Priory Common School

PRIORY COMMON FIRST SCHOOL

Scatterill Close, Bradwell, Milton Keynes, MK13 9EZ

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PRIORY COMMON FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 7 th June 2000

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PRIORY COMMON FIRST 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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PRIORY COMMON FIRST 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. Priory Common First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Scatterill Close Bradwell Milton Keynes

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Sue Armitage

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 rd February 1997 Priory Common First 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

Joan Walker Registered inspector English, Art, Under Fives, Summary; How high are standards? How well are the pupils taught? How good is the curriculum offered to pupils? What should the school do to improve further? Catherine Fish Lay inspector English as an additional language; Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development; Other opportunities offered to pupils; Partnership with parents; Efficiency Graham Marshall Team inspector Mathematics, Geography, Physical Education, Religious Education Equal opportunities; Special educational needs; Leadership and management Mike Littledyke Team inspector Science, Information Technology, Design and Technology, History, Music How well does the school care for its pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Quality Assurance Consultants The Hucclecote Centre Churchdown lane Hucclecote Gloucester GL3 3QN

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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 Priory Common First School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 – 9

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? 10 – 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Priory Common First School is situated about one mile from the town of Milton Keynes. There are currently 209 pupils on roll ranging from four to eight years old. The area served by the school comprises a broad mix of owner-occupied and rented housing including families from social and economic extremes. Since the last inspection the number of children known to be eligible for free school meals has risen to 8.2%. The school has identified 23.6% of pupils on its register of special educational needs; this also shows an increase since the previous inspection. The school is currently working towards accreditation as an “Investor in People”. There are close links with the community.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The number on roll has remained fairly constant with 20.6% of pupils from out of the reserved areas choosing to attend Priory Common.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number of full-time pupils 209 average in size nationally Pupils with English as an additional language 2.9% higher than most schools Pupils entitled to free school meals 8.2% below national average Pupils on the Special Needs Register 23.6% above national average Average class size 26.1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The overall attainment of the under-fives when they enter the school is average for the county baseline assessment.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. From the findings of this report pupils achieve high standards in most aspects of their education. The headteacher, staff and governors work well together to improve the school and raise standards. The strengths of the school greatly outweigh the weaknesses. The school gives very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The quality of leadership and management is very good. • Overall teaching is good and, in Key Stage 1, very good. • Overall standards of work seen are good and pupils achieve well. • Pupils’ personal development, relationships and the provision for social, health and moral development are very good. • The strategies for teaching the skills of numeracy and literacy are very effective. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs and the progress they make are very good. • The provision for early years is good, and the quality and range of learning opportunities for the under-fives is very good. • Equality of access and opportunity in school life is excellent. • Procedures for child protection are very good. • The school has made good improvement since the previous inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Provision for cultural development needs to be broadened. • Opportunities to review learning at the end of lessons needs further improvement. • Further increase the range and opportunities for learning through information communication technology (ICT) across the curriculum are necessary. • The school should develop a more consistent approach to developing pupils’ applications of scientific understanding to their own experience. 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

Priory Common First School - 7 The school was last inspected in 1997. The developments made since then have been effective in addressing the key issues. The quality and range of learning opportunities for the under-fives is now very good. Standards in ICT have improved but, teachers’ subject knowledge and expertise now needs to be further developed. Rates of progress in writing for the youngest pupils and in Year 3 show good improvement. Progress of the higher-attaining pupils has improved and generally more challenging tasks are provided in most lessons, especially in the early years, English and mathematics. The overall quality of teaching is good and teachers are setting higher expectations for pupils. Overall improvements since the previous inspection are good, and capacity for further development is also good.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by seven year olds based on National Curriculum test results.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

Reading A B B B well above average above average A B Writing A B C C average below average C D Mathematics A D C C well below average E

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STANDARDS

Children begin school in the year in which they are five. By the end of their first year, most have achieved the national Desirable Learning Outcomes (DLOs). At seven years of age national tests results in English and mathematics for 1999 show that pupils, in comparison with all schools, achieve average standards in mathematics and writing, and in reading achieve above average results. Results are in line when compared with similar schools. Results over the past four years when compared with national averages show that in reading and writing they are above. In mathematics the results are more varied, above the average in 1996 and 1997, below in 1998 and average in 1999. Performance of girls over the past four years in all subjects is well above the national average. For boys it is well above in reading and above in writing and mathematics which is different from the national picture where boys usually do less well than girls. From the findings of this report, pupils

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STANDARDS

have achieved standards above average in English and science. In mathematics standards achieved are above for the early years and Year 3 and well above in Key Stage 1.

