Burton Salmon Community Primary School

SCHOOL

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

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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. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th January 1997 Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Brian Aldridge Registered Inspector Special educational needs What sort of school is it? Mathematics The school’s results and achievements Science How well are pupils taught? Information technology How well is the school led and managed? Design and technology Music Physical education Patricia Willman Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well the school works with parents Bernice Magson Team inspector Under fives How good are curricular and other opportunities? Equal opportunities English Art Geography History Religious education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

SES 6 Star Corner Barby Nr. Rugby Warwickshire CV23 8UD Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 5 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 26

Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Burton Salmon Community Primary School caters for 37 pupils taught in two classes by four teachers, one of whom is the headteacher. Most of the pupils live in the village of Burton Salmon but a few come from nearby villages. About 11 per cent of the pupils are known to have an entitlement to free school meals. There are no pupils from ethnic minority families and 13.5 per cent have special educational needs. These proportions are below the national average. There are seven pupils below the age of six and these children are taught in a reception year, which starts at the beginning of the year in which they are five. Last year less than half of the pupils in Year 6 started this school in the reception year. Overall, children’s attainment is average when they start school. At the time of inspection there was a temporary teacher and a supply teacher in the junior class.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Burton Salmon Primary School is an effective school. The inspection team found that standards in the present Year 6 are average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school. The improvement since the last inspection is good. The quality of teaching and learning and of the leadership and management of the headteacher and governing body are good. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The work seen in the under-fives and infant class is above average. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and they make good progress. • Pupils are very enthusiastic, relationships are excellent and they take very good care of one another. • The procedures for promoting good behaviour and preventing bullying are very good. • Parents have a very positive impact on the work of the school • Leadership and management are good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Attainment in information technology in both classes and design and technology and geography in the junior class is below average. • The curriculum in the junior class does not provide enough opportunities for pupils to experiment, investigate and solve problems independently or present enough challenging tasks. • There are insufficient checks on whether the teaching and curriculum in the junior class is of the same high quality as the infant class.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the school’s last inspection in January 1997 the school has improved well. Standards are now higher at seven and the falling standards in the junior class have been reversed. The school has met its targets for eleven and seven year old pupils and is in line to meet those it has set for this year. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory in a substantial majority of lessons, with one-quarter good. Now it is good in a substantial majority of the lessons. Since the last inspection the school has made good progress on most of the key issues identified in the last inspection report; there have been great improvements in the accommodation and the resources for information and communications technology and design and technology, and teachers now plan different levels of work for pupils with differing needs. The literacy and numeracy strategies have helped teachers develop a good lesson structure.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

The number of pupils in each year group is too small to allow comparison with the test results of other schools. However, there is a good deal of evidence to suggest that for the past three years the standards in the junior class have been falling. This has now been reversed and inspectors found that the attainment of eleven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science is now average. Standards in the junior class in art, music, physical education and religious education are also average, whereas in information technology, design and technology and geography standards slip below average. In history standards at both key stages are above average. The standards in English, mathematics and history of seven-year-olds are above average and most of the other subjects are average. Children make good progress in the under-fives and they attain standards above the nationally defined Desirable Learning Outcomes in most areas with the exception of their creative

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STANDARDS

development, which is satisfactory. Pupils are effective learners and show good levels of knowledge. Given the good progress made in the infant class, some of the skills of junior pupils are not as well developed as they should be; they have only recently begun to make sufficient progress in these areas.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good and excellent.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils take great care of one another. They always behave very well and demonstrate that they think of their school community as a family. There was no evidence of any bullying or unkindness.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Good. Good. Satisfactory. 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 AND LEARNING

Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Of the lessons seen 13 per cent were very good, 61 per cent good and 26 per cent satisfactory. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed. The quality of teaching in English and mathematics is good. Pupils are taught the skills of literacy and numeracy well and particularly so in the infant class. There are differences between the classes although, from the limited evidence available, teaching in Key Stage 2 is now improving and takes greater account of pupils’ needs. Teachers’ expectations are high in the infant class and satisfactory in the junior class where pupils are just beginning to experience investigations and independent, challenging work. Pupils make good gains in knowledge, although the progress they make in developing skills has only recently become satisfactory in the junior class. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 9

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Sound overall; improvements have been made since the last inspection though there are shortcomings in information technology, design and technology and geography.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good; teachers use individual education plans well to work with pupils according to their needs.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory, for social development good and for moral development very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works well with parents and the community. The impact of parents’ involvement in the school is very good. There are not enough opportunities in the Key Stage 2 curriculum for pupils to improve skills or to work independently and solve problems. The procedures for promoting good behaviour, monitoring and eliminating bullying and assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are very good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their duties well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher and governing body have good overall levels of understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school has adequate accommodation. Staffing is adequate and learning resources are at good levels. The curriculum is not thoroughly vetted to ensure that skills are taught regularly so that pupils build on the good practice started in the infant class. The school applies the principles of best value well. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 10

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Teaching is good • Children are expected to work hard • Parents feel happy to approach the school with questions or problems • Parents feel well informed about progress • The school is well led and managed • There are not enough after-school activities • Some parents feel that behaviour could be better

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views about the school. However, although there are plans to initiate more after-school clubs at the present time, there are satisfactory opportunities for pupils, for instance, musical activities. Inspectors saw no evidence of unsatisfactory behaviour. The school and playgrounds are calm and many examples were seen of pupils caring for one another and offering real support. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. There are too few pupils in each year group to make statistically reliable comparisons with the standards attained by pupils in other schools in the 1999 National Curriculum tests. The very limited evidence of the National Curriculum test results suggests that standards at seven were well above average in 1999 and have been rising over the last three years. However, at Key Stage 2 the evidence suggests that over the past three years, standards attained by eleven-year-olds have been falling and last year were well below average. This apparent trend has been reversed and inspectors found that the attainment of eleven-year-olds in almost all subjects is now average. Compared to the time of the last inspection standards at seven have improved and standards at eleven are about the same.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The inspection team found that by the time pupils are eleven at the end of their junior class pupils attain average standards in English, mathematics, science, art, music and physical education. In religious education pupils attain standards in line with the local education authority’s agreed syllabus. Standards in information technology, geography and design and technology are below average and those for history are above average. Evidence from the scrutiny of work suggests strongly that standards in junior classes have risen recently, largely due to changes in staffing and the more rigorous application of the literacy and numeracy strategies.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. At Key Stage 1 the inspection team found that by the time pupils are seven at the end of their infant class pupils attain above average standards in English, mathematics and history, average standards in science, art, design and technology and physical education and below average standards in information technology. In religious education, pupils attain standards in line with the locally agreed syllabus. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement about geography and music. Children under five years of age make good progress in the under-fives and they attain standards above the nationally defined Desirable Learning Outcomes in most areas with the exception of their creative development which is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Generally pupils are effective learners and show good levels of knowledge about their own learning. They acquire sufficient knowledge in lessons but have not, until recently made enough progress in developing many of their skills. At the last inspection the below average standards in design and technology and information technology were highlighted and, although the school has made a range of good improvements to the level and quality of resources in these subjects, teachers have not been trained so that their frequent use is not a feature of lessons. Standards in these subjects have not improved.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Children under five speak and listen well; given frequent opportunities to talk and listen to others, children make good progress. They respond well to books and enjoy writing. In this area of the curriculum children are given opportunities to use computers for word processing. Children write their names and see the links between their reading and their accounts and stories. Children enter the school with average levels of mathematical knowledge and make good progress in this area of learning. They form a good understanding of number and shape and higher attaining children begin to identify patterns in number sequences. In their social development children form good Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 12 relationships and behaviour patterns are developed well by the school’s caring ethos. Children share resources and seek to help each other. They acquire knowledge of the world around them well. They show fascination when working with magnets and learn

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The school’s results and achievements

quickly about materials and their properties. They show satisfactory progress in their creative development. Children draw and paint pictures from their experiences although there are not enough opportunities for these skills to develop at the same rate as other areas of learning. Some aspects of children’s physical development progress well but gross motor skills are just satisfactory because of the lack of regular access to larger apparatus, climbing equipment and wheeled toys. Balancing and climbing skills are just satisfactory.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. At Key Stage 1 and 2 speaking and listening skills are above average. There are many opportunities for pupils to use these skills during the introductions to lessons, as part of their group work and when they report back what they have found. By the time they leave school pupils have wide vocabularies, including terms used in subjects of the curriculum, and they use their skills well in discussions. Pupils are good readers in both keys stages. Although there is no library in the school, they learn to enjoy books and use a range of voices to portray characters. They talk of plots and the development of storylines although their research skills and the use of libraries for information purposes are poor. Progress in writing is good in the infant class and is improving in the junior class. Stories are well drawn and include good storylines. Some pupils use speech marks to show when characters are talking. Progress is satisfactory in the junior class

