory to good. Curriculum

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

planning has improved and identifies challenging work for the pupils, particularly higher attaining pupils. Very good progress has been made to improve procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and monitoring their progress; this information is used well to inform future teaching plans. The review of teaching times has been completed and the results implemented imaginatively and effectively. The school continues to improve communications between home and school. Attainment in information and communication technology has improved from being unsatisfactory to good. The Vineyard School - 5

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

science A A A A high well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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Key

By the age of eleven, test results are well above the national average; they are well above average when compared with schools that have a similar intake. The proportion of pupils achieving high standards is well above average in English, mathematics and science. Trends over time show that the school is improving at a rate broadly in line with the national picture. Overall, girls achieve slightly higher standards than boys in English and science; they achieve similar standards in mathematics. When compared with similar schools, pupils’ progress by the end of the juniors is well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. In the reception classes, children’s skills in reading, writing and mathematics are above the expected level and they continue to make good progress. By the age of seven, pupils achieve above average standards in reading and science and average standards in mathematics and writing. Higher attaining pupils

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Key

achieve above average standards in reading and mathematics and well above average standards in writing and science. Standards in the current Year 6 are above average in all three subjects. Pupils are making good progress and are on course to achieve well above average standards in English and science and above average standards in mathematics. By the age of eleven, attainment is good in design and technology, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education. Attainment is very good in art and design, history and in personal, social and health education. Attainment in geography is at least satisfactory and often good.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Attitudes to learning are very good. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and take a pride in their work. Pupils of all ages are highly motivated and have a strong desire to improve.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Overall, behaviour is very good. No bullying, racist or sexist behaviour was seen and none reported by pupils. The oldest pupils conduct themselves with high levels of self-discipline and set a very good example to others. However, some younger pupils in Year 1 lack the ability to concentrate for sufficient lengths of time; this adversely affects their rate of progress particularly in developing their writing skills. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development and relationships with others are very good. Many pupils are able to work independently. The older pupils take responsibility for helping others, particularly younger pupils. Pupils are keen to be involved in all activities offered by the school. The Vineyard School - 6 Attendance Good. Unauthorised absence is well below the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ attitudes and enthusiasm for learning make a significant contribution to the ethos of the school and to the high standards achieved. Good concentration and a productive work rate are regular features of lessons.

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

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

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

Overall, teaching is very good, particularly in the reception classes and in the juniors. In over eight out of ten lessons, teaching is good; it is very good or excellent in nearly half of lessons; only one lesson was unsatisfactory. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection, particularly in the infants. In almost every year group, there were examples of very good and excellent teaching. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and pupils with English as an additional language is good. The key skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well throughout the school. The teaching of English, science and children under five is very good and pupils make very good progress. The teaching of mathematics and all other subjects is at least good and is often very good. Throughout the school, lessons are well prepared and planned; they provide interesting and stimulating activities that add to the enjoyment of pupils’ learning. Teachers have good subject

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

knowledge, manage pupils well and expect pupils to work hard and achieve high standards. Pupils are told what they are expected to learn at the start of the lesson and, when appropriate, are reminded of their individual targets for improvement. At the end of lessons, pupils are encouraged to reflect on what they have learnt and how they have improved.

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

A particular strength of the teaching is the quality of questioning that challenges pupils to think more deeply about what they are doing and extends the quality and range of their vocabulary. The enthusiasm of staff is obvious in all the tasks they undertake. The excellent teaching is inspirational in quality and extends all pupils to the limit, particularly in science, dance and personal, social and health education. The very good teaching is rigorously planned and taught, highly motivating and stretches all attainment groups. Very good teaching in English and good teaching in mathematics follows closely the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and implements the methods very effectively. Good teaching in other subjects uses methods that help pupils quickly acquire new knowledge, skills and understanding. Satisfactory teaching embraces the educational needs of the majority of the pupils. In some classes, the continuous movement of pupils joining and leaving the

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

school and large numbers of pupils with special educational needs make teaching particularly difficult. In these classes, the teaching is becoming increasingly effective as pupils begin to grow in confidence, maturity and self-esteem and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced and caters very well for the differing interests and needs of the pupils. It is enriched by the imaginative use of time for the creative arts. A good range of extra-curricular activities enhances the statutory curriculum. An interesting variety of visitors and visits extend the scope of learning opportunities. Provision for personal, social and health education is very good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision and support enable pupils to make good progress. A team of well-briefed learning support assistants is used effectively to support learning. The recommendations of the code of practice are fully met. Targets set for pupils are realistic and achievable. The Vineyard School - 7 Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. These pupils are integrated well into the school. They make good

