St George's CofE Controlled Primary School

ST GEORGE'S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 31 st January – 4 th February 2000

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ST GEORGE'S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST GEORGE'S C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St George's C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Church Gresley Swadlincote Derbyshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs A Byford

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 January 1997 St George's C of E 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

Mr P Kemble Registered inspector Areas of learning for children in the foundation stage Mathematics Science Information technology Music Physical education Equal opportunities The characteristics and effectiveness of the school The school's results and pupils' achievements Teaching and learning Leadership and management Accommodation and learning resources Key issues for action

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr J Massey Lay inspector Pupils' attitudes, values and personal development Attendance Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils' welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Ms G Carter Team inspector Special educational needs English Art Design and technology Geography History Religious education Quality and range of opportunities for learning Assessment Efficiency Staffing

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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 St George's C of E Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a small Church of England primary school for boys and girls aged four to eleven years old. It has 149 full-time pupils on roll. There are 78 girls and 71 boys. Taken together, pupils’ attainment on entry is lower than that found in primary schools nationally. Twenty-eight pupils are entitled to free school meals, a figure which is similar to the national average. Twenty-one pupils have special educational needs, a figure which is broadly in line with the national average. There are two children from minority ethnic backgrounds. Pupils are organised into five mixed-age classes. The average class size is 29.8.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St. George’s Church of England Primary School is an effective school. Pupils achieve above average standards in reading, writing, numeracy, music and physical education. The quality of teaching is mainly good, particularly at Key Stage 1. The headteacher and staff work very well together as a team to create a happy, working atmosphere, despite difficulties presented by the school building. The school has below average income and provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Basic skills are taught very well in English and mathematics and, as a result, standards in reading, writing and numeracy are above average at the end of both key stages. • The school cares for its pupils well and records their social and academic progress through the school very effectively. • Pupils have good attitudes to school and behaviour is very good. • Provision for pupils’ social development is good; provision for their moral development is very good. • The leadership and management of the school are good and successfully promote good relationships between staff and pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The continuous and progressive development of skills from lesson to lesson and between year groups is inconsistent in science, art, design and technology, history and geography. • Experimental and investigative activities are often too closely directed by teachers so that pupils cannot use their skills to make decisions and choices for themselves. • Targets for improvements in standards in the school development plan are not always clearly identified. • There is insufficient coverage of major world faiths and religions in the teaching of religious education and, in this respect, the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus are not met. • There is no secure outside play area or large play equipment for children under five.

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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

The school was last inspected in January 1997. Overall, the school has made satisfactory improvements since then. Standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, as shown by the results of the end of Key Stage 2 national tests, have improved at a rate in line with the national trend. Standards of pupils’ reading, writing and numeracy have improved particularly well at both key stages as a result of good teaching. Standards in information technology have risen significantly since 1998, from unsatisfactory to satisfactory, as a new scheme of work and improved St George's C of E Primary School - 7 teaching have taken effect. The school is on course to meet the standards set at the end of Key Stage 2 for achievement in the forthcoming national tests. In response to the key issues for action in the previous report, the governors, headteacher and staff have worked very hard with the local

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

education authority to overcome the problems caused by the inadequate accommodation. There have been significant improvements in reducing the traffic problems outside the school, but attempts to improve the overall quality of the very poor accommodation remain unresolved. Procedures for the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning are now satisfactory. The headteacher and co-ordinators have more effective roles and responsibilities which enable them to assess more accurately the standards of pupils’ work. The loss of the deputy headteacher post has been well managed and has not adversely affected the work of the school. Commendable efforts have been made to improve the quality and organisation of resources, but limited funding and inadequate accommodation have meant improvements have not been significant.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English C E D B well above average above average A B mathematics C D D C average below average C D science D E D C well below average E

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STANDARDS

The table above shows that, in 1999, at the end of Key Stage 2, although pupils’ achievements were below the national average for all schools in English, mathematics and science, when compared with similar schools they were at least average, with above average standards in English. In mathematics and science, there were fewer pupils achieving the higher Level 5 than might be expected. Pupils had, however, achieved the realistic targets set by the school and the local education authority, which shows that standards were what could be reasonably expected. When considering trends over time, there has been a satisfactory rise in standards in line with the national trend. The standards of the Year 6 pupils’ work seen during this inspection indicate that achievements in the forthcoming national tests are likely to be slightly better than the 1999 results in all three subjects, in line with targets set by the school.

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STANDARDS

Standards in information technology and religious education are in line with those expected of pupils of their age at both key stages. They are no better in religious education because pupils do not study a sufficient number of major world faiths and religions.

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STANDARDS

Standards in art, design and technology, history and geography are in line with those expected of pupils of their age. Standards in music and physical education are above those expected of pupils of their age. Pupils sing well at Key Stage 1, and Key Stage 2 pupils show good levels of musical appreciation. Standards of swimming at the end of Key Stage 2 are very good.

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STANDARDS

By the time they are five, pupils make good progress in language and literacy and mathematics and exceed the standards expected of pupils of this age. St George's C of E Primary School - 8

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils, including children under five, enjoy coming to school and their attitudes to work are good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good. Pupils are courteous, polite, kind and considerate to one another and to adults.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good. Pupils work together well and take on responsibilities confidently from an early age. Relationships between each other and with all other adults in the school are good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is good and pupils arrive on time, ensuring a prompt start to the school day.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Children under five show good levels of concentration for their age. They work by themselves or in groups very well. At Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, pupils show good attitudes to work in all subjects. They show interest and a keenness to take part in activities and good levels of perseverance.

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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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

The quality of teaching is good overall in English and mathematics at both key stages, with examples of very good teaching in both subjects at Key Stage 1. The main strengths are the teachers’ effectiveness in motivating and interesting pupils in their work, especially in reading, writing and numeracy; matching work well to pupils’ needs, especially in English and mathematics and the quality of whole-class sessions at the beginning and the end of lessons. Where there are shortcomings in otherwise satisfactory teaching, there is a tendency for lessons to contain too much coverage of knowledge and not enough skills' development, especially in lessons that require experimental and investigative work. Similar worksheets are sometimes used for all the pupils in the class, reducing the challenge for higher attaining pupils.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Taking into account all the lessons seen during the inspection, forty per cent were judged satisfactory, forty per cent were good and twenty per cent were very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum has satisfactory breadth and balance and fulfils the aims of the school. Extra-curricular activities are successful in extending pupils’ experiences in music and sport.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Work is well matched to pupils’ specific needs and they make good progress. St George's C of E Primary School - 9 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Pupils’ personal development is promoted well. Provision for moral development is very good. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. Provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ safety are good. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress and personal development are good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has a satisfactory partnership with its parents and provides them with regular, helpful information, particularly about their children’s progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The curriculum covers all the nationally recommended areas of learning for children under five, the requirements of the National Curriculum, health and sex education and information about drug misuse. It is not meeting the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education because there is insufficient coverage of major world faiths and religions.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is a very caring community and constant vigilance has to be maintained by the staff to keep pupils safe in the very poor school environment. Teachers use the information they gather from assessment procedures well to match work to pupils’ needs and promote their personal development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led by the headteacher with good support from the teaching staff and governors. He has successfully promoted improved standards at both key stages despite the many disadvantages presented by the accommodation.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Most of the governors are relatively new and are keen to develop their roles. Guided by the headteacher, they pay close attention to standards and manage the school budget efficiently.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher and staff have a good understanding of the work of the school. They gather information in a variety of ways and make a satisfactory analysis of it to decide whether or not initiatives have been successful.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Teaching and non-teaching staff, materials, equipment and the accommodation are used effectively to support learning. The small hall restricts provision for gymnastics, but good use is made of a local swimming pool to extend pupils’ physical development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