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The school’s results and achievements

as opportunities to write at length have not been planned as a regular part of the English curriculum. This is improving but again the practice needed to develop the skills of handwriting and using reference books such as dictionaries to aid spelling are not systematically planned.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. In the infant class pupils have above average knowledge of numbers and how they are used to solve problems. They have good recall and can quickly answer their teachers’ questions. The good methods used by teachers help them maintain a healthy interest in their work. They understand the order of numbers and use non-standard and standard measures well. Their knowledge of the properties of shape is good and they recognise examples of two- and three-dimensional shapes in the world around them. In the junior class standards are average. Pupils use numbers to solve problems. They understand fractions, percentages and decimals and how they are equivalent to each other. Higher attaining pupils measure angles to within one degree of accuracy and use this knowledge to plot directions. Pupils calculate the area of shapes, including triangles, and use metric measures in a satisfactory manner. Their skills of investigation

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The school’s results and achievements

and applying their knowledge to problems are not well developed.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. In science pupils in both key stages show satisfactory levels of knowledge and understanding. In the infant class pupils know that forces can push or pull an object; for example, they have studied how air moves the cork in a popgun. They have explored materials and looked at how magnets attract some materials and not others. They understand that neither the shape of a magnet or its size affects its strength. In the junior class pupils have studied the water cycle, plant growth and food chains and how heat and electricity are conducted in certain materials. Pupils know about and understand the prerequisites for life and how these apply to plants and animals. They understand the differences between gases, liquids and solids. In the past science work in this key stage has not included a sufficient amount of investigative work and although there are promising signs that this has recently improved, this aspect of work remains

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The school’s results and achievements

below average. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 13 9. Standards in information technology are below average at seven and eleven. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 have regular access to computers and other aspects of information and communications technology. However, in the junior class although the school has increased the level and quality of resources, pupils are taught in separate groups for literacy and numeracy and this means that pupils in Years 5 and 6 do not have access to this equipment during these lessons. Pupils in Year 6 talk of having used a programmable robot in the infant class and have used the computers to help them with spelling practice, drawing pictures and placing commercially produced illustration in their written work. They load, save and retrieve their files and can manipulate screen displays. However, their experience of electronic communications, using computers for research purposes and solving problems using computers is limited. The same lack of

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The school’s results and achievements

skills is evident in design and technology at Key Stage 2. Resources have been improved and yet there are too few opportunities for pupils to use these tools to develop the skills of designing, making and evaluating.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In religious education attainment meets the requirements set out in the locally agreed syllabus by the end of both key stages. Seven year olds retell stories form the Bible and understand that they have messages for them in their every day lives. This work is built on in a satisfactory manner in the junior class. Visits to local churches reinforces their learning and their understanding of the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam helps them develop a sense of empathy and tolerance.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. As pupils enter the school with broadly average levels of attainment, their achievement is good in the under-fives group and broadly satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and 2. Overall, most pupils achieve the standards expected of them in almost all subjects and a minority, especially less able pupils, exceeds them. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in lessons and as they move through the school. Higher attaining pupils have their needs met in a more systematic manner now that teachers plan a variety of levels in lessons. Boys and girls make the same rates of progress and there have been some interesting initiatives to encourage boys in particular to work hard and apply themselves.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are very good. They are keen to talk about their school and confidently express their opinions about aspects of school life that they particularly enjoy. These positive features impact well on pupils’ learning and attainment. This very good response has been maintained well since the last inspection. During their time in school pupils successfully develop socially responsible attitudes to the school and to the wider community.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The children who are under five arrive at school in good time and settle happily into the day. They understand the routines of the classroom and respond with enthusiasm to the opportunities provided. They work constructively together, with sustained levels of concentration, learning good social and collaborative skills from the older children in the class. Their behaviour is very good and they listen carefully to each other and to their teachers. They enjoy coming to school and their attendance is satisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. In both key stages, pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. All the parents who returned the questionnaire prior to the inspection agree that their children like school and this was confirmed by talking to the pupils. They respond with enthusiasm to lessons, which are interesting and challenging, working hard and becoming involved in Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 14 what they are learning. A science lesson for infants on magnetism, for example, resulted in excitement and delight when the experiment worked. Pupils throughout the school respond well to the structure and challenge of the literacy and numeracy sessions. In a Year 5/6 literacy lesson, pupils listened carefully to each other and offered useful advice resulting in an improved standard of work. They accept critical evaluation and respond with increased effort. Pupils’ independent learning skills are, however, limited by the lack of opportunity within their lessons, for example, to use the

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

information technology equipment to carry out research. Pupils with special educational needs take part in all aspects of school life and do so with enthusiasm and interest.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good and this confirms the view of parents. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, have a clear understanding of the school’s expectations with regard to their behaviour. They know the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour and are well motivated by praise, trying hard to earn recognition for good work and behaviour. Pupils move about the school purposefully and sensibly and behaviour in the dining hall and playground is very good. There is no evidence of bullying and there have been no exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils’ personal development is very good. Relationships between each other and with their teachers are excellent and this makes a significant contribution to the calm and happy family atmosphere in the school. They are polite to adults and to each other and treat resources with care and respect. They take care of each other, older pupils helping and supporting the younger ones and keeping an eye on their welfare. This is exemplified in the dining hall where the pupils sit in mixed age groups, chat sociably to each other and develop very good social skills. As they move through the school, they develop into increasingly mature and sensible young people, with a good sense of responsibility towards the school community.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance at the school is in line with the national average and is satisfactory. Although most absence relates to illness, there are a small number of parents who take their children on holiday during term time. There is no recorded unauthorised absence. Pupils are punctual, registration is quick and efficient and lessons start on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching is good. In the last inspection teaching was found to be satisfactory in a substantial majority of lessons and good in one quarter. The inspection team found that the quality of teaching is good for pupils less than five years of age and in the infant class and satisfactory overall for pupils in the junior class. The quality of teaching in the infant class rarely falls below good and in 20 per cent of the lessons is very good. For the junior aged pupils 70 per cent of the teaching is good or better with a little over 30 per cent satisfactory. The recent improvement in teaching has had a significant impact on trends in attainment and rates of learning in the junior class. A scrutiny of books and curriculum experiences showed that previously pupils had a limited range of tasks, and activities such as investigations were not a regular feature of pupils’ work. There are promising signs that these aspects are now being planned and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils are beginning to learn how to conduct experiments, learn new skills and participate in practical activities such as composing. This supports very good attitudes to learning and very high rates of enthusiasm and interest in lessons and for school in general. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 15 19. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well in the under-fives and the infant class and at a sound level in the junior class. Careful exposition by teachers and interesting and engaging ideas help to motivate pupils. For example, the use of a kangaroo puppet which ‘hid’ digit cards in its pouch produced great fun and enjoyment but also encouraged very high levels of participation and accurate questioning by pupils. This brought about good progress in recognition and ordering of numbers. The amount of work covering these essential skills also makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Teachers in this part of the school rarely miss an occasion to instruct

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils about number, letters, reading or writing, if an opportunity presents itself. In physical education, taking the register, lining up pupils or in general conversation in other subjects, teachers never miss an opportunity to increase pupils’ knowledge. The scrutiny of work revealed that in the junior class there has not been sufficient concentration on the key skills of handwriting and spelling. Because of lack of planning and frequent practice, the presentation of work has been too variable and unsatisfactory overall. Recent staff changes have improved the situation. Adherence to the literacy and numeracy strategies in this class is also beginning to improve these skills, seen, for example, in the quick and accurate responses of pupils to mental mathematics tests. Throughout the school, teachers now have good levels of subject knowledge with particular strengths at Key Stage 1 in the core subjects of English and mathematics and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Planning for lessons is good for the under-fives and at Key Stage 1. Lessons are drawn up which are appropriate to all pupils’ needs and, with the exception of investigations, knowledge, skills and understanding, are incorporated into each day’s work. Planning at Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. At both key stages, but especially in mathematics at Key Stage 2, marking does not always make a sufficient impact on improving pupils’ work. Teachers expectations are good in the under fives and at Key Stage 1 and satisfactory at Key Stage 2. Expectations of pupils are rising in the junior groups due to the additional teaching support, a better understanding of the needs of pupils and a more coherent curriculum. At times, however, the higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 2 are not set work which they find sufficiently difficult and stretching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teaching methods are good for the under-fives and at Key Stage 2 and satisfactory at Key Stage 1. In those lessons in which a range of methods is used, children and pupils show long concentration spans and great involvement in their work, for example, in music at Key Stage 2 and mathematics at Key Stage 1. This equally applies to the level of challenge; where pupils are presented with activities they find difficult and make them stretch their imaginations and intellects to achieve success, better rates of progress are observed and higher levels of attainment are secured. For example, in an English lesson, the good story telling techniques of the teacher, retelling The Three Wishes , interested pupils and held their rapt attention. As pupils were set their tasks the teacher assessed pupils’ needs and set the highest attaining pupils challenging work. This brought about good progress with pupils using expression, fluency and very good