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Aspect Comment

progress in the acquisition of English language skills and achieve the same standards as their peers. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. Provision for spiritual and moral development is good; social and cultural development is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. Very good procedures are in place for monitoring pupils’ achievements and for staff to be aware of pupils’ social and emotional needs. The school’s links with parents are very good. Individual target setting for pupils helps parents to be part of their children’s learning. Annual reports are informative, clearly identifying pupils’ progress and indicating areas for improvement. The school provides a stimulating curriculum that promotes above average levels of achievement in most subjects. Very good emphasis is placed on teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The strong lead provided by the headteacher sets high expectations for the school community. She is very well supported by key members of staff and others with management responsibilities. The staff are hard working and operate effectively as a team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors work effectively through committees to meet their statutory responsibilities. They are well-informed and effective as critical friends, particularly in monitoring the school’s achievements.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Monitoring arrangements are very good. Test results are analysed and used well to help determine priorities. Effective action is taken when weaknesses are identified. The strategic use of resources The budget is managed well. The school seeks to gain very good value for money in all its expenditure.

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Aspect Comment

The self-evaluation of the school’s performance is very good and identifies accurately the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The budget is managed judiciously and the funds carried forward from last year are being used well to meet the school’s priorities this year.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Their children are taught well and are making good progress. • Teachers are approachable. • Teachers have high expectations of their pupils. • The school is well led and managed. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • The majority of parents believe that the school works closely with parents. An analysis of the pre-inspection questionnaires shows that • 13 per cent of parents responding have concerns about children being set the right amount of homework. • 19 per cent have concerns about the range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team endorses parents’ views about the strengths of the school. Parents believe that The Vineyard is a good school. Inspection evidence shows that the school has a clear, published homework policy that gives good advice to parents on the frequency of homework and how to help their children. The consistent setting of homework has been improved by the regular use of homework books, particularly in the Juniors. The The Vineyard School - 8 school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. The Vineyard School - 9

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

above average in English and science and above average in mathematics.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

1. By the age of 11, pupils achieve well above average standards in English and science and above average standards in mathematics. Throughout the school, many pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress in acquiring English language skills and, as they become more confident, achieve the same standards as other pupils. Pupils with special educational needs also make good progress. Children aged four enter the reception classes with skills in reading, writing and mathematics that are above the expected level and continue to make good progress. By the age of seven, pupils make good progress in reading and science, achieving above average standards. Pupils achieve standards that are broadly in line with the national average in mathematics and writing. Higher attaining pupils achieve above average standards in reading and mathematics and well above average standards in writing and science. Standards in the current Year 6 are above

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

average in all three subjects. Pupils are making good progress and are on course to achieve well above average standards in English and science and above average standards in mathematics. Attainment is very good in art and design, history and in personal, social and health education. Attainment in geography is at least satisfactory and often good.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

2. A strong emphasis is placed on reading; this is supported well by parents, as the regular entries in homework books testify, and pupils make very good progress in the juniors. By the age of eleven, pupils achieve well above average standards in reading. They respond well to characters in stories and learn to make deductions from ideas presented in key texts. Pupils can identify key words and phrases to illustrate a point they are making. Pupils use these skills effectively when gathering information for other subjects such as history and religious education.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

3. Pupils show increasing confidence in speaking and listening to others; this contributes well to pupils’ learning, particularly in the juniors. The ability to question, to discuss ideas in groups, to listen to the views of others and to justify those views in a mature way, enables pupils to learn effectively from each other. When teachers intervene with probing questions, the quality of the dialogue is high. Pupils are taught to use correct technical vocabulary to support their understanding in subjects such as science, history and geography; this contributes well to the standards achieved in these subjects.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

4. The school has identified pupils’ writing skills as an area of relative weakness compared with reading, particularly in the infants. The National Literacy hour and special writing projects have helped to create more time for writing. By the age of 11, pupils are making very good progress with over 50 per cent of them achieving well above average standards. This is due to the very good quality of teaching they receive. Pupils are given good opportunities to write in many different styles and for a variety of purposes. Higher attaining pupils, pupils with special educational needs and pupils who are acquiring English as an additional language receive good support, particularly when they are taught in ability groups. Good attention is paid to teaching the structure of writing and improving spelling skills, particularly for middle and lower attaining pupils. By Year 6, pupils organise their writing into