All staff work very well together and the quality of teamwork makes a significant contribution to the standards achieved by the pupils.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The accommodation is very poor and imposes severe constraints on several aspects of pupils’ academic and social development. As a consequence of sub-standard accommodation, the headteacher and staff spend a disproportionate amount of their time managing the arrangements to minimise the disadvantages.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The headteacher’s determination to raise the quality of teaching and learning, and to work with his governors to press for help from the local education authority to improve the standards of accommodation, has been excellent. He is well supported in his work by the staff of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The income the school receives is lower than most other primary schools nationally and the St George's C of E Primary School - 10 headteacher and governors give considerable attention to obtaining the best value for their spending. They have been successful in turning a budget deficit four years ago into a small surplus for the current financial year by virtue of prudent spending decisions.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school and make good progress. • The quality of teaching is good. • Questions or problems receive close attention from the headteacher and staff. • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is well managed and led. • Their children are encouraged to be mature and responsible. • The amount of work children are asked to do at home – a small minority of parents would like more. • The school does not work closely enough with parents. • There are not enough activities for children outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors support parents’ positive comments. The amount of homework is similar to that of other primary schools and is judged to be appropriate. The range of extra-curricular activities provided by the school is judged to be adequate and supports learning well in music and sport. St George's C of E Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children under five make good progress in language and literacy and mathematics and exceed the standards expected by the age of five. Children achieve the levels expected of their age in knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development and progress is satisfactory. Their personal development is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. In the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 national tests, the results show that standards in reading and writing were well above average when compared with similar schools. Standards in writing were above average when compared with all schools nationally. The percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 3 in writing was well above the national average. The 1999 end of Key Stage 2 national test results show that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 4 in English was below the national average, but was above average when compared with similar schools. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 was below average when compared with all schools and with similar schools.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. In mathematics, the results of the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 tests show that a below average percentage of pupils attained the expected Level 2 and the percentage attaining the higher Level 3 was close to the national average. Results were above average when compared with similar schools. The results at the end of Key Stage 2 show that standards were below the national average for attainment at both the expected Level 4 and the higher Level 5. When compared with similar schools, results were broadly average.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Results of the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 assessments in science show that standards were well below the national average and the average for similar schools. The results of the end of Key Stage 2 national tests show that standards were below average, but that they were broadly average when compared with the results of similar schools.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. When considering trends between 1996 and 1999, standards in English, mathematics and science, as shown by the results of national tests, have risen at a satisfactory rate at the end of Key Stage 2. There was a slight decline in standards in 1998. The small numbers and variations in the level of attainment of each annual intake of pupils make comparisons and trends difficult to establish. Results over time do show, however, that standards in English and mathematics have remained higher than standards in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. The school has set realistic targets for pupils’ attainments in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2 in consultation with the local education authority. The results of the national tests for 1998 and 1999 were in line with the targets set, and show that pupils achieved what could reasonably be expected. The target set for the percentage of pupils in the current Year 6 attaining the expected St George's C of E Primary School - 12 Level 4 in English and mathematics is sixty-five per cent. This continues the expectation of a steady rise in standards. Inspection evidence supports the teachers’ assessments that these pupils are likely to meet the targets in the forthcoming national tests.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. There were no significant differences in the performance of boys and girls in the national test results at the end of Key Stage 2. Girls perform slightly better than boys in English and mathematics, and boys perform slightly better than girls in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. In English, standards of attainment in literacy have improved at both key stages since the previous inspection as a result of an effective structure applied to the teaching of reading and writing, particularly at Key Stage 1. Attainment on entry of pupils is below average in language and literacy, but the close attention given by teachers to the teaching of letter sounds and frequently used words is very successful in helping pupils to make good progress in Reception and in Key Stage 1. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils write very well in a range of styles and for different purposes. They show good skills of drafting and editing pieces of writing, often by word processing using a computer, and have a secure knowledge of correct grammar and punctuation. They respond well to the targets for improvement they set with their teacher and this makes a significant contribution to their achievements. However, their knowledge of different authors and the development

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The school’s results and achievements

of library skills are weak and so their progress overall in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. In mathematics, pupils show a good knowledge and understanding of numeracy at both key stages. Most pupils are reasonably accurate with mental calculations. At Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress in all aspects of the subject as a result of receiving a wide range of well-taught experiences. By the end of the key stage, pupils have a satisfactory recall of number facts, apply numbers well to everyday problems and recognise several two- and three-dimensional shapes. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils explain their methods clearly when talking about how they have solved problems. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that pupils of different prior attainment work at tasks that are well matched to their needs and this helps them to make satisfactory progress in lessons and over time.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall in most aspects of science at both key stages. Key Stage 1 pupils’ work shows that they have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of life processes and living things and the concept of change. At Key Stage 2, progress is inconsistent between lessons and year groups because teachers do not always match activities well enough to pupils’ needs. Pupils continue to develop a broad knowledge base in all aspects of science, but their skills of devising experiments and investigations of their own and suitable ways to record their results are weak.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Higher attaining pupils are usually well supported at both key stages in English, mathematics and science and make satisfactory progress. They respond well to challenges set in English and mathematics. There is less challenge for these pupils in some aspects of investigative work in mathematics and science. This is partly due to the use of worksheets which provide insufficient challenge and too much teacher direction, particularly in science, so that opportunities to apply their knowledge and understanding to problem-solving situations are restricted. Average attaining pupils receive suitably challenging work in most lessons, but are sometimes not fully challenged by their science work. Lower attaining pupils, and pupils with special St George's C of E Primary School - 13 educational needs, have work that is consistently well matched to their needs and, with good support from their teachers and classroom assistants, often make good

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The school’s results and achievements

12. In information technology, standards of attainment are in line with the national expectation at both key stages and pupils make satisfactory progress. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are confident in their use of computers and use them effectively to support learning across the curriculum. In religious education, standards are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus but, by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are not familiar with a sufficiently wide range of major world faiths and religions.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. In other subjects of the curriculum, standards of attainment in art are in line with the national expectation. The development of pupils’ skills is inconsistent at Key Stage 2 but, by the end of the key stage, some pupils produce work of a high standard and observational skills are generally well developed. Standards of attainment in design and technology are in line with the national expectation at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils' making skills are satisfactory, but they have limited experience of the design aspect of the subject. Standards of attainment in history and geography are in line with national expectations at both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils search for information competently in history and have a secure knowledge of the local area in geography. Standards of attainment in music are above those expected of pupils of their age at the end of both key stages.

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The school’s results and achievements

Standards of singing in Key Stage 1 are particularly high. By the end of the Key Stage 2, pupils have a well-developed appreciation of music and express their feelings well as they listen to different pieces. Standards of attainment in physical education at the end of both key stages are above those expected of pupils of their age. Key Stage 1 pupils tackle movements confidently and use space well. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils practise and refine their skills conscientiously during games lessons and a significant majority of pupils are very confident swimmers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Parents are very supportive of the attitudes, behaviour and personal development of their children. Pupils have maintained the good standards reported at the time of the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Children under five have good attitudes to learning. They show good levels of concentration for their age and take part enthusiastically in the activities provided. Their personal development is good. They take turns and play fairly. They sit quietly in assemblies and contribute keenly to class discussions. They respond very well to responsibilities such as clearing away after an activity has finished. They work by themselves or in groups very well. Their behaviour is very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. At Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, pupils’ positive response to their school life continues. Pupils enjoy coming to school and their attitudes to their work are good. Pupils respond well to their lessons, showing interest and a keenness to take part in activities. They sustain their concentration well, for example towards the end of the long afternoon in the juniors, where there is no afternoon break. When they are St George's C of E Primary School - 14 working individually or in groups, they persevere with their tasks and help one another with problems such as finding just the right combination of crayons to match skin colours in an art lesson. Pupils with special educational needs are generally confident, well motivated and keen to make progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Behaviour in the classrooms and around the school is very good. Pupils are courteous, polite, kind and considerate to one another, which is helpful in coping with the restrictions and potential hazards presented by the unsuitable building and the congested play area. On their way to and from lunch, all pupils, including the youngest, have to make their way up and down steep and narrow stairways to the school hall where lunch is served. They do this in a very orderly manner. Pupils have very good relationships with each other and with all the adults in the school, and these contribute to the good quality of learning and the standards pupils achieve. Pupils work very well together during investigations in mathematics and science and in many other shared activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. The personal development of pupils is good. Pupils are successfully encouraged to work co-operatively with each other in all curriculum areas. During playtimes, collisions and minor accidents sometimes occur due to the inadequate size of the playground. When these happen, pupils show commendable sympathy and support for each other. There are good opportunities for pupils to work together and develop their social skills, with pupils starting from a young age to take responsibility for school and classroom jobs such as looking after the plants or getting the hall ready for lunch. Year 6 pupils run a school savings bank and are given considerable responsibility for its organisation and management.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils respond well to the literacy and numeracy hours. They show enjoyment of the texts in literacy lessons and discussions are often of good quality, especially at Key Stage 2. In numeracy lessons, pupils enjoy explaining to their teachers and their peers the methods used for solving problems.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Attendance is good and pupils arrive on time, helping to ensure a prompt start to the school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Taking into account all the lessons seen during the inspection, forty per cent were satisfactory, forty per cent were good and twenty per cent were very good. There were no instances of unsatisfactory teaching. This shows that the quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection, when eighty-seven per cent of lessons were satisfactory, four per cent were good or better and nine per cent were unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The quality of teaching for the children under five is very good. There is a strong emphasis on the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Skills are taught systematically and concepts reinforced in other areas of learning. Children are provided with a wide range of well-planned activities, which successfully promote children’s personal and social development. Praise and encouragement are used very effectively to raise pupils’ self-esteem and give them confidence to tackle their learning. The teacher St George's C of E Primary School - 15 works very closely with the classroom assistant and this effective partnership makes a significant contribution to the good progress that children make. Good use is made of the information gained from assessments soon after entry into school to plan a good match of work to pupils’ needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. At Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is particularly good. Of the lessons seen, forty per cent were good and forty per cent were very good. The remaining twenty per cent were satisfactory. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is particularly good at this key stage. Reading is taught through a successful combination of phonics and strategies for working out unfamiliar words. Teachers promote interest and excitement in words and phrases, partly through their own enthusiasm but also through reading stories and poems expressively, particularly in the literacy hour. Pupils are motivated by this approach and begin to make effective use of interesting and imaginative words in their writing. In mathematics, good teaching is characterised by a close match of work to pupils’ needs and the successful encouragement of pupils to explain the methods they have used to attain their answers. In a Year 2 science lesson, the teacher’s method of discussing important