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

recognition of sounds to help them in their reading. Homework is given to all pupils, including children under five, and is used effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. A consistent feature of good practice is the manner in which teachers provide for pupils with special educational needs. Without exception pupils with special educational needs are handled sensitively and with rigour. A great deal is expected of them and teachers and classroom assistants work together very well to help pupils meet their targets set out in individual education plans. Teachers use these plans rigorously to remind pupils about their targets and what they are supposed to achieve before their next review. During lessons teachers and pupils refer to these plans so that the Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 16 objectives are kept in mind. Pupils with special educational needs react well to this level and quality of support and they make good progress. The use of computers is satisfactory in the under-fives groups and at Key Stage 1 but is less than satisfactory for Key Stage 2 pupils. In Years 3 and 4 pupils have access to computers in literacy and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

numeracy lessons; however, because pupils in Years 5 and 6 are taught separately from the remainder of the key stage, access to information technology equipment is denied. Overall, however, teachers do not plan the frequent use of information and communications technology.

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PUPILS?

23. The curriculum provided by the school for pupils in Key Stage 1 is good, and for pupils in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. At both key stages it includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, and complies with all statutory requirements. In Key Stage 1 the curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant to the ages, needs and interests of the pupils. At Key Stage 2 the curriculum is generally broad and balanced except in investigative skills where there are insufficient opportunities for development. The religious education curriculum is planned to meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The previous inspection identified the need to improve planning, make better use of teaching time, and ensure that all elements of the National Curriculum programmes of study are met, especially in music, information technology, physical education, and design and technology. The school

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PUPILS?

has addressed all these issues successfully although there is need for further improvement in information technology, design and technology and geography at Key Stage 2.

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PUPILS?

24. Curriculum policies of varying quality are in place for all subjects. Schemes of work or subject guidelines are also available. However, the present schemes of work do not identify the specific skills that are to be taught in each year group. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have been successfully introduced. A good emphasis is given in the curriculum to the teaching of English and mathematics. Within the teaching of other subjects good opportunities are created to consolidate learning in language and number work. Particularly good are the opportunities teachers create to improve mental calculations by providing number problems within the daily activities in the classroom. Good links are made between many subjects of the curriculum and this helps to raise standards by consolidating learning. However, at present information and communications technology is not sufficiently used as a resource within other subject

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PUPILS?

areas and its benefits to the curriculum have not been fully appreciated.

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PUPILS?

25. The curriculum for children under five is good. It is based on the nationally agreed Desirable Learning Outcomes for children of this age. Apart from the somewhat limited opportunities for children to develop their creative abilities, their work is planned to provide an appropriately balanced curriculum, which takes into account the needs of the young children included in the Key Stage 1 classroom. A good range and breadth of activities gives the children the opportunity to develop an appropriate range of skills providing an effective foundation for starting the National Curriculum at the beginning of Year 1. Integration with the pupils at Key Stage 1 is beneficial in that the children can see the longer-term results which are applicable to their learning.

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PUPILS?

26. The school fully complies with the requirements of the Code of Practice for special educational needs in providing a relevant curriculum for pupils with special educational Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 17 needs. The needs of pupils are identified through tests and teacher assessment. Individual educational plans and reviews are used to set targets for improvements. Targets are sharply focused and appropriate, so that success is achieved with each challenge. Parents are invited to participate in all educational plans and are fully involved in the preparation and development of targets. Within school opportunities for withdrawal or in-class support are provided whenever considered beneficial at the discretion of the special needs co-ordinator. Outside agencies offer support if necessary.

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PUPILS?

27. There has been good improvement in the planning of the curriculum since the last inspection. Long and medium-term planning provide clear direction for pupils’ learning. In good lessons short-term planning translates these objectives into manageable units of work. Teachers often give good attention in their planning to providing a wide range of tasks for the wide spread of abilities and needs of pupils accommodated in these two single key stage classes. There are still some shortcomings in the extent of challenge offered to the more able in the junior class. Monitoring of the curriculum in the junior class has not been regular enough. The headteacher and governing body have now begun to effectively monitor the curriculum in English and mathematics. This is having a positive impact on raising standards. The curriculum includes good provision for personal, social, health and sex education. Opportunities to study a wide range of

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PUPILS?

cultures are too limited in the present curriculum. A study of non-western cultures and traditions is minimal and does not prepare the pupils sufficiently for the wider world.

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PUPILS?

28. All pupils have good access and equal opportunity within the curriculum and extra curricular activities with the exception of access to computers in Years 5 and 6. The introduction of instrumental musical lessons has had a positive impact on the school and successfully widened the curriculum for older pupils. Visits out of school are arranged to enhance the curriculum whenever possible. Visitors into school also help to give greater flexibility to curriculum opportunities. For example, the visit of a professional actress performing as Queen Victoria gave increased focus to the history curriculum. There are plans to begin more after-school activities; however, the inspection team judges that the present range of activities is satisfactory. The community makes a very good contribution to pupils’ learning. Many visitors are invited to the school and the school uses the local environment well to support curriculum

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PUPILS?

experiences. Relationships with other schools are good. Several schools in the area plan activities on a joint basis.

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PUPILS?

29. The overall provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good. There has been an improvement in the provision for the moral development of pupils since the last inspection. This is now very good and a strength of the school. The provision for spiritual, social and cultural development has remained consistent since the last inspection. Opportunities are created for pupils’ spiritual development in assemblies, religious education lessons and also in some lessons in other subjects. For instance, in assemblies pupils reflect on the pleasures felt at the sight of new life which is suddenly apparent as spring develops, and in lessons awe and wonder about the world are experienced when the younger pupils suddenly realise the power exerted by the force of a magnet. The family ethos of the school encourages the development of good moral practices amongst the pupils. They have very good

p.17

PUPILS?

understanding of right and wrong, they respond well to school rules and they show very good care and respect towards each other, all promoted through a very strong moral code. Good social responsibility is encouraged in a range of inclusive activities, which take place within the school community. Pupils make collections for charities, visit senior citizens of the village with their harvest gifts and applaud the achievement of Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 18 others in the school. The provision for cultural awareness of the pupils is developed through visits to museums and exhibitions. The school is not as successful as it should be in creating opportunities for pupils to learn about the diversity of cultures, customs and traditions in contemporary Yorkshire. For example, the music and art curriculum concentrates too much on introducing pupils to western artists and musicians. The

p.17

PUPILS?

school is aware of this shortcoming and is seeking to broaden the range of opportunities.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school provides a good quality of care for its pupils and this effectively ensures that during their time in school they feel confident and happy and able to concentrate on their learning. The excellent relationships between class teachers, support staff and the pupils is an important element in the care provided. The quality of this care has been maintained well since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The children who are under five are well cared for in a happy and pleasant atmosphere. The induction procedures for both children and parents are good and the children settle quickly into the routines of the classroom. Parents have good opportunities in the morning to speak informally to staff about any small matters of concern. The children quickly learn what is expected of them and staff consistently reinforce good work and behaviour with praise.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. There are good procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic performance and this effectively identifies those pupils in need of specific extra support. Class teachers and the school secretary monitor attendance effectively. Parents take their responsibility to advise the school of reasons for absence very seriously, and there is no unauthorised absence. Personal development is monitored well by teaching staff. For example, raising junior boys’ self-esteem has recently been identified as a priority. The school has taken imaginative steps to achieve this, one of which is to provide an opportunity for the boys to learn to play brass instruments. This, amongst other measures, is beginning to achieve the objective. The school has procedures for recording instances of poor behaviour, but these are rarely used. In practice, all staff are aware of any pupil who persistently misbehaves and this ensures a consistency in any remedial action