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

paragraphs and use the conventions of punctuation correctly. They make good progress in developing the skills of drafting and editing. Pupils use a wide and interesting range of vocabulary to enliven their work.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

5. In mathematics, pupils are often grouped by their prior attainment and this is helping to raise standards, particularly in the juniors. Overall, progress is good and most pupils by the end of Year 6 are working above the expected level for their age, with nearly 40 per cent achieving well above average standards. This is due to the good quality of teaching they receive. Higher attaining pupils are challenged and expected to work quickly and accurately. Pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs receive good additional support, are growing in confidence and achieve appropriate standards by the age of eleven. Pupils’ knowledge and ability to manipulate numbers are good. Good recall of number and multiplication facts aids the speed and The Vineyard School - 10 accuracy of calculations. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of multiplication and division

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

and good investigative skills. In Years 3 and 4, pupils investigate money problems successfully and lower attaining pupils use key words and phrases well to share their understanding with the teacher. In Year 2, pupils used correct mathematical terms when sequencing two digit numbers by placing them correctly on a number line. By the age of eleven, pupils can construct graphs and have a very good knowledge of angular measurement. They work productively at a good pace and show obvious enjoyment in the subject.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

6. By the end of Year 6, pupils make very good progress in science, with over 60 per cent achieving well above average standards. This is due to the very good and often excellent quality of teaching they receive. Year 6 pupils are developing a very good knowledge and understanding about the different types of joints in the human body, their names and functions. In Year 5, pupils have very good knowledge and understanding about how animals adapt to different habitats. They understand how variations in climatic conditions influence the development of different species over time. In both these year groups, all pupils are challenged by the tasks set. Teachers take considerable care to support pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs and, therefore, these pupils make very good progress and achieve good standards. Pupils make excellent use of information technology to support their research. Year 2 pupils make good progress in

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

planning an investigation about the elasticity of materials. Higher attaining pupils understand the importance of a fair test. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by the teacher, they make good progress and use key words well to communicate their thinking. Overall, teachers’ good subject knowledge and clarity of explanation contribute significantly to pupils’ learning and their enjoyment of the subject. Members of the science club achieve very high standards. By the age of eleven, attainment is good in design and technology, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

Teaching is very good or excellent in 48 per cent of lessons and good in a further 36 per cent.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

7. Overall, teaching is very good. Teaching was very good or excellent in 48 per cent of lessons; it was good in a further 36 per cent of lessons. Teaching was of a consistently high quality in the reception classes and in the juniors. It was good in the infants; this is a significant improvement since the last inspection. In almost every year group, there were examples of very good and excellent teaching. Very good or excellent lessons took place in English, mathematics, science, history, information technology, physical education and dance and in personal, social and health education. Teachers’ good knowledge of the National Curriculum and the Foundation Stage for under fives has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. It enables pupils to make very good progress in acquiring new knowledge and skills and to increase their understanding in English, mathematics and science and in other subjects.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

8. Lessons are well prepared and planned, with clear learning objectives that are shared with the pupils at the start of the lesson so that they know exactly what is expected of them. In the best lessons, very good links are made between assessments of pupils’ prior learning and subsequent planning so those tasks are pitched at just the right level. Good quality plenary sessions refer back to the learning objectives and pupils are encouraged to reflect on what they have learnt and how they have improved. In the reception classes, very good planning and the effective use of assessment help with the early identification of pupils with special educational needs and those learning to speak English as an additional language. The support these pupils receive is effective and they make good progress.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

9. Many teachers have very good subject knowledge and high expectations. Pupils respond well and are challenged and extended by the tasks set, especially in English, mathematics and science. Teachers provide interesting and stimulating activities that add to the enjoyment of learning, and result in a very good pace of work and excellent effort from pupils. When lessons are excellent, the dynamism and enthusiasm of staff are transmitted to pupils so that they recognise that they are part of a special learning experience such as in a dance lesson in Year 3. High expectations of behaviour and standards of work are implicit in the expert and unobtrusive way in which teachers manage and organise pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teachers and class assistants. The teaching of pupils who are acquiring English as an additional language are taught The Vineyard School - 11