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STANDARDS

Desirable Learning Outcomes includes pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the world, mathematics, English, physical education, personal and social development and creative development. Priory Common First School - 8

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes to all aspects of school life and are willing to be involved as much as they can.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good with pupils generally responding well to a consistent approach.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is very good and fostered by positive support from staff. Occasionally there are missed opportunities to develop fully pupils’ independent learning skills.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils have good attitudes and are keen to learn. Their behaviour is good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-8 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching was never less than satisfactory and much was better, five per cent excellent, thirty-two per cent very good, and fifty-one per cent good. The school has successfully implemented the national numeracy and literacy strategies. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good. When teaching is very good or excellent teachers are very enthusiastic, have very good knowledge of the subject, learning objectives are made very clear, pupils are managed very well and expectations of behaviour and standards of work are very high. Tasks to support these objectives are challenging and ensure pupils make good progress. Teaching is less effective when pupils are not managed as well, pace of the lesson is slower or when tasks are less well matched to the full range of pupils’ abilities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced, and meets the needs of all pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for pupils’ personal, social, moral and health education is very good. Good community links are being established, but the school has already identified the need for more work in this area. There are good procedures to help pupils move into school and to the next stage of their education. Cultural development needs to be broadened.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The existence of a caring ethos is a strong feature of the school and is manifest in effective policies, procedures and implementation. Priory Common First School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide very good leadership and management, supported by a strong team of year group and subject co-ordinators. The school improvement plan is well a costed, realistic tool to steer the school development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The chair of governors provides excellent leadership to a supportive governing body in fulfilling statutory responsibilities. Governors and the senior management team in partnership share a commitment to school improvement in striving to meet the school’s aims.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The headteacher and governing body have well developed strategies for evaluating the school’s effectiveness.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The strategic use of learning support assistants and material resources to support teaching and learning is effective. The school applies the principle of best value in an effective manner.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Value for money The school provides very good value for money.

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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. • Their children are making good progress. • Behaviour in the school is good. • Teaching is good. • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve his or her best. • Parents feel very comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • Some parents feel the school does not give the right amount of homework. • Some parents feel the school does not keep them informed about how their child was progressing. • Parents do not feel the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors support the positive comments of the parents. Regarding their concern over homework, the team found the homework given to pupils was mainly in line with national recommendations and the Department for Education and Employment’s (DFEE) document ‘Homework: Guidelines for Primary Schools’. The school takes many opportunities for parents to be kept well informed. Annual reports are given to parents during the summer term, showing achievements and targets. Each term parents are informed what is being taught and the school has an open door policy. There are also twice-yearly parents’ consultation evenings, ‘A Meet the Teacher’ meeting and an open evening. Also, there are informal opportunities to talk to the teachers. The team found that the school does provide out of school activities including a French club on Wednesdays, and football and a computers club on Saturday mornings organised by the parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

There are also occasional school discos, barn dances and games afternoons run by the staff. In many schools it is not the common practice to offer out-of-school activities to Key Stage 1 pupils. Priory Common First School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The attainment of children under five years of age, when they enter the school, is in line with that expected for children of a similar age. By the time children reach the age of five, most will have achieved the nationally expected Desirable Learning Outcomes. Overall, children make good progress in the early year classes. Writing skills are introduced and children are able to draw simple shapes and form patterns. By the time they reach five they recognise the letters of the alphabet. Their personal and social development is good and the majority enjoy coming to school. They make good progress in speaking and listening skills. For example, children learn about taking turns by making simple statements about themselves and listening attentively to what others have to say. Children made good progress in early mathematical development. They can name shapes, such as circle, square and triangle. They can count to twenty and can complete a variety of

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The school’s results and achievements

matching, sorting, sequencing and ordering activities accurately. Children make very good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. They benefit from a good range of experiences to support scientific learning. Children make good progress in their creative development. They enjoy painting and making models out of playdough. The children explore the properties of texture, shape and form using materials to make various artefacts and express their ideas through painting and drawing.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. By the end of Key Stage 1 in the 1999 national tests pupils attained levels that were above the national level for reading and in line for writing and mathematics. These results were the same when compared with similar schools. The findings from this inspection indicate that standards currently in the school are higher than those suggested by the results of 1999 national tests. Standards of reading, writing and mathematics are all above the national average and well above for high-attainers in writing. Results over the past four years show that standards in reading and writing have exceeded the national average and in mathematics also, although there was a dip in 1998.

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English, mathematics and science

3. In 1999, national assessment tests indicated that at Key Stage 1 standards in reading were above the average when compared with similar schools and at the average in writing. Inspection evidence shows that currently standards in English at the end of Key Stage 1 are above the national average. Pupils make good progress in all aspects of English. Pupils in Year 3 are working well on Level 3, which is the expected level for their age.

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English, mathematics and science

4. Children in the early year classes develop their language through role-play. In Key Stage 1 pupils use good technical vocabulary, for example, in mathematics and science. They are willing to express their feelings in class discussions with growing confidence. As they progress through the school pupils become more confident and are able to express their opinions and make good contributions to class discussion especially in the Year 2 classes. Priory Common First School - 11 Mathematics

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English, mathematics and science

5. Results in the 1999 national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were in line with the national average and also average when compared with similar schools. In the current year, Key Stage 1 results in statutory tests have shown a marked improvement with ninety per cent achieving Level 2 or above. Without national comparative data at this stage it is impossible to say how significant the improvement is. In Year 3 pupils are working well on Level 3 which is the expected level for their age.

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English, mathematics and science

6. Children in the early year classes develop their numeracy skills very well through singing number songs and reciting rhymes. Pupils make good progress in using mathematical skills throughout the school and in other areas of the curriculum, for example, in science when pupils complete tables to show for recording their results.