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

required. Pupils are well motivated by the system of rewards and praise. There are good procedures to deal with bullying and pupils understand the need to tell an adult if they are worried about this.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The welfare of all the pupils is an important priority for the school. Pupils are welcomed as they arrive each morning and staff and parents exchange any relevant information. Pupils comment that they would feel comfortable in talking to their teacher about any worries they may have, either personal or academic. All adults in the school know the pupils very well and this ensures a continuity of care throughout the school day. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all aspects of school life and their specific needs are well supported.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The procedures the school has to govern health and safety and child protection are good. Regular risk assessments are carried out and procedures for fire drill and first aid are good. The headteacher is the designated member of staff for child protection and has received appropriate training. Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 19 35. The quality of assessment in the school is very good and has a positive effect on raising standards. There are very good systems in place for assessing pupils’ attainment at both key stages and for the children under five. Good use is made of formal assessment using statutory and optional standardised tests, published tests for reading, and more informal tests produced internally by the school. Teachers have a very good understanding of the standards achieved by each pupil and good encouragement is given to help them determine realistic targets to further improve their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

work. These self-assessment tasks are creating a positive ethos for learning. Similarly the headteacher and governing body frequently analyse school results to judge progress and set whole school targets for improvement.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36. There is a good partnership between school and home that has a beneficial impact on pupils’ attainment and on the quality of their learning experience. This good partnership has been maintained well since the last inspection, and the school is constantly working to further improve parental involvement in their children’s learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. Parents are very supportive of the work of the school and value the educational opportunities provided and the good care that the school takes of their children. Evidence from the inspection supports the very positive views expressed by parents at the meeting prior to the inspection and through the parental questionnaire. The information provided for parents about the school is practical and comprehensive. Details of what the children will be learning are sent out every term and parents have been given the opportunity to learn about the introduction of the literacy and numeracy projects. There is a good level of informal communication between parents and staff and parents are welcome to approach the school if concerned about any aspect of their children’s education or welfare. There are two opportunities during the year for consultation about progress and the pupils’ annual reports are satisfactory overall.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

However, there is inconsistent emphasis on identifying targets for improvement in the reports and the text does not always give a clear indication of a child’s attainment

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. Parental involvement in school life is very good. They are encouraged to help in school and many accompany the children on visits and walks. Parents are consulted about important aspects of school life, for example, the home/school agreement. This has been well received by parents and has provided a focus for the on-going restructure of homework provision. The Friends’ Association makes a very positive contribution to the social life of the school. It organises a range of interesting activities and the substantial funds raised have, for example, enabled the school to extend the infant classroom.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The majority of parents are eager to help their children at home with reading, spelling, tables and project work. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in devising plans and setting targets. The school recognises the immense value of this resource in improving pupils’ attainment and has introduced a programme of regular and structured homework so that parents know what to expect and how best to help. Further consultation is planned in the near future to refine the process.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. Overall, leadership and management are good. The headteacher sets a kind, caring example and sees the school as being an important part of the community. Her own Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 20 teaching is of good quality and concentrates on teaching the essential skills that pupils need to be effective learners. She provides clear direction for the work of the school and gives the governing body good quality information about what should be done to improve.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The aims of the school are of good quality and target high attainment as a natural outcome of the school’s work. The governing body shares these aspirations; they have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and suggest good ideas about how to help and support the school’s work. The headteacher is due to be appraised in the near future and governors are considering useful targets to support the school’s improvement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. Within such a small staff team it is difficult to share responsibilities. Additional financial resources have recently been made available to allow the headteacher to look at the work of other teachers and administer the school without leaving her class. However, tasks are distributed satisfactorily. Monitoring of teaching in the other group has not been rigorous enough in the past and the school is aware of the need to maintain the recently established pattern of monitoring and evaluation. The analysis of the pupils’ standards is good and the priorities identified in the school improvement plan are accurate. They are based on assessment results, observations and decisions made in the light of opportunities made available by recent staff movement. The school has made good progress in meeting most of the key issues identified in the last inspection and is now in a good position to build on the successes.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The finances available to the school are managed well and the headteacher, governors, bursar and secretary administer the budget efficiently and rigorously. The school improvement plan is accurately costed and grants are used effectively to support staff training and pupils with special educational needs. The school applies the principles of best value well to the management and use of resources. The school has done well since the last inspection to find the financial resources to provide many extra resources and the headteacher, governors and the school’s community have used these finances well to extend accommodation to satisfactory levels and supplement resources, for example computers, to good levels.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

44 . In order to improve the standards of attainment and the quality of education, the governors and headteacher should:

p.20

Key Stage 2 by:

- developing schemes of work that set out the specific skills, and understanding to be developed in each year group; - drawing up specific and measurable targets for improvement in the key skills; - improving the subject knowledge and confidence of teachers through a systematic programme of training and development; - identifying regular and frequent times for the subjects to be taught; and - improving the efficiency of the use of resources already available to the school. Paragraphs 2-4, 9, 22-4, 28, 55, 63, 75-80 Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 21

p.20

In the junior class, improve the number and quality of opportunities for pupils to

investigate, solve problems and face challenges in their work. Paragraphs 6-8, 13, 18, 20, 23, 27, 61, 63, 65, 68, 72

p.21

action plan:

- ensure that pupils always aspire to a high enough standard of handwriting and presentation; paragraphs, 19, 58-9, 79, 85, 99 - incorporate day-to-day assessment opportunities into lesson plans more consistently, especially in mathematics; paragraphs 20, 35, 64 - provide sufficient opportunities to enable children under five to develop their creative skills and gross motor skills at the same pace as other skills; paragraphs 5, 25, 50-3. - broaden the range of opportunities for pupils to better understand Britain’s culturally diverse society; paragraphs 27, 29, 70, 74, 100 - improve the quality and consistency of pupils’ annual reports; paragraph 37 Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 13 61 26 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 37

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 4

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 23

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 1 1 2

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 2 5 7

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 71 (66) 71 (50) 57 (66) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 71 (66) 71 (50) 71 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (71) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.2 Financial year 1999

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 89131

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Expenditure per pupil 2622

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 22 Balance brought forward from previous year 6218

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 6255

p.24

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 25

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 57 43 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 43 7 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 57 36 0 7 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 79 14 7 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 86 14 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 79 21 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 57 36 7 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 79 21 0 0 0

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 14 36 43 7 0 Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 26

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

45. The overall provision for the children under five is good. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. On entry to the reception class standards are in line with expectations for children of this age. They make good progress in all areas of learning and at five years of age attainment is above expectations in language and literacy, mathematics, physical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, and in their personal and social education. In creative development progress is satisfactory. At the last inspection the education of children under five did not form part of the inspection report.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46. All children use language confidently. Teachers give communication a high priority across the curriculum with regular opportunities for children to talk together about their daily experiences. As they ask questions and express their ideas they use a good vocabulary for their age. In both small and larger groups they listen attentively to the teacher and to the contributions of other class members. They show good enjoyment of stories, nursery rhymes and action songs, and participate fully. In favourite tales they can recount the story plot, and include good vocal expression as they act the responses of each character. Good progress was observed during the inspection, when children sharing a Big Book of the play of the “Three Wishes” showed good understanding of the role of the narrator in the play, as well as acting in role for each character in the story. In writing children are beginning to form some letters correctly. All can write their name

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

clearly and independently. They understand that print conveys meaning. Some will copy-write and others are able to write a few words independently to communicate their ideas. Good links are made in writing to development in information technology skills by using the computer for word processing their own work. Without any adult intervention more able children show good standards of attainment and are able to craft their own work directly on the machine, and then use the printer to produce a final copy.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47. Encouraged by good teaching, most children make good progress in mathematical understanding. They enter school with average levels of mathematical knowledge and through a varied range of appropriate activities they develop good positive attitudes to this area of learning. Most children can sequence the days of the week and the seasons. They enjoy answering challenging teacher questions about “the day before” or “ the day after”, and mostly give an accurate response. They show good understanding of mathematical vocabulary of shape, measure, position, or quantity and are beginning to use these terms themselves. Most children can name a square, rectangle, triangle and circle and can make a repetitive pattern maintaining the order and colour of these shapes. They are beginning to use non-standard measures in their work. In a good lesson to make a paper belt for a favourite teddy, children were able to

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

measure teddy’s waist with string and then transfer their pattern measurement to make a card belt. There were lovely examples of amazement as they realised their belt would fit, and of pride as they demonstrated their fashion choices in the “Teddy Fashion Show” at the plenary part of the lesson. Children are making good progress in their work on number. Most can count at least to 10 and some to 50. They recognise number symbols of numbers to 20 and some can name 2 digit numbers on a hundred square. In number games they can add dice or domino numbers together. More Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 27 confident children are beginning to identify patterns of numbers, for example of the ten times table.