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

10. A particular strength of the teaching is the quality of questioning that challenges pupils to think about what they are doing and to develop specific vocabulary. Pupils in Year 6 were challenged to explain the importance of God/goddess worship to the Ancient Egyptians. In Year 2, a teacher extended pupils’ thinking about the development of hospitals when studying the life of Florence Nightingale. In Year 5, a teacher asked sensitive questions to extend thinking and amuse pupils when discussing the differences between jealousy and envy. Year 4 pupils were given sufficient time to answer challenging questions about the nuances when writing postcards. A teacher in Year 3 probed pupils’ understanding of the story of David and Goliath; this helped them develop a wider vocabulary to describe events and characters from the Bible story. In a reception class, a teacher used effective questioning techniques to help assess what pupils know, understand and can do in mathematics.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

Many teachers are skilled at sharing these assessments with the pupils so that the pupils know what they have achieved and how to improve.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

11. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well. In literacy lessons, a good balance is achieved between class teaching, group work, individual support and plenary sessions. In Year 6, a teacher was skilled in using key words and illustrative examples from text to develop pupils’ ideas when writing about a cyber-future. In Year 4, handwriting was skilfully taught, pupils were highly motivated and worked with deep concentration. The structure of grammar was well taught in Year 5 when pupils studied explanatory text. In all lessons, teachers seek to improve pupils’ speaking and listening skills. All teachers help pupils to read with understanding and standards are well above average by the age of eleven. Teachers have high expectations for pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language. These pupils receive good, supportive teaching and show increasing confidence in speaking and listening. By the age of eleven, these pupils have made very good

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

progress in reading and writing and achieve standards that are similar to their peers. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support, particularly in the additional lessons designed to improve their performance such as pre-booster classes, and they make good progress.

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

12. In numeracy lessons, mental practice sessions are well focused on the quick recall of numbers facts and accuracy of mental calculations. Pupils’ errors and misconceptions are used well by teachers to provide a greater level of clarity and explanation, for example when studying number operations in Year 4. In the reception class, subject-based vocabulary is demonstrated well, and pupils are encouraged to use this when they explain how they ordered number. In Year 1, the tasks set matched the differing needs of pupils and good use is made of practical apparatus to help pupils develop a better understanding of place value. In Year 3, very good support is given to lower attaining pupils and pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language, particularly when solving money problems. Plenary sessions are used well to share a range of different methods used in calculation such as when Year 5 pupils investigated the idea of equivalent fractions. In Year 6, the

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Pupils make very good progress and, by the age of eleven, test results show that standards are well

teacher’s very good subject knowledge, combined with good questioning techniques and high expectations, extends pupils’ knowledge and promotes high standards by challenging their thinking.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

13. Pupils’ attitudes and enthusiasm for learning make a significant contribution to the ethos of the school and to the high standards achieved. They enjoy coming to school. Pupils take a pride in their work, are highly motivated and have a strong desire to improve. They work hard and are determined to take advantage of what the school has to offer. Good concentration and a productive work rate are regular features of lessons. Many pupils attend the good range of after-school and lunchtime clubs; they participate willingly in musical concerts and sporting activities. In 48 per cent of lesson, pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good or excellent, particularly in mathematics, science, history and geography; they are good in a further 38 per cent. Teachers encourage pupils to ask questions, work things out together and have a go at new ideas. In response, pupils are interested and receptive

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

14. Pupils’ personal development and relationships with others are very good. The oldest pupils conduct themselves with high levels of self-discipline and set a very good example to others. They take The Vineyard School - 12 responsibility for helping others, particularly younger pupils. Pupils are keen to be involved in all activities offered by the school. They work together well, sharing ideas and materials in a mature way. Older pupils have well-established work habits and their work-rate in lessons is consistently high. Many pupils are becoming independent, confident learners. Displays of pupils’ work around the school make a strong visual impact and help to boost pupils’ self-esteem.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

15. Pupils receive very good care. Teachers provide very good support and guidance for all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs work hard to achieve the targets set in their individual educational plans and make good progress. They respond well to the sensitive and effective support that classroom assistants give them. Pupils who speak English as an additional language feel valued and are supported well by teachers and additional staff. The majority of parents value the homework arrangements and pupils find that the tasks set helps them to improve, particularly in reading and mathematics. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. Staff are aware of the pupils’ social and emotional needs and very good provision is made to monitor pupils’ personal and academic development. The headteacher and deputy headteacher know the children by name and constantly mix with them, giving words of encouragement and setting high expectations for