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

learning points with the whole class, letting pupils try these out for themselves and then reviewing the learning points once more at the end of the lesson, was very effective in studying the concept of change. Pupils made good progress in their learning as a result.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. At Key Stage 2, half of the lessons seen were satisfactory and half were good or better, including fifteen per cent which were very good. In English, the quality of teaching is good overall. Teachers’ good teaching within a strategy of setting targets for improvement with their pupils is very effective and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. Teachers and pupils were heard referring to these regularly during the inspection. Pupils are very aware of what it is they are trying to improve. In mathematics, work is often well matched to pupils’ needs so that, whatever their prior attainment, they receive challenging work. This is partly due to the structure provided by the commercial mathematics scheme and the fact that teachers know their pupils well. In science, teachers plan lessons which provide pupils with a good range of knowledge and the quality of whole-class sessions is good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. At both key stages, where teaching has shortcomings but is satisfactory, there are some common features which reduce the effectiveness of the quality of pupils’ learning. There is a tendency for lessons to contain too much coverage of knowledge and not enough skills' development. This is particularly so in lessons which require pupils to experiment and investigate, for example in mathematics and science. Whole-class teaching is invariably successful in promoting specific learning, for example in the literacy and numeracy hours, but pupils’ activities in group work are often controlled too closely by teachers’ use of worksheets to direct the pupils’ learning. This is partly the reason why standards in science are below average at the end of both key stages, and why there are fewer pupils than expected attaining higher levels in mathematics. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to devise their own investigations, create their own recording systems or

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

make their own choices about the materials and equipment to be used.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. In other subjects of the curriculum, teaching is consistently good in information technology because teachers are using specific programs well to support pupils’ learning in other areas of the curriculum. In design and technology, teachers extend pupils’ making skills well, but are not planning enough opportunities for pupils to St George's C of E Primary School - 16 sketch designs or, at Key Stage 2, produce accurately measured and labelled designs. In history and geography, the quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers are successful at interesting pupils in artefacts, maps and photographs by asking challenging questions and encouraging them to make their own observations and comments based on what they know. Teaching in these subjects is often to the whole class with all pupils using similar worksheets. This sometimes means that higher attaining pupils complete work with which they are already familiar before

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

moving on to tasks that extend their learning. The quality of teaching in music is satisfactory. Teachers’ subject knowledge of music varies, but good planning and well-managed teamwork to make best use of expertise ensures that pupils attain above average standards at the end of both key stages. The teaching of physical education is consistently good because skills are taught progressively and expectations are high.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. Activities are closely matched to their needs and pupils make good progress through small achievable steps outlined in their individual education programmes. Teachers and classroom assistants work hard at raising pupils’ self-esteem through careful use of praise, encouragement and rewards, by valuing their contributions in discussions and giving them responsibilities. These strategies are successful in helping pupils tackle their learning with confidence.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The planning of daily lessons is carried out thoroughly and conscientiously by all staff. Teachers work hard to provide activities that are interesting and motivating and usually succeed in this respect. There are, however, variations in the progress that pupils make from lesson to lesson and between year groups, particularly in science, art, design and technology, history and geography. This is mainly due to the lack of guidance in schemes of work on the match of activities to National Curriculum levels of attainment or a clear outline of the continuous and progressive development of skills. Where skills development is well documented, for example in literacy and numeracy, pupils make consistent progress. There is another reason for inconsistencies in pupils' progress. Teachers gather much useful information about pupils' attainments from regular assessments and analysis of national and school

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

test results. This is not always used effectively enough to target specific skills that require improvement and make the necessary adjustments to future planning, for example in mathematics and science. Homework is set on a regular basis and supports improvements in literacy and numeracy well. Most parents are happy with the amount of work their children are expected to do at home.

p.16

PUPILS?

29. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum, which includes all subjects of the National Curriculum, as well as the required aspects of health and sex education and information about drug misuse. It is not meeting the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education, since it is not promoting fully the study of world faiths, other than Christianity and a small amount of work on Judaism. Children under five are provided with a satisfactory curriculum that meets the national requirements and enables pupils to move swiftly on to the National Curriculum.

p.16

PUPILS?

30. Pupils with special educational needs are catered for well. They have individual St George's C of E Primary School - 17 education programmes that set out clearly a range of measurable and achievable targets, which are regularly monitored and updated by the special needs co- ordinator. Support for pupils with special educational needs is effective, and usually provided by classroom assistants working alongside class teachers. Where pupils have specific difficulties, special programmes are devised, often with the effective support of outside agencies, such as the County Primary Support Team, who offer specialist skills and expertise, as well as additional resources. Pupils withdrawn from the classroom receive good individual support and make good progress as a result.

p.16

PUPILS?

31. The National Literacy Strategy is well established. Teachers have effectively evaluated the outcomes of the first year of the strategy and made suitable adjustments to their planning. For example, timetables have been altered to allow more opportunities for pupils to produce extended pieces of writing at both key stages. The school has evidence to show that it is beginning to enhance the previously sound standards in literacy and provide pupils with wider opportunities to study good quality literature. The National Numeracy Strategy, implemented at the beginning of the school year, has not yet had time to influence standards in mathematics.

p.17

PUPILS?

32. There is some good extra-curricular provision in sport and music, which successfully increases pupils’ opportunities to develop a wide range of skills. A small number of pupils learn to play the recorder and the guitar. Input from county sports teams personnel further develops pupils’ skills and interest in football and cricket. A programme of educational visits and visitors to the school successfully broaden curriculum provision. Many lessons incorporate the use of computer technology to access a range of information, though the school does not have access to the internet.

p.17

PUPILS?

33. Parents make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning by supporting the home- school reading programme and reading regularly with their children. They also help constructively by accompanying outings and supporting work in school, such as reading, so that groups can be smaller and pupils can have more individual attention. Liaison with local secondary schools is well organised and makes the move on to the next phase of education easier for pupils.

p.17

PUPILS?

34. Provision for pupils’ personal development is good, and the quality has been successfully maintained since the previous inspection. In their social and moral development, teaching and non-teaching staff provide an excellent example for pupils.

p.17

PUPILS?

35. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory overall. School assemblies and aspects of some religious education lessons make a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ opportunities to reflect on values and beliefs. For example, a teacher dealt very sensitively with the issue of whether parents need to be married. An assembly led by the local vicar gave good opportunities for pupils to reflect on the importance of Christian baptism and the need for godparents, and for the person baptised, to keep to their promises. However, planned opportunities for pupils to experience the wonders of the natural and manmade world, for example in the creative arts and in science, are not fully exploited. St George's C of E Primary School - 18 36. Provision for pupils’ social education is good. Despite the very poor premises, the school is a warm, welcoming and caring organisation. Very good relationships

p.17

PUPILS?

among all adults in the school and with the pupils provide a firm background against which pupils absorb and learn social skills. Parents and grandparents who help in school are valued and respected by pupils.

p.18

PUPILS?

37. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good and is a strength of the school. Pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong and learn from their early days in school how to conduct themselves at school. Good behaviour, kindness and good work are equally valued by staff, recognised in the classrooms through the house points scheme and celebrated in assemblies. Parents appreciate this aspect of the school’s work. Moral teaching in the school is consistently good. Qualities, such as kindness, fairness, honesty and justice, are reinforced by all interactions between staff and pupils and by the excellent quality of the relationships between the teachers, who consistently share, collaborate, support and show concern for each other. Playground and classroom disputes are always sorted out by the application of reason and by discussion and pupils learn early on that appropriate and considerate behaviour earns approval from the entire school

p.18

PUPILS?

38. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory overall, but limited in its scope. The school makes great efforts to be socially inclusive and ensure that all pupils are able to participate in all aspects of the curriculum. However, the reading scheme books do not provide sufficient examples of sexual or racial equality. Although there is an impressive display of African artefacts, textiles and stories in the school, multicultural provision is weak. Art from cultures other than European has not been used to stimulate pupils’ creative ideas, and there are very few musical instruments from other countries. The lack of focus on world faiths in religious education also restricts the school’s provision for multicultural education. Provision for pupils to extend their knowledge of European creativity is better. Pupils study the work of famous artists such as Van Gogh or Lowry and listen to well-

p.18

PUPILS?

known music by European composers. The opportunity to study high-quality contemporary children’s literature is limited by the school’s poor stock of modern fiction. Cultural development has in part been restricted by the lack of available funding to buy books and artefacts and space to store and display them.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The headteacher and staff have successfully maintained the high standards of care for pupils reported at the time of the previous inspection. Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. Responsibility for child protection is shared by the headteacher and a senior staff member. All teaching and non- teaching staff are fully familiar with the procedures. Procedures for promoting good behaviour and eliminating oppressive behaviour are very effective and very well implemented. As a result, pupils’ behaviour is very good and bullying is very rare. This aspect of the school’s work is very much appreciated by parents.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Constant vigilance has to be maintained by school staff to keep children safe in the very poor environment of the school. Problems with fire and emergency evacuation arrangements reported in the previous inspection have been addressed with help from the local fire brigade and, although not ideal, are now considered safe. Problems with safe access for parents and children from the busy road outside the school have been reduced with help from the local authority. Yellow lines now St George's C of E Primary School - 19 restrict parking outside the school, but the front entrance to the school is not used by parents and children because of the dangers presented by the narrow pavement. During the inspection, there was an incident involving a young pupil, who managed to get onto the pavement unaccompanied by an adult. The headteacher and governors responded immediately to the situation and adjusted the already stringent

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

measures in an attempt to ensure that this could not happen again.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures for assessing pupils’ overall attainment and progress are good and the results used to guide curriculum planning. Individual pupils are carefully monitored in their academic and personal development. This information is used effectively to define what support is needed by pupils and to report their levels of attainment and progress to parents. In Reception, pupils are assessed during their first term using established procedures. At Key Stage 1, teachers know their pupils well. They refer regularly to the original assessment results to confirm their judgements on pupils’ attainment and establish how much progress they have made. They use the information well to plan programmes of work, which help pupils attain results that match their abilities in the end of key stage national tests and assessments.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. At Key Stage 2, the school has introduced the use of optional national tests to check progress in Years 3, 4 and 5. The results are used effectively to identify pupils who are underachieving, so that they can be given extra help in class lessons. The introduction of the Additional Literacy Strategy is another good example of how the school uses assessment procedures well to identify and then support children with learning difficulties. Teachers keep detailed records of children’s progression through the reading scheme, as well as individual portfolios of assessed work, and these are used well to track the progress pupils make through the school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively identified by teacher observations and outcomes of testing. Pupils entered on the special needs register are monitored regularly and progress is carefully checked against the targets set in individual education programmes. A strength of these procedures is the involvement of both parents and pupils in target setting and the evaluation of progress. Outside professionals, such as the educational psychologist, are used very effectively to provide valuable additional assessment advice for pupils with special difficulties, so that learning programmes can be matched closely to pupils’ needs.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The use of assessment to monitor the achievement of different groups of pupils and to plan for future improvement is satisfactory. For example, the information teachers obtain from assessments shortly after starting school indicates that pupils enter the school with weak skills in language and literacy. This has led to a successful focus on speaking and listening throughout the school. However, assessment information is not used effectively enough to target specific skills that require improvement and make the necessary adjustments to future lesson planning, for example in mathematics and science.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The school works well with parents, especially through the home-school reading scheme, and this helps pupils make good progress.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The results of the questionnaire sent to parents by the inspectors show that parents value and have a high regard for the school and are pleased with the standard of St George's C of E Primary School - 20 education provided for their children. They are pleased with the good quality of teaching and that their children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. They are pleased that children are encouraged to be mature and responsible. They consider the school well managed and led and that their questions or problems are given close attention by the headteacher and staff. A minority of parents would like their children to receive more homework. Others feel that the school does not work closely enough with parents and that there are not enough activities for children outside lessons. The inspectors support parents' positive views. The amount of homework is similar to that of other primary schools and is judged to be appropriate.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

The range of extra-curricular activities provided by the school is judged to be adequate and supports learning well in music and sport.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Overall, parents make a positive and useful contribution to children’s learning at school and at home. For example, several parents and grandparents come in to school to work in classrooms hearing pupils read. Their help makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ quality of learning and is appreciated by staff and children. Many more help with trips and school visits. A small group of dedicated parents run the Friends of St George’s, organising social and fund-raising events, providing effective opportunities for parents, staff and others from the local community to meet socially and raising much needed funds to purchase resources for the school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Information provided for parents is good. The prospectus, frequent newsletters and governors' reports combine to keep parents well informed. Parents find the annual reports on their children’s academic and personal progress informative and a good basis for discussion at the open evening. The headteacher and staff are happy to be available to parents, who make informal contacts with them if they feel the need. Parents of children with special educational needs are always involved in reviews.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The headteacher provides effective leadership and has successfully promoted continued school improvement, despite the many disadvantages presented by the accommodation. His determination to raise the quality of teaching and learning, and to work with his governors to press for help from the local education authority to improve the standard of accommodation, has been excellent. Improvements in the school since the last inspection have been largely due to his energy and drive and the teachers’ support for the changes he has made.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher monitors termly and half-termly curriculum planning effectively through his teaching commitment, classroom observations, looking at pupils’ work and teachers’ assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress. Co-ordinators assist the headteacher well in this work by leading curriculum reviews, sampling pupils’ work, looking at termly planning and through some classroom observations of literacy and numeracy lessons. However, there is a lack of critical analysis in these procedures, which results in priorities identified for improvement being general rather than specific. For example, the staff are working well together on the priority identified in the school development plan to improve standards in information technology. The action plan does not indicate the specific skills to be targeted, which, if they were identified, could help teachers in their choice of activities when planning their lessons. This is the main reason why standards in mathematics and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

science in particular have not improved at a faster rate. St George's C of E Primary School - 21 51. The school development plan is a helpful working document. It projects over a period of three years and covers a satisfactory range of aspects of school life. It has appropriate priorities for effective school development and is linked very closely to the school budget by its costings. Success criteria are included in the plan, which help staff and governors follow the progress made in the implementation of initiatives. One of the plan's main strengths is that priorities for development are related to specific aims of the school. For example, priorities for reviewing health and safety, re-organising the school library and improving the quality of displays around the school are linked in the plan to the school’s aim 'to promote a caring community within a secure, safe and stimulating environment'. As a result, the aims

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and values are successfully reflected in the work of the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The governors, guided by the headteacher, pay close attention to the school's results of national tests, as well as results from the school's own assessment programme, to decide on priorities for school improvement. They effectively set realistic targets for the school in conjunction with the local education authority. Most of the governors are relatively new and so their contribution to the monitoring and evaluation of initiatives in the school development plan and the school's performance is still at a developmental stage. However, they give positive support and encouragement to the headteacher and staff in their efforts to raise standards and do not hesitate to ask questions about many aspects of school life. The governors are very effective in using their local knowledge to influence decisions made that affect the school’s links with parents and the local community.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school has an adequate number of teaching staff, who are appropriately trained and qualified. They are well supported in their work by an effective team of education care officers or classroom support assistants. The support assistants work closely with teachers, usually supporting small groups of pupils who need help in learning or working individually with pupils who have statements of special educational need. All staff work very well together and the quality of teamwork makes a significant contribution to the standards achieved by pupils. They support each other well by sharing information and resources and adopting a cohesive approach to their management of pupils. There is an effective and efficient special needs co-ordinator, who maintains the special needs register and monitors the progress of pupils’ individual education programmes. Teacher appraisal is well established and staff training needs are carefully costed and linked to the

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

requirements of the school development plan. Induction of new staff is carefully planned and they are given good support by the mentor.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The adequacy of accommodation is very poor and imposes severe constraints on several aspects of pupils’ academic and social development. The classroom containing Reception and Year 1 pupils is long and narrow and has fitted units and cupboards around its walls. As a result, children’s tables and chairs are too close together and displays are too high for children to look at closely or touch. Activity areas, such as a role-play corner, cannot be left out permanently. The classroom containing Years 3 and 4 pupils, on the first floor, is a main thoroughfare for adults and children to reach either end of the building, causing regular interruptions to pupils’ learning. The classroom containing Years 4 and 5 pupils is particularly inappropriate, being a room hired from the owners of the house next door by the local education authority. It is small and cramped, does not have a sink and storage is inadequate. This temporary arrangement is now in its sixth year. The classroom

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

for Years 5 and 6 pupils is a temporary building which, while being of satisfactory size, has timber posts inside the classroom supporting the roof. This classroom is St George's C of E Primary School - 22 situated in a small playground, making the playground too small to accommodate the whole school, so that all classes spend one lunch-time a week in their classrooms on a regular basis. As a consequence of the very poor accommodation, the headteacher and staff spend a disproportionate amount of their time managing the arrangements to minimise the disadvantages that it creates.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The adequacy of learning resources is poor. The headteacher and staff have worked hard since the last inspection to improve the quantity and quality of resources in all areas of the curriculum. However, the priority to overcome a budget deficit, linked to the school’s low level of funding, when compared with similar schools nationally, has meant that only limited funds have been available for resources. Consequently, the quality and quantity of reading and library books is unsatisfactory and resources to support learning in mathematics, science, religious education, art, history and geography are barely adequate. Good use has been made of national funding and money raised by parents to resource information technology. Resources for physical education are of good quality, although the small hall space means there is no room for wall bars or ropes for climbing. As a result of prudent budgeting, buying resources and services only after considering

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

alternative sources and prices, and effective financial administration, there is now a small budget surplus for the financial year 1999/2000. The staff and governors have useful plans to improve resourcing in the school over time in the school development plan.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