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48. Children make good progress in personal and social development. They enter school with good skills of independence for children of this age and know appropriate behaviour. Their ability to make good relationships is particularly strong. In the very good school ethos of caring and sharing these skills flourish. Children share equipment amicably, take turns willingly and offer good support to each other in the learning environment. Good examples were seen of children volunteering to help each other to walk on stilts during a history lesson about Victorian toys, or on another occasion of children playing skipping games together during playtime. Children settle quickly into school and soon feel a valued member of this happy school family.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49. Children are developing a good understanding of the world around them. They are articulate and have good levels of observation. They can compare experiences from their own daily lives with those of their parents. They are fascinated to discover about the properties of materials and can identify toys made from wood, plastic, or metal. In exploration of the world around them children can make predictions, ask some challenging questions and are fascinated by their discoveries. There were lovely examples of awe and wonder as they experimented with magnets and discovered that magnets will attract other metals, and astonishment when they felt the force of rejection as the magnets forced themselves apart rejecting opposite poles. When working on the computer children can use the mouse, direction keys and space bar effectively, and some can interpret and use the icons displayed on the screen.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. Progress in creative development is satisfactory and builds on satisfactory attainment on entry. All children participate willingly in creative work and have good levels of perseverance and concentration. They can draw and paint pictures with good recall of their own first-hand experiences. However, drawing and painting sessions are often too prescriptive and are too infrequent to allow children the opportunity to explore freely and express their own ideas with a wide range of media. Children have poor skills with scissors and glue and are unsure of the appropriate equipment for some tasks. Teachers give too little attention to ensuring appropriately sized tools or left-handed scissors are available for independent work. Children enjoy building with construction kits or junk modelling. Good examples of wheeled box vehicles show good observational skills and gave opportunities for children to develop their own imaginative

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. In physical development children have good standards overall. They can, hop, skip, jump and run. Understanding of personal space is good. They listen to instructions and carry out a sequence of actions without reminders. Children can throw, catch and roll small apparatus. They are developing better skills with directional throwing. Manipulative skills with small toys and construction bricks are good. They can twist, wind, pull and push toys, exerting necessary force if required. Less well-developed are gross motor skills, as access to larger apparatus is restricted to visits out of school to a nearby hall for gymnastics lessons. As a result balancing and climbing skills are just satisfactory. Also as there are no wheeled toys available for use at school, hand and eye co-ordination in gross motor activities are less well developed.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52. The quality of teaching in the reception class is consistently good. The teachers and support staff work effectively together to provide a good teaching team. They have good knowledge of the curriculum needs of each child and plan effectively for them to the Desirable Learning Outcomes for children of this age. Overall, the curriculum has Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 28 good balance and breadth and, except in creative development and some aspects of physical development, offers a good range of appropriate and exciting activities. The teachers have very good knowledge of basic skills in literacy and numeracy, and ensure a good foundation is in place on which other skills can be developed. They have high expectations of each child and manage the classroom and resources efficiently. Baseline assessment of children is undertaken on entry to school and further regular assessment each term tracks progress. On going assessment is satisfactory but in

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

some lessons good opportunities are missed to observe children’s progress. A smooth transition takes place to the more formalised National Curriculum programmes of study at five years of age.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. Resources in the reception class are of good quality and are plentiful, except for gross motor play. The recent conservatory extension has been beneficial in providing children with more space for imaginative play and through better storage arrangements they have more opportunity to access equipment independently. Displays of children’s work are of good quality and provide a good support to learning.

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ENGLISH

54. The attainment overall of pupils at the age of eleven is average, and at the age of seven is above average. There has been an improvement in standards since the last inspection at Key Stage 1. In a school of this size the number of pupils taking tests in each year group is too small to make comparisons with national test results, or with tests from other similar schools. However, a comparison of results for the school over time show that standards in English have been falling in Key Stage 2, but have improved consistently in Key Stage 1. Inspection findings show that the fall in standards in the junior class has now been halted. Comparisons of gender differences are also difficult in a school of this size, although the schools’ own analysis has shown a need to improve the attainment of boys in writing. The recent initiatives to target resources to improve standards in reading and writing are proving beneficial in all year groups.

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ENGLISH

55. The quality of teaching in English is generally good in both key stages. Pupils in the infant class are given a good foundation of basic skills in all strands of the English curriculum. In the junior class, teaching is showing a good improvement since the introduction of setting across two year groups, rather than four years as previously. Smaller groups have allowed opportunities for individual support. Challenges for the junior pupils have become more sharply focused to the needs of each pupil; progress is matched to teacher expectations, and tracked against pupils’ own targets. Commercial schemes are used to support the teaching of English and this gives some consistency in the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge. The teachers have good subject knowledge in both key stages, and a keen enthusiasm for books, which is infectious, and is having a beneficial effect in motivating pupils. They plan effectively, prepare

p.28

ENGLISH

lessons thoroughly, and give good explanations to pupils of the criteria for success. In very good lessons teachers evaluate and analyse results as the lesson progresses. Priorities in these lessons are reviewed in the light of pupils’ response to each challenge. During the inspection as a result of good teaching, good progress was seen in 75 per cent of lessons in speaking and listening, reading and writing, and very good progress was seen in all other lessons. Effective teaching is supported by the valuable contribution of support assistants and parents, who work in the classroom alongside the teachers. Listening centres are available in the school but during the inspection were not used and are not planned consistently into the curriculum. Less well developed is the use of information technology to support the curriculum. Pupils in the infant class Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 29

p.28

ENGLISH

and in Years 3 and 4 have access to computers during literacy sessions, but activities are not planned as part of the curriculum to support work in English. Opportunities are missed to consolidate learning skills by using computer programs. In Years 5 and 6 there is no access to information technology during English lessons. As a result opportunities for word processing or work on advanced research skills cannot take place.

p.29

ENGLISH

56. Pupils make good progress in developing their skills in speaking and listening in both key stages. Teachers encourage pupils to talk and be curious which has a positive impact on improving their rates of progress. There is some role-play in the home corner when pupils communicate well together about a shared task. All pupils listen attentively to their teachers. This begins with the younger pupils by encouraging them to listen to stories. They are good mimics and enjoy participating with a variety of voices as the teacher recounts the adventures of various characters. During the literacy hour teachers are skilled at using questions to extend pupils’ learning. Purposeful discussions occur at the beginning and end of lessons and involve all members of the class groups. Teachers have good knowledge of appropriate technical vocabulary for each subject of the curriculum and encourage pupils to improve their own skill. Pupils

p.29

ENGLISH

are confident as they offer their suggestions to discussions, and other class members listen to these with interest. By the age of eleven pupils can contribute to discussions using a mature vocabulary with good knowledge of technical terms where it is relevant.

p.29

ENGLISH

57. In reading the development of fluency and accuracy are skilfully extended from the entry to school and throughout the infant and junior classes. Pupils enter the National Curriculum with a good knowledge of nursery rhymes and traditional tales. They enjoy stories and are beginning to work out a story plot from picture clues. They make good progress in phonic knowledge and are proficient at recognising sounds and deciphering text. The school has a good supply of attractive imaginative and well-written books, which are used in class to capture the interest of pupils. Their progress increases in the infant class, as they become more independent in reading. The direct teaching of reading has a significant impact on the progress that pupils make. All pupils in the infant section of the school are heard to read in groups, and individually each week. In The infant class there are suitable books available for fiction and non-fiction work. The

p.29

ENGLISH

good choice of reading material in the school encourages pupils to read from a wide selection of authors. Pupils are able to evaluate and compare the quality of books and some are now suggesting further possible resourcing for the school. Library skills of all pupils are poor. Opportunities to improve are limited, as there is no access to a library in school or in the local village.

p.29

ENGLISH

58. The progress pupils make in their writing is good in the infant class and is improving to satisfactory in the junior class. When the pupils enter the National Curriculum they are beginning to express their ideas in writing usually with the support of an adult. Pupils enjoy writing stories. By the age of seven all pupils seen during the inspection could write a complete story with good sequencing and some attention to setting and plot. The more able are beginning to consider the needs of the reader in their choice of vocabulary. Most understand when to use capitalisation. Some are beginning to use speech marks or speech bubbles to distinguish speech. In the junior class progress is satisfactory but not consistent. Although teachers now provide a varied range of tasks for pupils, skills have not been developed systematically. Insufficient consideration is still given to the purpose of the text and the needs of the audience. Pupils have not had

p.29

ENGLISH

enough opportunity to write at length in order to give good attention to style, purpose and organisation of their work. Few pupils use a thesaurus or dictionary to vary their choice of vocabulary. There is little evidence of the study of the style of authors, Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 30 newspaper reporters, or poets influencing their own writing. As a result of past inconsistencies of approach, handwriting, spelling and presentation are variable, and are still generally unsatisfactory. Improved teaching standards and the rigorous application of the literacy strategy, however, are beginning to remove these areas of relative weakness. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards their own individual educational plans in writing and reach expected targets for improvement.

p.29

ENGLISH

59. The pupils have a positive attitude to their work. Their behaviour is consistently good. In all lessons pupils make a good contribution to discussions. In individual tasks they settle quickly to their work and are prepared to give it their full attention. However, in written work some pupils will accept minimum standards of presentation and content and need regular reminders of their own targets for improvement to succeed. Pupils give good support to each other when evaluating their work. They enjoy sharing their work with friends, teachers and other adult visitors and gratefully accept their praise. Sensible consideration is given to suggestions for improvement.

p.30

ENGLISH

60. The subject is well co-ordinated. The school fulfils all the requirements of the National Curriculum and assessment procedures are very good. Teachers make good use of this information to provide work with a suitable challenge for each pupil and offer good extension activities. This is difficult in a small school. Good discussions take place between teachers and pupils to determine individual targets for improvement. A regular review of progress allows pupils to re-address these challenges. This self-evaluation is very useful as a tool for improvement.