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

16. The curriculum is broad and balanced, caters very well for the differing needs of the pupils and is a strength of the school. It promotes above average levels of achievement in most subjects. Imaginative use has been made of the time available, particularly in developing a creative arts day every third week and in the very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. A good range of extra-curricular activities enhances the curriculum. All subjects are taught in accordance with the requirements of the National Curriculum, the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and the Early Learning Goals for pupils under five. Planning systems are very good. The school gives good emphasis to literacy and numeracy and has enthusiastically adopted the National Literacy and National Numeracy Strategies. These have been implemented well, and are helping the school to raise standards.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

17. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. They benefit from very good quality help from learning support assistants who understand very well the needs of each pupil. These pupils are identified as early as possible and contact is made with the parents so that all can provide appropriate support. Provision for pupils learning to speak English as an additional language is good. These pupils are integrated well into the school. They make good progress in the acquisition of English language skills and achieve similar standards to their peers. Overall, provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Cultural development is enhanced by the high quality learning opportunities that pupils experience, for example during creative art days.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their personal development are very good. The care they receive is

18. Provision for higher attaining pupils is very good and they achieve well above average standards in English, mathematics and science. They are challenged and extended by the work set. However, all pupils benefit from the recently introduced teaching in ability groups in English in Years 6 and in mathematics in the junior years. Middle and lower attaining pupils benefit from additional lessons in small groups to improve their literacy and numeracy skills. Inspection evidence shows that these pupils are making very good progress toward the targets set for improvement in these areas of learning. The school has a good homework policy to support learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy. It helps create opportunities for pupils to be supported by parents and conforms with the recently published national guidance. The consistency of setting and marking homework has been improved.

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The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and the action taken to bring about

19. The headteacher and key staff regularly and rigorously monitor the quality of teaching and learning by direct classroom observation. This very good level of quality control is effective in planning for improvement and in helping to maintain the overall ethos of the school. This process has been used well to identify the raising of standards in information and communication technology and the teaching The Vineyard School - 13 of higher attaining pupils as areas for development. Highly skilled staff have been deployed to bring about these planned improvements.

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The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and the action taken to bring about

20. Subject coordinators regularly sample pupils’ work across the school in order to gain a better understanding of achievement in their areas of responsibility and to identify what needs to be improved. Together with the headteacher, they have set realistic and challenging targets for improvement for their areas of responsibility. Coordinators are effective in the performance of their duties; some are new to their posts this year but already they have developed a good working knowledge about standards and the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. 21. The monitoring and evaluation of performance are particularly effective in English, mathematics and science. The coordinators are highly skilled in identifying the strengths and weakness of their subjects, observing lessons and giving colleagues constructive advice on teaching and learning. Very good analysis of test results has identified the need to improve the standard of writing in the infants

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The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and the action taken to bring about

and the school has plans to address this issue. Teaching in ability groups has been introduced to raise standards in specific year groups, such as English in Years 3 and 6 and mathematics in the junior years. In science, teachers are working very well together, sharing effective practice to improve pupils’ achievement in investigative work.

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The monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and the action taken to bring about

22. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress are very good. Progress is tracked carefully as the pupils move through the school to check on how they are getting on and to predict future results. This is particularly effective in Years 5 and 6 where teachers focus more closely on individual targets. Reference to these targets is made on every appropriate occasion to remind pupils of what they have to do to improve. This has been a significant contributory factor in the raising of standards in English and mathematics over recent time. Monitoring and assessment information identifies accurately those pupils needing extra support in reading and mathematics, action is taken and standards are improving. The reception class has very good assessment procedures on entry to school and excellent on-going records are kept of the progress children make. This is used very effectively to determine when children are ready to start the National Curriculum

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are supported well by staff and governors in seeking to raise pupils’ levels of achievement in all

23. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management of the school. Since her appointment, which was after the last inspection, the curriculum has been strengthened, the standard of teaching has significantly improved, rigorous systems have been introduced to improve the quality of education provided and standards have risen. She is supported well by the deputy headteacher and key members of staff. Together they set high standards and lead by example. Their evaluation of the school’s performance identifies accurately its strengths and weakness. The headteacher has a clear view of how she wants the school to develop. This is conveyed to staff and they share her commitment to providing a high quality education for pupils. The school’s aims are met well. The headteacher has high expectations of staff and provides them with positive and constructive advice on their performance. Subject coordinators are working hard to develop their subjects. They recognise

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are supported well by staff and governors in seeking to raise pupils’ levels of achievement in all

the strengths and weaknesses in their areas of responsibility and give effective advice, support and guidance to their colleagues.