56. To raise standards further, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the consistency in the development of skills in science, art, design and technology, history and geography by identifying in the subject schemes of work:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− the particular skills that match the National Curriculum levels of attainment; − activities which successfully promote those skills; − when and how these activities should be taught. (Paragraphs: 25, 28, 50, 90, 92, 95, 100)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that activities that require pupils to experiment and investigate and make choices about resources and methods, particularly in mathematics and science, are not always directed by the teacher. (Paragraphs: 11, 25, 81, 89)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the analysis of data about pupils’ attainment and progress so that targets for improvement in the school development plan relate to specific skills or groups of pupils. (Paragraph: 50)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Include the coverage, required in the locally agreed syllabus, of the study of major world faiths and religions in the religious education curriculum. (Paragraphs: 12, 29, 38, 116) St George's C of E Primary School - 23 • Improve the provision for the children under five by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

− providing a secure outside play area; − resourcing outside play with appropriate large play equipment. (Paragraphs: 58, 63)

p.23

OTHER ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

• Improving the range of opportunities and resources for the promotion of multicultural education. (Paragraphs: 38, 110, 119) St George's C of E Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 20.5 40.9 38.6 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 149

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 28 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 4

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 21

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.24

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. St George's C of E Primary School - 25

p.24

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 9 10 19

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 8 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 8

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 89 (84) 84 (85) 84 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 7 8 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 7 7

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 79 (83) 79 (87) 74 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.25

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 9 17 26

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 6 6 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 11 12

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 73 (60) 65 (50) 73 (45) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (58) 78 (69)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 4 8 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 12 12 11

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 62 (65) 77 (55) 69 (65) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (–) 69 (–) 75 (–) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St George's C of E Primary School - 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.5 Financial year 1998/99

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27.1

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 212,159

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1,378

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 51 Balance brought forward from previous year -2,996

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 2,022

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. St George's C of E Primary School - 27

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 60 34 5 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 39 51 5 0 5

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 51 13 4 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 45 17 2 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 36 0 0 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 40 2 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 34 47 16 0 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 52 41 0 0 7

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 50 0 2 5

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 38 31 3 9 St George's C of E Primary School - 28

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. Children start schooling in Reception at the beginning of the academic year in which they are five. The class contains Year 1 pupils as well as the children under five. On entry, children’s attainment is below that expected of this age. The vast majority of the children have had playgroup experience before starting school.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. At the time of the inspection, ten children were under five. Provision for them is based on the nationally recommended outcomes, and the quality of learning is good. Most pupils respond well to this and make good progress in language and literacy and mathematics. However, the curriculum is narrow because of the cramped accommodation, the lack of a secure outside play area and large play equipment. Opportunities for imaginative play are not provided regularly enough. As a result, progress in aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development, although satisfactory, is slower than might be expected.

p.28

Personal and social development

59. On starting school, children make good progress in their personal and social development and, by the time they are five, attainment is above the expectation for this age. The quality of teaching is good and activities are well planned. For example, children were observed taking part in an activity afternoon during which they used a wide range of different materials and equipment. The activities were organised so that children were required to share, work together and make choices and this successfully promoted their personal and social development. Children received good support from the classroom assistant during this session. Children are interested in their activities and are keen to participate and learn. They maintain concentration well in assemblies. Most children are quite self-sufficient in looking after themselves, for example when undressing and dressing for physical education. The relationship between adults and children is very good, and the partnership

p.28

Personal and social development

between the teacher and the classroom assistant makes a significant contribution to children’s progress.

p.28

Language and literacy

60. By the time they are five, attainment is above expectation for this age and children make good progress. They show a great interest in books and a strong desire to learn to read. They follow print well, turn pages correctly and are beginning to recognise initial words and sounds. The quality of teaching is very good. Children receive very well-planned experiences each day, which effectively encourage and motivate them to read and write with increasing confidence. The teacher shares her enthusiasm for books and stories with the children, who respond positively and talk confidently about their work. Children take part in literacy hour activities keenly and enjoy whole-class sessions with large books. However, most reading scheme books used for individual reading are in poor condition or out of date. Children listen and speak well, but there are insufficient opportunities to create roles for themselves as

p.28

Language and literacy

the teacher is unable to maintain a role-play area all the time in the classroom due to constraints imposed by the accommodation. Skills, especially phonics, are taught systematically and activities are often well matched to pupils’ needs. St George's C of E Primary School - 29

p.28

Mathematics

61. By the age of five, children have made good progress and attainment exceeds the standards expected. Children order numbers to ten correctly and successfully recognise two-dimensional shapes. They are particularly good at completing sequences based on different shapes and different colours. The quality of teaching is very good. The teacher successfully encourages children to use the correct vocabulary and they are familiar with terms such as longer, shorter, more than and less than. Skills are built upon progressively by the teacher and successfully reinforced by well-planned practical activities.

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

62. By the age of five, children are achieving the levels expected of their age. The quality of teaching is good. Children are successfully encouraged to use the computer confidently and handle the mouse or the keyboard competently. In science, early investigation skills are promoted well by their teacher as she uses questions effectively to arouse their curiosity. There is very little space in the classroom for pupils to study plant or animal life on a regular basis as many of the permanent cupboards and units have surfaces which are too high for the children to see or touch displayed items. Drawing skills are particularly good as children record their observations in science, art and topic work.

p.29

Physical development

63. By the age of five, pupils’ physical development is satisfactory. The quality of the learning experiences provided are good and pupils develop skills of movement and basic gymnastics well, for example in dance lessons in the hall. However, the absence of a secure outside play area and large play equipment means that there are some physical challenges which pupils are unable to experience and so progress is slower than might be expected. Hand to eye co-ordination is developed satisfactorily as pupils use construction kits, but there is a limited range of these to fully extend pupils’ learning.

p.29

Creative development

64. By the age of five, pupils have made satisfactory progress and attain standards expected of pupils of this age. Children use scissors with varying degrees of competence and draw and colour confidently. Higher attaining pupils are very careful with painting and drawing and produce work of a high standard. The development of children’s ability to express ideas and feelings through role-play, although satisfactory, is constrained by the lack of regular provision. The quality of teaching and learning associated with musical activities is good and children sing and play percussion instruments with enthusiasm. The teacher and the classroom assistant use praise and encouragement very successfully to help pupils tackle creative activities with confidence. St George's C of E Primary School - 30

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ENGLISH

65. In the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 national tests, standards of attainment in reading were above the national average for the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 and the higher Level 3. In writing, the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 2 was close to the national average and well above average for those attaining the higher Level 3. When compared with similar schools, standards in reading and writing were well above average. Evidence from this inspection indicates that the standards of the present Year 2 pupils are close to those attained in the 1999 tests and are well above average.

p.30

ENGLISH

66. In the 1999 end of Key Stage 2 national tests, standards of attainment in English were close to the national average for the percentage of pupils attaining the expected Level 4 and below average for the percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5. When compared with similar schools, standards of attainment in English were above average. Evidence indicates that the standards of work of the current Year 6 pupils are better than those attained in the 1999 tests, with a greater percentage of pupils working at the higher Level 5.

p.30

ENGLISH

67. When considering trends over time as shown by the results of the national tests, standards in reading and writing at the end of Key Stage 1 have improved significantly since 1997. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have improved steadily since 1998, after falling below the national average in 1997.

p.30

ENGLISH

68. When pupils enter the school, they are assessed as having below average language skills but, by the end of Key Stage 1, as a result of very good teaching, they have made good progress and listen well and speak confidently. They show awareness when they speak of how they can vary their language for a range of different activities and purposes. They make a good start in reading, working hard to use expression and pay attention to the punctuation. The best readers have very good strategies for working out new words: they either break them up into sounds, or sometimes go back to the beginning of a sentence and see if they can guess a word from its meaning. Average and below average readers also use phonic strategies, but they rely, too, on their familiarity with high-frequency words. In writing, pupils of all abilities form their letters correctly and write neatly and legibly, with the higher attaining pupils spelling new words with a good level of accuracy and

p.30

ENGLISH

making correct use of punctuation, including speech marks. All pupils know their letter sounds well and use them to try and spell new words.