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MATHEMATICS

61. The number of pupils sitting the National Curriculum tests in 1999 was too small to make comparisons between this school’s standards, all schools and schools with similar intakes. Only two pupils sitting those tests had been in the school since the reception year and other factors make it difficult to identify trends in standards. However, the raw results show that standards improved when compared to the results of 1998 and that there were no significant differences between boys and girls. The inspection team found that in the present Year 6 attainment is average and the majority of the pupils will reach the national average by the end of the year. The trend seen in the junior class over the past few years of falling standards has been stopped and, although pupils’ mental mathematics skills are improving well, their skills when investigating and solving problems are below average. Attainment in Year 2 is above average. These standards

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MATHEMATICS

maintain the position seen in Key Stage 2 at the last inspection and show an improvement at Key Stage 1.

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MATHEMATICS

62. In the infant class pupils are enthusiastic learners. Their teachers ensure that lessons are exciting; for example, at the start of a lesson about number, the teacher used a puppet to hide number cards and pupils were asked to find the value of the hidden digit by asking a series of pertinent questions. This succeeded in encouraging high levels of interest and concentration. By asking a series of very good quality questions pupils discovered whether the number was odd or even, larger or smaller than a suggested value. As pupils had been well involved during the mental mathematics session when set to work on addition and subtraction patterns they began their work very quickly and with good application. Work in books shows good progress in setting out problems. In this lesson the class teacher asked pupils to match their achievements against the targets for the lesson and again good participation helped pupils recognise their

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MATHEMATICS

Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 31 successes. Pupils have good levels of knowledge of shapes and measures. They understand the properties of common two- and three-dimensional shapes and identify these shapes in the environment.

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MATHEMATICS

63. These good attitudes to mathematics continue and in Years 3 and 4 pupils are able to define a fraction and give equivalent examples. When the teacher needs to remind pupils to listen effectively they respond immediately. A very good range of methods, including the use of a display board, a large die and asking pupils to give examples, keeps all the pupils on their toes and interest levels high. In a lesson on fractions, pupils’ concentration was so good that by the time of the second example they could miss out intermediary stages and the teacher was able to set the higher attaining pupils a difficult task involving a number of stages. Pupils were set time limits and the good structure of the lesson brought about a challenging but manageable task. The class was industrious and successful. In Years 5 and 6 pupils responded well to checks on their memories about how well they remembered definitions of vocabulary. A good

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MATHEMATICS

pace was maintained during the lesson which at times caused pupils to become excited and shout out inappropriately. The whole of the introductory session was conducted as an investigation and as such was successful if taking up a little too much time and pupils displayed sound capabilities. However, individually, pupils find it difficult to plan investigations and this is a result of a lack of experience in the preceding years. An example of very good practice was observed when the teacher reminded a pupil of the individual education plan which was operating and what had to be done to meet the targets. The subject knowledge of the teacher was good and this helped to maintain a good pace to the lesson. Overall, levels of knowledge about shape, measures and how to record data are average. In the past, too few opportunities have been provided for pupils to apply this knowledge in problem solving situations although there are signs

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MATHEMATICS

that this is being addressed. The use of computers to support progress is unsatisfactory. As the Years 5 and 6 group works out of the classroom they are denied access to computers to help them in their work.

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MATHEMATICS

64. Teaching is good overall. Many of the skills needed for good quality teaching are present. Expectations are high in the infant class and satisfactory in the junior class. The management of pupils is very good and at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2 where at times called answers are accepted. The use of time and learning resources is good overall and the only element of teaching which does not meet at least satisfactory quality is the use of assessments during lessons. Too many opportunities are lost to review pupils’ work and set more challenging activities based upon teachers’ observations; this is particularly the case at Key Stage 2. The curriculum for mathematics is based on the National Numeracy Strategy and teachers make good provision for teaching numeracy skills.

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SCIENCE

65. The number of pupils in last year’s Year 6 was too small to make any direct comparisons between schools. The inspection team found that standards are in line with the national average in both classes. There is no difference in the attainment of boys and girls and all pupils in the junior class have weaknesses in their skills of investigating and experimenting. This is because they have not had enough practice in planning their own investigations or of constructing tests. They have average amounts of knowledge about scientific facts. Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 32 66. In the infant class the teacher has satisfactory levels of subject knowledge and pupils experimented with magnets to see which materials would be attracted to magnets and to discover their properties. Some pupils identified metal, plastic and paper showing a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of materials. They use vocabulary such as

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SCIENCE

sharp and rusty with understanding. During this lesson pupils made good progress in recognising the properties of magnets; for example, that only some materials are attracted. However, when asked to predict what they think might happen with a collection of objects few pupils can answer with any certainty. A plentiful supply of different types of magnets helped pupils to come to terms with the fact that shape and size are not important factors in the principle of attraction. These resources were carefully collected by the class teacher as part of the preparation for the lesson. At times, the teacher spent too long on organising the lesson and in doing so, spent less time teaching and monitoring pupils’ progress. However, the quality of teaching was satisfactory. Pupils were excited about this work and showed enjoyment and good levels of concentration. They expressed surprise when the magnets attracted some

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SCIENCE

materials and some experimented to find, for instance, how many paper clips could be ‘held’ with one magnet.

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SCIENCE

67. In the junior class pupils researched animals and how they are adapted to their habitats. The introduction to this lesson was laborious and at times pupils did not understand what was required of them. The work set for pupils was well differentiated and groups of pupils were set work matched to their needs. They worked conscientiously, checked their progress and understood the different classifications of animals, for example mammals, and quickly identified similarities and differences. In one small group looking at birds, pupils quickly spotted that the eyes of owls and ducks are in different places on the birds’ heads. In thinking about why this should be they quickly identified that one bird hunts for animals for food and therefore needs good eyesight which can operate at night. The other bird fed on plants and perhaps small insects found in water but may itself be hunted and therefore needs to maintain a

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SCIENCE

vigilant lookout for predators. This showed very good levels of thinking and reasoning skills. A strength of the lesson was the way in which pupils used research skills to help them find information. By the end of Year 6 pupils have satisfactory levels of knowledge and understanding of plants and animals, materials and forces.

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SCIENCE

68. Teaching is satisfactory at both key stages. A weakness of the science teaching and the curriculum is the relative lack of opportunities for pupils to be involved in experiments and investigations. Too much time is spent on talking to pupils and not enough on practical problem solving. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well; in all lessons pupils’ show great enthusiasm for science and at all times pupils are well focused on their tasks. Pupils of varying ages work well together and there are high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Teachers deploy learning support assistants well and very good support is given to pupils with special educational needs. In the junior class, pupils with special educational needs made good progress. The quality of work in the lesson was such that other pupils applauded spontaneously after the work was read aloud. This support for each other and concern is evident in all work. Planning is

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SCIENCE

satisfactory in both classes although there is a lack of plans to integrate investigations and experiments into science lessons.

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ART

69. Throughout the school attainment in art is satisfactory and has been maintained since the last inspection. It meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. As no Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 33 lessons took place during the inspection, judgements have been made from a scrutiny of pupils’ work in workbooks and on displays, as well as by a review of teachers’ planning.

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ART

70. From the limited evidence available, teaching appears to be satisfactory in both key stages. Teachers have sufficient subject knowledge to introduce pupils to a range of techniques, and to encourage appreciation of the work of some artists. In work undertaken in the junior class, pupils studied the work of Monet and Van Gogh, and have produced some good impressionist work using pastels in landscapes and still life pictures. Knowledge of other non-western artists is limited and pupils are unable to compare a range of styles.

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ART

71. Teachers are skilled in the introduction and development of observational drawing and links are created across the curriculum to improve standards. Satisfactory progress is made through school. In the infant class pupils have drawn Victorian toys learning techniques of pencil shading. They have undertaken further work in the junior class to produce work in two colours, developing good observational skills in their representations of Chinese art. They are learning to review and modify their work. By Year 6 pupils are able to consider texture, perspective, tone and colour in their work. On a recent visit by Year 6 to Bagshaw Museum in Batley pupils produced satisfactory results in observational drawing, when they reproduced the artefacts in the Egyptian exhibition. Good attention had been given to the use of line and tone to interpret shape and pattern. Particularly good technical skill was shown by the more able pupils in their

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ART

visual interpretation of the museum in its setting. This work showed a good understanding of perspective and scale. Developing knowledge of Ancient Egypt for work in history on this visit uses art as a good link for other subjects. Older pupils are less secure in their technical skills in printing, collage or sculpture. Teachers provided few opportunities in the present curriculum to practise techniques or improve the use of tools.