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are supported well by staff and governors in seeking to raise pupils’ levels of achievement in all

24. The school development plan is constructed well and clearly identifies costs, training needs and success criteria to bring about continuous improvement over the next three years. The governing body is well informed and effective as a critical friend, particularly in monitoring the school’s performance. They have appointed staff of high quality to the school. The budget is managed well; the planned use of the current surplus meets the school priorities well, for example to provide additional teaching and support staff and improve facilities for information and communication technology. The system for target setting is well established. All staff participate in analysing pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and in identifying what pupils need to work on to make further improvements. The headteacher and key members of staff analyse test results well and have developed effective ways of tracking the attainment of individual pupils. Challenging targets have been

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are supported well by staff and governors in seeking to raise pupils’ levels of achievement in all

set for different cohorts of pupils and teachers are monitoring pupils’ progress regularly. In this way, The Vineyard School - 14 staff are constantly striving to raise pupils’ levels of achievement.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. The school’s analysis of test results has identified the need to improve the standard of writing in the infants. Standards in reading are above average but writing is less well developed; it is average and could be improved. However, higher attaining pupils achieve well above average standards by the age of seven. Middle and lower attaining pupils achieve average results but, when compared with pupils from similar schools at the age of seven, standards are below average. Trends over time show that the standards in writing have declined since 1998 but are higher than at the time of the last inspection report. Inspection evidence confirms these findings. Overall, the teaching of English is good, but the movement of pupils joining and leaving the school is high, particularly in the infants. Many pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language are at an early stage of language acquisition

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

and some have no experience of formal education. The number of pupils with special educational needs is also high. These factors make continuity in teaching very difficult. However, as pupils become more settled and confident, standards improve rapidly, particularly in Year 2.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. Lesson observations, discussions with pupils and the scrutiny of previous work shows that many pupils in Year 2 lack the skills of drafting and editing their work. They have limited opportunities to write at length, to use language imaginatively and explore feelings and ideas through writing stories, scripted plays and reports. In Year 1, lessons are prepared well with appropriate activities; however, too much time is given for pupils to complete the tasks set. Pupils’ rate of progress is also adversely affected by their lack of self-discipline and their difficulties in sustaining concentration for sufficient time to develop their writing skills. Improving pupils’ writing skill by the age of seven is a priority in this year’s school development plan. The targets set are that 93 per cent of pupils are expected to achieve level 2 and 36 per cent level 3 by the end of the year. These are challenging targets and, if

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

they are achieved, standards will rise from being average to at least above average or better by the age of seven.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school is pursuing the correct priorities in order to raise standards. It should now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) raise the standard of pupils’ writing in the infants by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improving the skills of drafting and editing work; • increasing the opportunities for extended writing; • designing short-term writing tasks and related activities to improve pupils’ self-discipline and concentration in Year 1 in order to take full advantage of the opportunities provided.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(discussed in paragraphs 4, 25 and 26) The Vineyard School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 31

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery/YR Y1 – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 40 340

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 36

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery/YR Y1– Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 94

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 71

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 51

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 30

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The Vineyard School - 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 38 23 61

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 32 31 36 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 21 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 87 (92) 85 (92) 97 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 29 36 36 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82 (96) 95 (96) 93 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 27 26 53

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 26 25 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 20 26

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 96 (87) 85 (87) 98 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 21 25 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 22 22 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 81 (80) 89 (87) 89 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (68) 80 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. The Vineyard School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 11 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. 182 parents have not provided information This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.7 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.75

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 736822

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11.00 Expenditure per pupil 2030

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 198 Balance brought forward from previous year 12895

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 28827 The Vineyard School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 40 5 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 53 7 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 44 11 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 40 11 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 34 3 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 43 52 3 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 48 42 7 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 63 33 1 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 40 4 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 41 15 4 13

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Percentage of responses in each category

The inspection team endorses parents’ views about the strengths of the school. Parents believe that The Vineyard is a very good school. Inspection evidence shows that the school has a clear, published homework policy that gives good advice to parents on the frequency of homework and how to help their children. The consistent setting of homework has been improved by the regular use of homework books, particularly in the Juniors. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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