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ENGLISH

69. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have continued to develop their speaking skills satisfactorily and are able to prepare short talks and discussions, presenting reasoned and persuasive arguments. The teaching of reading is good. Higher attaining pupils read fluently, draw inferences and discuss plot and character. Average and below average pupils all read well enough to be able to gain information from non-fiction books and to enjoy stories. Hardly any pupils, though, show a wide knowledge of different writers or prove that they can find books easily in a library.

p.30

ENGLISH

70. Pupils have responded well to the school’s initiative to focus on creative writing and to offer a prize for work of good quality. Throughout the school, good examples of work were seen in wall displays and in pupils' books. In Key Stage 2, notable features were pupils’ use of similes, for example 'The snow crunched like dry bread', and of a wide range of adjectives, made more interesting still as they began with the St George's C of E Primary School - 31 same sound, for example in a Skeleton poem: 'Solid, strong skull, narrow, nimble neck'. By the end of the key stage, as a result of good teaching, pupils are very successful at drafting and editing, and write confidently, in joined script, in a range of different styles, including poetry and report writing.

p.30

ENGLISH

71. Standards of attainment in English have been maintained with some slight improvement since the last inspection. There is still, however, a poor quality and range of literature in the school library, despite the fact that the staff have re- organised the library arrangements and purchased some new books. This is due to the limited amount of funding available in the school budget, which restricts the quantity of books that can be purchased each year. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has given the subject a high profile, brought about the purchase of some, though still not enough, attractive new resources, and provided a very systematic framework to strengthen the already sound teaching of basic skills. The subject is generally used well to consolidate learning which takes place in other subject areas such as history or religious education. Teachers sensibly use literacy hour time to study texts or produce writing which have a bearing on other curriculum

p.31

ENGLISH

areas. However, inspection evidence suggests that pupils do not always use their well-developed reading and writing skills to carry out research or write up results. Instead, they often rely on the completion of worksheets and valuable opportunities are missed to extend their literacy skills.

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ENGLISH

72. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory, and much of it is good or better. Of the lessons seen, forty per cent were satisfactory, forty per cent were good and twenty per cent were very good. All the very good teaching was seen in Key Stage 1. Teachers in this key stage plan interesting, motivating lessons and the quality of learning is very good. They pay close attention to the teaching of letter sounds and high frequency words are regularly used. The fundamental skills of handwriting are also very well taught, with pupils learning correct letter formation from very early on in their school life. Teachers are also very successful at helping pupils to write creatively, encouraging the use of interesting and imaginative words. A good example of this is shown by the work of a five-year-old, who wrote: 'The fox sneaked behind the bushes and he pounced on the hen'.

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ENGLISH

73. At Key Stage 2, teachers have some good strategies for encouraging pupils to do better, such as setting individual targets for pupils to think about when they are writing, and referring to them as teacher and pupil check work together. The quality of learning is good. Pupils’ behaviour is managed well in English lessons, and pupils have a quiet, purposeful atmosphere in which to produce their best efforts. Teachers nearly always produce a range of work at levels to suit pupils’ needs, and this helps pupils to move forward confidently from a known starting point.

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ENGLISH

74. Teachers make good use of homework at both key stages to consolidate learning in reading and spelling and this makes a significant contribution to the good standards attained in these aspects of the subject.

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ENGLISH

75. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from the valuable input offered by classroom support assistants. They work closely with class teachers to guide pupils carefully towards the literacy targets in their individual education plans. The recent introduction of the Additional Literacy Strategy is giving a significant boost to pupils in Key Stage 2 who have made a slower start in learning to read and write. 76. The co-ordinator has completed some successful monitoring of the quality of teaching to identify whether or not the National Literacy Strategy is being properly St George's C of E Primary School - 32 implemented. She checks standards by collecting samples of work from each year group, although these are not assessed against National Curriculum levels of attainment. The senior management team meets regularly to monitor national test results and school records such as individual progress in reading.

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MATHEMATICS

77. The results of the 1999 end of Key Stage 1 National Curriculum tests show that attainment was below the national average for pupils attaining the expected Level 2 and was close to the national average for pupils attaining the higher Level 3. When compared with similar schools, results were above average. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of the current Year 2 pupils are similar, but with more pupils working at the expected Level 2.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

78. The results of the 1999 end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests show that attainment was below the national average for pupils attaining both the expected level and the higher level. When compared with similar schools, results were broadly in line with the national average. Inspection evidence indicates that the attainment of the current Year 6 pupils is better than this, with a greater percentage of pupils working at both levels. Test results since 1996 show that standards have improved at a steady rate, broadly in line with improvements nationally. There are no significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls. Standards are similar to those found at the time of the previous inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

79. At Key Stage 1, pupils enjoy their lessons and try very hard to attain the standards set by their teachers. Concentration is good and many pupils stay on task for considerable periods of time. This helps pupils to make good progress in lessons. The quality of teaching is good. Pupils’ attainment in numeracy is good. Most pupils put numerals in order correctly and count confidently to 10, 20 and beyond according to age and ability. They understand the language 'more than', 'less than' and 'between'. By the end of the key stage, pupils have a satisfactory recall of early number facts. Higher attaining pupils are quick with their responses when mentally calculating addition, subtraction and multiplication problems using numbers to 20. The vast majority of pupils use number facts relating to 2, 5 and 10 confidently and recognise the next multiple in a series of numbers. Pupils apply numbers to everyday problems satisfactorily and know the names of several two- and three-

p.32

MATHEMATICS

80. At Key Stage 2, pupils continue to have positive attitudes to their work and behaviour in lessons is very good in all classes. As a result, they complete a considerable amount of work over time and their exercise books and folders show good quantities of well-presented, careful work. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Numeracy skills are taught well but there are not enough opportunities for pupils to tackle challenging investigations. By the end of the key stage, most pupils are reasonably accurate with mental calculations and explain their methods clearly. For example, Year 6 pupils showed good mental activity at the start of a numeracy lesson as they responded to their teachers’ questions relating to halves, quarters and thirds of large numbers. Higher attaining pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of decimal fractions and strategies for multiplying decimals by 10 and 100. Average attaining pupils have a satisfactory understanding

p.32

MATHEMATICS

of how to add, subtract, multiply and divide hundreds, tens and units and how to apply this knowledge to problem solving. Lower attaining pupils, and pupils with special educational needs, successfully apply their numeracy skills to simple St George's C of E Primary School - 33 problems, often with good support from their teacher.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

81. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory at both key stages. Of the six lessons seen, two were satisfactory, three were good and one, at Key Stage 1, was very good. The teaching of basic skills is very good, particularly in Key Stage 1. Teachers follow a commercial mathematics scheme closely and much of the pupils’ work is completed using the scheme’s work books or text books. The advantage of this is that work is often matched closely to pupils’ needs and pupils of differing attainments are extended by the work that they do. The disadvantage is that too close an adherence to the scheme reduces opportunities for pupils to take part in good quality learning experiences that involve them using their skills to investigate challenging problems. This is partly the reason why there are fewer pupils working at higher levels than might be expected. Where the quality of teaching and learning are most effective, teachers inject a good pace to their lessons and activities involve

p.33

MATHEMATICS

working out problems with a partner or a group of other pupils. In this way, pupils are able to discuss different methods and approaches and bring these to bear on finding a solution to the problem. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 were observed tackling a large number of written problems relating to different measures. Although they were working individually, pupils were able to discuss methods with their peers and this made a significant contribution to the development of their knowledge and understanding of different strategies to be used in problem solving.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

82. In all classes at both key stages, extensive use is made of teacher-made or commercial worksheets. Work in pupils’ folders shows that these are often completed by all pupils in a class, regardless of their ability. This strategy is useful on occasions to assess pupils’ attainment and progress, but when applied on a regular basis, it does not promote the self-esteem of lower attaining pupils who are unable to complete the whole sheet. Teachers have a secure subject knowledge that leads to clear explanations and methods. Pupil management is very good, particularly in Classes 1 and 3 where the rooms are small and resources are difficult to access and display. There are good everyday procedures to check attainment and mark work. Teachers provide pupils with an adequate amount of homework to support the development of numeracy skills.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

83. Satisfactory links are made with other subjects to promote numeracy and problem- solving skills. At both key stages, pupils use co-ordinates as part of map work in geography. Pupils regularly collect numerical data as part of science experiments and investigations and use data programs in information technology to produce graphs and pie charts.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

84. The subject co-ordinator is experienced, has a good understanding of the role and helps to generate good interest in the subject. She has effectively led the successful implementation and monitoring of the National Numeracy Strategy. The quality and range of resources are adequate, but are sufficient to support pupils’ learning. St George's C of E Primary School - 34

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SCIENCE

85. The results of the 1999 statutory assessments for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 show that the percentage of pupils attaining the expected levels was well below the national average and well below the average for similar schools. This is due mainly to there being a higher percentage of pupils than usual identified as having special educational needs in this intake. Inspection findings indicate that the performance of the current Year 2 is better and that standards are broadly in line with the national average.

p.34

SCIENCE

86. The results of the 1999 end of Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests show that attainment was below the national average for pupils attaining the expected level and for those attaining the higher level. However, standards were in line with those of similar schools. Test results since 1996 show a decline in standards up until 1998, since when there has been a steady improvement. Inspection findings indicate that improvement is satisfactory and that the performance of the current Year 6 pupils is broadly in line with the national average.

p.34

SCIENCE

87. At Key Stage 1, pupils develop a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of how to make experiments fair and accurate as they investigate a variety of aspects of science. For example, Year 1 pupils made a simple classification of sweet and sour foods by tasting a range of products such as honey and vinegar. They made sensible observations and comments based on their findings and made satisfactory gains in understanding that there may be variations in pupils’ findings. The quality of teaching is satisfactory and, by the end of the key stage, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the required areas of study. They know how to keep water warm, how to keep healthy and the main parts of a plant. Higher attaining pupils have a good understanding of solids and liquids and how these can be changed by making them hotter or colder. However, opportunities for pupils to make choices of their own about how investigations could be carried out or results

p.34

SCIENCE

recorded are limited and this restricts the progress that higher attaining pupils in particular make. Pupils enjoy science activities and behave very well in lessons. They share equipment and resources well and respond enthusiastically to their teachers’ questions. This positive attitude helps pupils make satisfactory progress in their lessons.