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ART

72. Younger pupils have regular opportunities to work in pencil, crayon, felt pen and chalk, as pictorial representation is included in many lessons. They show good understanding of colour and have good fine motor skills. They can create a repetitive pattern giving satisfactory attention to producing accurate and interesting designs, for example in Year 1 when making a blanket for a Teddy bear, they combined geometric shapes in a symmetrical pattern. More able pupils had good attainment in knowledge of colour, shape and pattern and all produced an accurate pattern design. Teachers provide some painting activities but not regularly, and as a result the younger pupils have unsatisfactory skills in painting for their age. Other elements of the art curriculum are also insufficiently explored. Pupils use some two- and three-dimensional materials, but work is often prescriptive and there are few opportunities for the development of their

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ART

73. There are attractive displays to celebrate pupils’ work in the classrooms and entrances. Pupils have positive attitudes to art and are proud to show their work to other class members and visitors. They willingly offer praise in celebration of the achievements of others. They work co-operatively and share equipment fairly. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all activities and are supported well by pupils and staff.

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ART

74. The art curriculum in school has a limited time allocation and as a result is unable to offer sufficient opportunities for the coverage of some art media in any depth. This is having an effect on standards with insufficient development of some techniques. Art Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 34 makes only a limited contribution to the cultural awareness of pupils. There are very few pictures in school to celebrate the work of artists. Teachers’ planning is thorough and links well between subjects. However, there is too little attention to the systematic development of skills in the planning and or in the school’s guidelines for art.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

75. There was insufficient evidence available to come to a judgement about teaching or about pupils’ skills at Key Stage 2; judgements about standards are made on the basis of discussions with pupils, a scrutiny of medium term plans and the evidence of the few products made by pupils in both classes. There is more evidence of working in design and technology by pupils in the infant class where standards are average, than in the junior class where pupils’ knowledge of the designing, making and evaluating processes is unsatisfactory. There has been insufficient improvement in this subject; standards remain as they were during the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

76. In the junior class pupils have made paperweights, boats and samplers in fabric. Currently pupils are making card pyramids with timber bases to represent the burial chambers of the pharaohs. The timber was cut satisfactorily and attached securely to the base. Pupils in the junior class have also experienced bread making on a grand scale with representatives from a commercial baker helping pupils make their bread under production line conditions. Pupils talk of bread making and baking cakes with parents and have produced a recipe book of food they have made. However, the vast majority of their experiences are not planned as part of a progressive curriculum through which pupils learn skills and the processes of designing, planning and evaluating their products. Pupils in the infant class have made mobiles of stuffed felt animals. These are of good quality and the stitches are neat and uniform in size.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Fabric work has been used to good effect in a centenary quilt that shows the development of the school. Fabric crayons and stitches are used to good effect to commemorate the building of the school and some of the personnel. This worthwhile artefact is of satisfactory quality but there is little evidence that the skills and techniques used to produce the quilt are used regularly.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

77. The medium term plans for the subject do not contain sufficient information about what projects should be attempted in each year group or about the materials, skills and important ideas to be used. The curriculum contains all of the elements of the National Curriculum but does not implement frequent opportunities for pupils to develop the appropriate skills. The school has purchased a good range of tools, which are well stored, but insufficient use is made of this equipment.

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GEOGRAPHY

78. There was insufficient evidence available during the inspection to enable a secure judgement to be made on the progress and attainment of pupils in geography in the infant class. This includes judgements about the progress of pupils with special educational needs. Although no lessons were observed in geography at the junior class, it has been possible to undertake a scrutiny of pupils’ work, discussion with pupils and an examination of teachers’ planning. Evidence shows that standards are below national expectations for pupils at the age of eleven. Standards in the junior class have not been maintained since the last inspection. Progress of pupils in this key stage is Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 35 unsatisfactory. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory in the junior class.

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GEOGRAPHY

79. Teaching in geography is unsatisfactory. Although all the strands of the geography curriculum are in place the present timetable gives insufficient opportunity for development of the breadth of the curriculum necessary for pupils in the junior class. Planning of lessons is thorough and good efforts are made to introduce the knowledge applicable to each topic. Teachers’ expectations of progress in lessons are insufficient and minimum standards in presentation and content have been accepted. There is insufficient assessment of progress to inform planning. Guidelines for the teaching of geography are suitable. However, the school has not yet determined the skills to be developed systematically in each year group and as a result learning is inconsistent and piecemeal.

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GEOGRAPHY

80. Satisfactory progress has been made in mapping skills in the junior class. Pupils can read the key symbols of a geographical map and understand about compass bearings. In Years 3 and 4 good work has been undertaken on use of an ordnance survey map of the local area to identify environmental features and study reasons for these developments. Mapping is further developed in Years 5 and 6. Pupils have plotted the course of the River Nile and considered the agricultural and industrial requirements, which are important in the development of settlements. This work has provided a satisfactory link to a history topic on Ancient Egypt. There has been little work using atlases and pupils are insecure about methods employed to read information. Few pupils have any understanding of grid referencing; none can read a grid reference to 4 digits. Further work in Years 5 and 6 has included consideration of climatic zones and

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GEOGRAPHY

pupils have made satisfactory progress in learning about changes in zones around the world. There is little evidence of work on physical features.

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GEOGRAPHY

81. As geography has not been a priority area of the curriculum there has been little recent development of this subject. There are some good non-fiction books of countries around the world, but other resources are insufficient to meet the present requirements of the National Curriculum. Teachers have included some use of the local area to study animal habitats, but this is an under-used resource. A study of the school environment in geography for pupils in the infant class is not part of the present curriculum plan.

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HISTORY

82. The majority of pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and standards are above expectations. This is an improvement on the last inspection.

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HISTORY

83. Teaching is good throughout the school. First-hand source discoveries are built into the curriculum whenever possible, on visits, talking to family members, and in observation of artefacts at museums and historical centres. Consistently good planning ensures that pupils learn a good sense of chronology. Teachers introduce understanding of chronology by asking questions which encourage pupils to consider their own lives from birth to the present day, and then direct pupils to compare their knowledge of recent events to important landmarks in the lives of their parents and grandparents. As pupils learn more about history their sense of chronology is developed using a time line which goes back to the ancient civilisations of the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. This work is reinforced in research and investigative tasks, for example when by comparing artefacts of today with those of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents.

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HISTORY

Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 36 During the inspection in an effective history workshop in Year 2 good opportunities were created for personal research on toys, using play and discussions with their families at home to improve their historical knowledge. Parents offered good support including showing toys of their own and even making toys as replicas of previous generations. Good progress was made by the younger pupils in chronology through this work in history, and in geography and science by learning about the development of manufacturing. Pupils played with Victorian toys, examined toys from Britain in the 1950’s, and compared with the power rangers and play stations of today. They enjoyed the challenge of a new range of games, and realised that manufacture of materials and improvements in computer knowledge have changed the games played by children of today. This work was followed up in other subjects to consolidate learning, and

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HISTORY

included an assembly time so that all pupils could benefit from their discoveries.

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HISTORY

84. In the junior class pupils’ investigative skills are continuously extended, for example in project work on Ancient Egypt, or in study of the life of the local community. Well- motivated pupils aid their own progress by showing keen interest in their lessons. As in The infant class the teachers in this key stage make good use of first and secondary source resources for research opportunities. These include a good selection of books, CD-ROM material and an excellent piece of research on the local social history of the school undertaken at its’ centenary in 1996. Visits to local museums are also used to support learning, as at a recent visit to the Bagshaw Museum in Batley, when pupils undertook their own research on the lives of Ancient Egyptians. Teachers frequently use varied secondary source visual media to offer a balanced approach to the learning opportunities presented to pupils. In work on the discovery of the archaeologist Howard

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HISTORY

Carter in Egypt finding the tomb of Tutenkhamun, the teacher effectively used the overhead projector to show pictures of the treasures of the Egyptian king and maps of the pyramids in which he was buried. Good links have been made in this work to other subjects. For example, in design and technology pupils have made pyramids in wood and paper and designed a maze as a secret game in the base of the pyramid. Lessons are lively and varied the teachers’ interest in history ensures enthusiasm is encouraged and maintained. Good use of technical vocabulary by teachers improves pupils’ historical vocabulary in their own written work.

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HISTORY

85. Pupils enjoy activities in history. They show interest and are curious to learn about past generations. Standards of presentation in written work are varied and often do not reflect on the trouble taken in research projects or as a true reflection on pupils’ capabilities. The subject makes a good contribution to the development of literacy skills with pupils being required to read varied non-fiction texts and write in different styles.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

86. There was insufficient evidence to come to judgements about the quality of teaching in the infant class and only one lesson was observed in the junior class. Standards in both classes are below average. Although the school has done well to build up the range and quality of resources to good levels since the last inspection, attainment remains low, which was the same judgment made in 1997. Pupils at Key Stage 2 have more catching up to do and, as they do not use computers on a regular basis as part of their experiences in lessons, their rate of progress is unsatisfactory.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

87. At Key Stage 2 pupils talk of using a small floor robot when they were in the infant class and using spelling programs. They have used a graphic program to draw pictures and print them. They have dragged and re-sized pictures from archives and used them to Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 37 illustrate pieces of written work. Pupils in the infant class use programs to support their learning in spelling, writing and addition and subtraction. Even the youngest pupils are familiar with the working parts of a computer and move the cursor around the screen, load and print their work. This familiarity with computers comes from using them frequently in lessons.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

88. In the one lesson seen attainment in the aspect of word processing was average. Pupils were given the task of evaluating a piece of text and their teacher asked them to make the writing interesting and asked for suggestions about which methods should be used. A variety of responses were made, including adding illustrations, using better descriptions and pupils used headteacher correct terminology to describe highlighting text, centring and underlining. They demonstrated satisfactory levels of knowledge and described in detail how libraries of illustration could be used to enliven their work. They gave their teacher good quality instruction about how to cut and paste. This was a good introduction to the week’s work and formed good quality links with literacy work which the teacher had planned. In this lesson the teaching was of good quality although at times the teacher had to work very hard to draw answers form the class.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

89. The school has a good quality network of modern computers with CD-ROM facilities and Internet capability. However, teachers do not use the resources on a frequent basis and do not have sufficient levels of subject knowledge to teach all of the strands of the curriculum. The headteacher understands the needs of the subject and what should be done to respond to these issues. The work set for pupils is not challenging and does not cover the full range of experiences in the school’s curriculum.

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MUSIC

90. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about the standards of music or the quality of teaching at Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 2 attainment is average and in the one lesson seen, teaching and learning were of good quality. In this lesson the teacher’s knowledge and understanding of the subject were very good. Pupils clapped in waltz time, identified and differentiated between the pulse and the rhythm. Voices were warmed with a round and pupils sang clearly, sweetly and in tune. With their eyes closed pupils could distinguish between the music scale used in western music and that used in some Asian compositions. They understood the nature of the five-note scale, the intervals used and the notes in two such scales.

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MUSIC

91. In groups they set about finishing their compositions about a Chinese legend using the pentatonic scale on a variety of instruments. The interesting activities encouraged pupils to show high levels of concentration and application. Performances were rehearsed well and after each group played, other pupils evaluated their peers’ compositions showing evidence of good listening skills. Pupils played a range of instruments including tuned and untuned percussion. Pupils who are taught to play brass instruments by a peripatetic teacher joined the groups and were able to moderate the strength of their playing to combine with their team members without drowning them. These pupils, who receive very good tuition from peripatetic staff, play well with good intonation and generally make very good progress as they move through their grade examinations.

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MUSIC

92. The teaching in the one lesson seen was of good quality. Good relationships and good quality planning ensured that the pupils learned well and showed very good attitudes to music in general and to working hard in this lesson. The practical nature of the tasks Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 38 ensured that pupils concentrated for a long period of time and this meant that tasks and performances were finished. The teacher encouraged pupils to make decisions about which instruments they should use and which combinations worked well and in this way independent learning skills were encouraged. The curriculum and resources are of good quality and support useful learning experiences for pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

93. Standards of attainment are average in those aspects inspected. In the last inspection attainment was judged to be below average. At that time the resources available to the school were considered to be unsatisfactory. Since then the school has arranged for equipment to be stored in a nearby hall which has just enough room for the infant class and half the junior class to be taught in suitable conditions. These arrangements have met the issue identified in the last report.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

94. In the infant class the warm-up was managed well. The teacher used good connections to other subjects to encourage pupils to use their limbs to describe shapes at different levels. The teacher, reminding pupils of last week’s lessons, conveyed a sense of fun and involvement. Pupils showed a satisfactory range of movement and control as they moved in ways suggested by shapes; hard and angular from triangles and slow and soft from circles. The teacher managed the lesson very well and pupils responded appropriately. They are attentive, hard working and keen to do well. Working in pairs the class teacher encouraged pupils to watch each other and mimic movements demonstrated by the leader in each pair. The class teacher joined in the movement and pointed out good work, requesting pupils look at each other’s work and improve their own. Pupils showed good combinations of physical and listening skills and they

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

stop immediately as the teacher calls a halt. Missing no opportunities to reinforce number skills, for example, dividing the class into groups, the teacher asks pupils to evaluate their work and pupils do this to a satisfactory standard. Pupils offer each other relevant suggestions about how to improve their work. This was a good lesson and pupils made good progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

95. In a Years 5 and 6 dance lesson the satisfactory quality of teaching led to sound learning. Using a gospel song as a stimulus, pupils worked in small groups to portray the song in dance. The class teacher managed behaviour well and pupils responded by working hard and productively. Girls produced better performances that boys in this session as their movement was well controlled and of greater variety. During performances the teacher encouraged pupils to improve the control of their movements and think carefully about how repetition can help the sequences of their dance. During their evaluations of each other’s performances pupils were very critical and these comments were taken with good grace. The satisfactory planning of the lesson gave it a useful structure and as the class teacher recapped the last session, which dealt with flight, pupils were reminded about moving in different levels. This improved their

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

performance and added variety to their work.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

96. Standards of attainment at the age of seven and at eleven meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Religious education is taught consistently in classes in both key stages as well as being included in some assemblies of the school. This is an Burton Salmon Community Primary School - 39 improvement on the last inspection when the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus were mostly taught through assemblies.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

97. By the age of seven pupils know some stories from the Bible, and that they have meanings which are important in their lives. They can retell some parable and miracle stories from the New Testament. Favourite stories from the Old Testament with which they are familiar include that of David the shepherd boy and Joseph with his multi- coloured coat. They know the main festivals of the Christian calendar and enjoy celebrations of these events. Celebrations of the harvest festival are related effectively to their own farming communities. They can describe the sequence in the life of Jesus. Introductions have been made to the celebrations of other world faiths, and to understanding the place of a child in those faiths. The pupils are introduced to the special clothing worn by a Muslim believer, and in work on worship have examined the items of prayer. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge and enough resources

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

to enable them to make this work interesting and relevant for pupils of this age.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

98. In the junior class much of the work builds effectively on the introductions made to the younger pupils about religious faiths. Teachers make good use of books and other visual media in order to make this work more relevant and visual. Further work is undertaken on Christianity by learning about the symbols of the Christian church. Visits to local churches provide opportunities for pupils to consolidate this learning and use new vocabulary, such as altar, pew, lectern, pulpit. Following further work on the Islamic faith good lessons provide opportunities for comparisons between Christian and Muslim festivals, beliefs and customs. Similarities and differences are highlighted and explored both in discussion and in written work, for example in a comparison about customs of fasting and celebration at Lent and Ramadan, Easter and Eid. Teachers make good links in religious education to other subjects, successfully introducing new

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

material and consolidating previous learning. For example, in work on journeys, good links are made to history by describing and comparing the medieval crusades, the journeys of the prophet Mohammed, and also the more recent pilgrimages of Christians to Lourdes. Topical issues, such as those of tolerance and respect, are discussed and dealt with sensitively by the teacher. Pupils show good levels of empathy towards the beliefs and religious customs of others.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

99. The pupils’ response to the subject is satisfactory overall. They show interest in the values and beliefs of others, but have a lack of understanding of their relevance to their own lives. Written tasks are few in both key stages. Examples of written work show pupils accept minimum standards and do not apply themselves with any rigour or pride to these tasks. More interest is shown when they talk about or handle the symbols and artefacts of a faith. Behaviour is good in all lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

100. Teachers’ planning for religious education follows the guidelines of the locally agreed syllabus and is satisfactory. The curriculum on Christianity is sound in both key stages, and at the infant class there is satisfactory coverage of other faiths. The curriculum for the junior class has insufficient coverage of religions other than Christianity and the Islamic faith. As a result the curriculum is too narrow at this key stage to allow pupils to have suitable knowledge to be able to fully understand the value of beliefs and customs of others. Resources of artefacts in school are unsatisfactory, and in an area where it is difficult to take pupils on field visits to places of worship this is limiting the curriculum. There is good inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in all activities and with relevant support when necessary they make good progress in this subject.

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