p.34

SCIENCE

88. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ knowledge and understanding across all aspects of science is satisfactory as a result of a broad curriculum and regular opportunities to experiment and investigate. Pupils take part in their lessons with enthusiasm and are keen to participate in experiments and investigations. This good level of interest is successful in helping pupils make satisfactory gains in their knowledge and understanding. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, but with good features. By the end of the key stage, pupils show that they have a secure knowledge of the main organs of the human body, and talk knowledgeably about healthy and unhealthy lifestyles. In the study of physical processes, they know and understand that unbalanced forces slow things down and speed things up. They are secure in their knowledge of how to make or break an electric circuit. They have a satisfactory understanding of ways of classifying plants and animals. Although teachers

p.34

SCIENCE

organise a good range of investigations, pupils do not get enough opportunities to use what they have learned as a basis for devising experiments of their own. This lack of St George's C of E Primary School - 35 challenge affects average and higher attaining pupils in particular and is partly the reason why there are fewer pupils than expected working at higher levels. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as a result of the additional support they receive during lessons.

p.34

SCIENCE

89. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory at both key stages. There are examples of very good teaching at both key stages in classes containing Year 2 pupils and Years 4 and 5 pupils. The quality of pupils’ learning is most effective when lessons are well planned and resourced. For example, in a lesson about electricity, Years 4 and 5 pupils were able to spend a considerable amount of time carrying out their investigation into materials that conducted electricity and those that did not because there was a good supply of appropriate equipment. Pupils sustained concentration and interest for the whole of the lesson and this made a significant contribution to the good progress that they made. The lesson had clear learning objectives, which were shared with the pupils so that they knew exactly what they were doing and why. The teacher’s planning indicated the National Curriculum levels of attainment that the activities were designed to promote and

p.35

SCIENCE

there was a good match of activities to pupils’ different abilities. Where teaching has shortcomings, but is satisfactory, pupils’ experiments and investigations are directed too closely by teachers and this restricts the opportunities pupils have to make choices and decisions for themselves. For example, Years 5 and 6 pupils were observed learning about the functions of the heart. The teaching was successful in promoting good progress in pupils’ knowledge, with helpful worksheets, use of a CD-Rom and direct information from the teacher. However, an experiment to measure increases in pulse rates after exercise was a whole-class session directed by the teacher, with no opportunities for pupils to devise their own activities nor systems of recording.

p.35

SCIENCE

90. The subject is supported by a satisfactory scheme of work, which provides some useful support for teachers in planning their lessons. All aspects of the subject are well covered and are studied in greater depth as pupils move up through the school. However, the scheme of work does not provide teachers with advice on suitable learning objectives or how activities match different levels of pupil attainment. This is partly responsible for variations that pupils make in their progress from lesson to lesson in the continuous and progressive development of skills, particularly at Key Stage 2. Lesson plans are monitored by the headteacher and the subject co- ordinator on a regular basis, but there is insufficient critical analysis of the purpose of activities and their link to National Curriculum levels of attainment to ensure that the quality of learning promotes consistently good progress. The poor quality of

p.35

SCIENCE

accommodation, with limited storage and few areas to display or keep work, means that some investigative and experimental work is not carried out in as much depth as teachers would like, particularly in those classes containing Key Stage 2 pupils.

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ART

91. Standards of attainment are in line with national expectation at the end of both key stages. In Key Stage 1, pupils successfully experiment and consolidate their skills in a variety of media including pencils, paint, crayons, sponge printing and collage. They gradually develop their observation skills and represent features in their work with a greater degree of accuracy. In Key Stage 2, the pattern of development in the subject is less consistent, but some pupils produce high-quality work in the style of famous artists such as Lowry or Van Gogh, and others demonstrate their increasing attention to detail as they observe and draw historical artefacts. St George's C of E Primary School - 36 92. The previous inspection highlighted the lack of consistent planning for skills development in the subject, and this situation remains. Although planning is careful and thorough, there is no overall map of how skills might be developed across the

p.35

ART

subject from year to year and therefore pupils progress in a series of rather haphazard steps, in which some pupils in all classes succeed, and others fail, to make progress. Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory.

p.36

ART

93. Only three lessons were seen during the inspection, too small a number to allow an overall judgement on the quality of teaching to be made. However, the quality of learning in these lessons was good. Victorian artefacts were used effectively, and good individual support was provided, which promoted pupils’ skills of observational drawing well in a lesson observed in Key Stage 2. The provision of a good range of pictures by famous artists for pupils to copy was successful in improving pupils’ colour shading skills in a Key Stage 1 lesson.

p.36

ART

94. The poor accommodation inhibits development in the subject, as some classrooms are without sinks, none have room to leave work out to dry and materials and resources often have to be carried up steep flights of stairs. Resources are adequate overall, but there is a limited stock of books to promote pupils’ knowledge of famous painters in the school library.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. There was very limited evidence of work completed in design and technology, and only three lessons were observed. There is no subject scheme of work and the headteacher acknowledges that the subject needs to be further developed. Examination of teachers’ planning for the last three years shows that the subject has been adequately covered, but there is no structured or consistent scheme of work to sequence or develop skills and techniques. The inconveniences of the accommodation, particularly the lack of storage and working space, tends to inhibit the use of resistant materials and the regular use of some tools such as saws.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. However, in the limited amount of work seen, standards were satisfactory. Although emphasis on designing, moderating and evaluating is less developed than aspects of making, pupils do commit their ideas to paper before starting work, especially in Key Stage 2. Pupils work hard to try out their designs and to modify them before starting on their final version. Given the difficult working conditions and their limited experience, pupils work with a satisfactory level of regard for safety.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Good features observed in lessons include clear instructions from teachers about particular techniques and skills, effective demonstrations of the use of tools, such as the single hole punch, and positive encouragement of individual pupils. There is generally insufficient emphasis given to the design aspects and a very limited amount of scale drawing and measuring, particularly in Key Stage 2 classes. Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory. The limited amount of storage facilities and the cramped conditions in two of the classrooms restrict the planning of activities which might extend over more than one lesson. Resources in the subject are adequate. St George's C of E Primary School - 37

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

98. Standards at the end of both key stages are in line with those expected of pupils of their age and pupils make satisfactory progress. In history, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils ask and answer pertinent questions about the past by looking carefully at a range of artefacts such as old farm and dairy equipment. By the end of Key Stage 2, they make satisfactory use of CD-Roms and worksheets to find out information about the past, but do not consider whether statements are fact or opinion or if sources of information are first-hand or an interpretation of the facts by someone else. Pupils’ mapping skills and use of symbols are well developed in geography by the end of Key Stage 1. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils use their previous knowledge and understanding well to discuss the amenities of the local area. They recognise and describe how human and physical processes have brought about change in the locality and in other parts of the country.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

99. Teaching in both subjects and in both key stages is at least satisfactory and often good. The best features include the use of real artefacts to stimulate pupils’ questioning and observational skills, and the provision of tasks at appropriate levels for the whole range of pupils. Teachers use questioning well to encourage pupils to consider evidence carefully and draw conclusions. For example, Year 4 pupils studied a graph of world temperatures and, with good guidance from their teacher, drew some sensible conclusions from the information. Where teaching has shortcomings at both key stages, but is satisfactory, worksheets are used in situations where pupils are already confident about the content and they make little progress by completing them. This is particularly noticeable at Key Stage 2, where higher attaining pupils are not suitably challenged as a result.

p.37

GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

100. Planning in the subject is satisfactory and meets National Curriculum requirements. Curricular provision does not give sufficient emphasis to the development of skills and processes rather than to knowledge and information. There is a shortage of good quality books in the school library to support research skills in both subjects and the programme of visits to gain first-hand experiences is limited.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

101. Standards of attainment are in line with the national expectation at the end of both key stages and pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils show a wide range of attainment and understanding within the year groups. The higher attainers mostly have good skills and understanding. The school has made a good improvement since the previous inspection, when standards were reported to be unsatisfactory. Pupils have very good attitudes to the subject and behave very well in lessons. This has made a significant contribution to the steady improvements in pupils’ skills. The quality of learning is now satisfactory. Computers are in regular use in classrooms and pupils receive a satisfactory range of opportunities to practise and develop their skills.

p.37

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

102. In Key Stage 1, pupils confidently control the computer mouse and use the keyboard, for example when using a mathematical shapes program in Reception and Year 1. They use keyboard skills well to enter text and simple commands, so that standards of word-processing are satisfactory. By the end of the key stage, higher attainers independently word-process phrases and sentences, for example for the centre of a Christmas card. Pupils use a variety of subject-related programs competently such as those promoting counting, simple addition and spelling. Pupils St George's C of E Primary School - 38 are successfully gaining early skills of opening and closing programs and of data- handling.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

103. Key Stage 2 pupils use computer equipment and software with increasing confidence in all classes. For example, samples of work from pupils in Year 3 showed satisfactory skills of editing. They had centred a poem on a page, underlined the title and added capital letters and punctuation before successfully printing the finished product. By the end of the key stage, most pupils confidently open up a program, choose fonts and change the style of text. They save and retrieve their work well and confidently print text and data from their own work or commercial programs. Higher attaining pupils make good use of data programs and produce a selection of graphs, such as a pie chart, showing that they have secure data-handling skills. Pupils have been introduced to control programs and, although skills of controlling and modelling are underdeveloped, they are improving satisfactorily.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

104. The quality of teaching is consistently good at both key stages. The headteacher and staff have worked hard since the previous inspection to raise teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence and this has been successful in improving the quality of teaching and learning in lessons. Information technology is used effectively to support learning in several areas of the curriculum. For example, Year 2 pupils made good gains in their understanding of directions as they used a maze program during a geography lesson. Years 3 and 4 pupils were observed in a science lesson making satisfactory use of an encyclopaedia program to access information about seeds. Years 5 and 6 pupils made good use of a data program in a science lesson to enter information about body measurements. Other pupils searched for information about the heart from a CD-Rom and made satisfactory gains in their knowledge and understanding of how the heart works. This close link between

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

computer programs and the other tasks during a lesson helps to give purpose to pupils’ work and support understanding and attainment.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

105. The co-ordinator understands her role well and gives good support to colleagues. Together with the headteacher, she has prepared and implemented a good scheme of work, which provides helpful guidance to teachers when they plan their lessons. As a result, information technology has a secure place in the curriculum at both key stages. The school has made good investments in resources over the past three years. Resources vary in quality and quantity but provide good access for pupils to information technology experiences. There is a strong commitment amongst staff and governors to further development in the subject.

p.38

MUSIC

106. Standards of attainment are above those expected of pupils of their age at the end of both key stages and pupils make good progress. Standards have been successfully maintained since the previous inspection.

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MUSIC

107. Key Stage 1 pupils sing well. They use their voices confidently and clearly in a range of songs and sing together in unison, achieving good pitch and tempo. Their diction is of a particularly good standard. For example, Year 2 pupils were observed learning to sing songs with emphasis on loud and soft. They sang the words very clearly so that they could be understood even when singing softly. Pupils accompanied the singing on percussion instruments and showed a good understanding of rhythm and beat. Pupils have satisfactory skills of using non- St George's C of E Primary School - 39 standard notation, for example, when making sound effects to represent the weather.

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MUSIC

108. At Key Stage 2, pupils have good attitudes towards music and behave well in lessons. Pupils respond well to a wide range of musical experiences in each class and, by the end of the key stage, the vast majority of pupils show above average standards of listening, appraising and composing. Musical appreciation is of a particularly high standard. Pupils in each year group listen to, and write about, a variety of types of music and most pupils express their feelings openly. For example, a Year 3 pupil wrote about Pachelbel’s Canon: 'It makes me feel tearful'. A Year 6 pupil wrote about Saint-Saens’ The Swan: 'It sounds like someone sitting by a flowing river thinking of something serious'. Pupils show satisfactory standards of musicianship when playing recorders and guitars. Pupils, other than those who belong to the school choir, are not regularly involved in concerts or performances in the local community and so performance skills are less well developed.

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MUSIC

109. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory. There are instances of good teaching in Key Stage 1. All teachers provide thorough coverage of the National Curriculum requirements from Reception onwards and so pupils receive a broad range of experiences. In the good teaching seen in Key Stage 1, Year 2 pupils made good progress in the quality of their singing as they responded to the challenges set by the teacher. The teacher had high expectations of diction, dynamics and performance and, with effective use of praise and encouragement, helped the pupils meet those expectations. Where teaching has shortcomings, but is satisfactory, a small minority of pupils are not kept sufficiently on task for the full length of the lesson, for example in Class 4. Teachers' limited subject knowledge means that opportunities are missed to extend pupils’ learning, for example in Class 5. All teachers are successful in planning a variety of activities in their lessons and

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MUSIC

this helps to maintain most pupils’ interest and motivation.

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MUSIC

110. The subject co-ordinator makes a significant contribution to the quality of teaching through her monitoring of teachers’ planning and their choice of activities. Her commitment to the subject and the valuable support she provides creates an awareness of how teachers can obtain high standards in lessons. Wherever possible, teachers with the greatest musical knowledge and expertise teach music in the classes of less experienced teachers and this strategy is effective in providing pupils with lessons of good quality on a regular basis. There is a satisfactory range of tapes and compact discs, which are used effectively to promote pupils’ listening skills. There are, however, insufficient opportunities to promote multicultural education as the range of music and instruments from other cultures is limited.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111. Standards at the end of both key stages are above those expected of pupils of their age and pupils make good progress. Pupils have good attitudes to learning and behave very well in lessons. Standards have been successfully maintained since the previous inspection. St George's C of E Primary School - 40 112. Year 1 pupils are beginning to respond imaginatively to different tempos and moods of music in dance. They move to a steady beat and show good control of their bodies. Year 2 pupils have a good understanding of why it is necessary to warm-up at the beginning of a lesson and cool down at the end. Pupils tackle movements confidently and have a good awareness of how to use the space around them when running and jumping. For example, pupils were observed showing considerable ingenuity and imagination as they travelled in different ways on the large apparatus in the hall. Higher attaining pupils complete their actions effectively with graceful

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

movements. A small number of pupils do not land well when jumping from the apparatus.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. At the end of Key Stage 2, a significant proportion of pupils are becoming aware of the importance of moving into a space to receive a pass in team games such as football and netball. Pupils practise and refine their skills conscientiously during games lessons and after-school clubs. Virtually all pupils attain the National Curriculum requirement to swim twenty-five metres before they leave school. A significant majority of pupils are very confident swimmers and swim considerable distances, as well as attaining awards for personal survival and life-saving. Pupils’ gymnastic and dance skills are no better than satisfactory because of the constraints imposed on their movements by the small school hall.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114. The quality of teaching is consistently good at both key stages. Teachers focus effectively on the development of specific skills in their lessons so that pupils learn how to perform movements and actions correctly and safely. They do this well by demonstrating skills themselves or asking pupils with well-developed skills to perform for the rest of the class. This is successful in promoting high standards for pupils to try and achieve. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and, as a result, pupils work hard to achieve the standards set and make good progress. For example, during a swimming lesson, Year 6 pupils were given several opportunities to improve their front crawl technique through example and practice. Pupils concentrated very well on their tasks and, as a result, several swam further than they had done before. Teachers use praise and encouragement very effectively to encourage pupils to succeed, especially those pupils who lack

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

115. The subject is supported by an effective scheme of work, which provides helpful guidance for teachers on the continuous and progressive development of skills when planning their lessons. The co-ordinator provides effective support for teachers in monitoring their planning and advises them well on the suitability of activities for the needs of the pupils. This makes a significant contribution to the standards that pupils attain. Pupils attain good standard in most areas of physical education, despite the disadvantages presented by the accommodation. The small hall restricts the development of gymnastic and dance skills, as Key Stage 2 pupils in particular cannot move as freely as they should. The inadequate playground area means that some team games, such as netball, are played on a very small court and this hinders pupils in their movements.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

116. Standards of attainment in religious education at the end of both key stages are in line with expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for pupils of their age and pupils make satisfactory progress. In comparison with the last inspection report, standards in religious education are lower. They are no better because the work does not St George's C of E Primary School - 41 cover a sufficiently wide range of the major world faiths and religions. The school is aware of the deficit in the subject and has highlighted religious education as a priority in the school development plan.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. Evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ work and two lessons observed shows that pupils have a good knowledge of Bible stories such as the Christmas story in Key Stage 1 and the parables and miracles of Jesus in Key Stage 2. Pupils are effectively encouraged to consider matters of principle such as the importance of friendship in Key Stage 1 or, in Key Stage 2, the need to abide by promises, value and show consideration to others and behave in a moral way. Some pupils in Key Stage 2, in Years 3 and 4, are beginning to look at Judaism and to think reflectively about similarities and differences between Judaism and Christianity. Written work at both key stages is well presented, neat and legible, but suggests that all pupils often do the same work or copy the teachers’ notes from the board.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118. Too few lessons were seen to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching. Good features of the lessons seen included the involvement of pupils in thinking about the seriousness of marriage through the use of role-play, and the effective use of Jewish artefacts to extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Judaism. The lesson planning was thorough and the quality of learning good.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119. Visits from the local vicar and stories told in assemblies make a valuable contribution to pupils’ knowledge of Christianity. The subject co-ordinator works hard with limited financial resources to extend the range of appropriate artefacts and books. There is a satisfactory selection of books in the library about Christianity, but there is a great dearth of materials about other main world religions. In this respect, opportunities to broaden pupils’ multicultural horizons are limited.

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