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English, mathematics and science

7. The 1999 teachers’ assessments for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 indicate that attainment is well above national expectations in life and living processes and also in physical processes. Teachers’ assessments suggest that standards in experimental and investigative science, and materials and their properties are also above average. Standards observed in lessons reinforce teachers’ judgements that pupils currently attain standards that are above national expectations.

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English, mathematics and science

8. Standards in information communication technology (ICT), geography, music, history, art and religious education are in line with expectations and in physical education above. There was insufficient evidence to make overall judgements of standards in design and technology.

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English, mathematics and science

9. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and they achieve very well in relation to the targets specifically set in their individual education plans. The close monitoring of pupils, the very good support they receive and the careful structure to their work ensure that they make good gains in knowledge, skills and understanding.

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English, mathematics and science

10. Challenging targets have been set for English and mathematics and are included in the school’s improvement programme. Results are monitored and evaluated regularly.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

11. Pupils’ attitudes to school, their values and behaviour are all good; their personal development and relationships are very good. These aspects are well fostered by the positive and caring ethos of the school. This reinforces the very positive view of behaviour contained in the previous report.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

12. Pupils are enthusiastic about school and this is reflected in the positive attitudes with which they approach what the school has to offer. Parents recognise this enthusiasm in their children. Pupils’ attitudes to lessons overall are good, and are sometimes very good. From a young age they show good levels of enjoyment in their learning and many develop good levels of concentration. For example, in a early year class science lesson and in a Year 3 numeracy lesson, pupils worked for a good length of time on appropriately Priory Common First School - 12 set tasks. Pupils work well together, when they are given the opportunity, such as in a Year 1 numeracy lesson when they were required to work in pairs to work out mathematical problems. Occasionally pupils become a little restless in lessons and this is sometimes due to particular parts of the lesson being too long. Pupils are happy to talk about the work they

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

are doing and are confident to ask for help if required.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

13. Behaviour in class and around the school is good. Parents recognise and appreciate this. In classes, most pupils listen carefully to their teacher and to their classmates; they are polite to each other and to adults and show good levels of respect for equipment and property. These attitudes are well fostered through school targets, which are set each week by the pupils during an assembly. The target concluded during the inspection was to respect school property and a good number of pupils had been rewarded for demonstrating this. Good behaviour is fostered through assemblies which, together with circle time and class discussions, make and keep pupils aware of the school’s rules. Pupils try hard to rise to the challenges of the policy and are successful most of the time. They are tolerant of each other and try hard to support others who experience difficulties with their behaviour. As they get older, pupils begin to recognise that their actions have effects on

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

others. Behaviour outside is also good; when on the relatively small hard play area they generally play well together. One incident of bullying was observed during the inspection. It was quickly brought to the attention of staff and handled efficiently. The school has not excluded a pupil in recent years.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

14. Pupils show very good personal development. They enjoy taking part in the day-to- day running of the school, such as taking the registers back to the office, operating the overhead projector in assembly and helping to tidy the classroom at the end of lesson. As they get older pupils are able to gather together what they need to complete a task, such as in a Year 3 numeracy lesson where pupils collected and cleared away quickly what was needed. Whilst pupils do use their initiative, there are too few opportunities given for this development; there are insufficient tasks set which are open ended. Pupils are encouraged to be independent from an early age by coming into school on their own and putting their own work away and changing for physical education (PE) with the minimum of assistance.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

15. Relationships across the whole school community are very good. Pupils relate very well to each other and to all the staff. They work and play well together, with older pupils happy to play with younger children. The school has a very good personal, social and health education policy, and also a protective behaviour project designed to develop self- esteem as well as to help pupils to feel safe in the broadest sense. Pupils enjoy celebrating the success of others, as at the Happy Book assembly each week.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES, VALUES AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

16. Attendance is just above average for primary schools. The level of unauthorised absences is below the national average. Authorised absences are due mainly to illness and to holidays being taken during term time. Appropriate action is taken to follow up any unauthorised absence or persistent lateness.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Across the school the quality of teaching is good and, in Key Stage 1, it is very good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. The quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy is very good and, at times, excellent. The quality of teaching in the early year classes is good and shows an improvement since the previous inspection. Teaching is never less than satisfactory and was much better, five per cent excellent, thirty-two per cent very good, and fifty-one per cent good. The quality of teaching in early years and Year 3 Priory Common First School - 13 show an improvement from the last inspection. The school has successfully implemented the national numeracy and literacy strategies. Most teachers have high expectations of standards in work and behaviour, especially towards the end of Key Stage 1 and is achieved through good organisation, good relationships and an emphasis on rewards rather than sanctions. Occasionally teachers are less effective in the management of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils when they allow them to disturb others and do not ensure pupils are kept on task. Lessons are sometimes too long. Pupils with special needs are taught very well. Suitable arrangements are in place to enhance curricular access by pupils with special educational needs (SEN) e.g. withdrawal, in-class support and by learning support assistants. The school monitors the effectiveness of these arrangements. Differentiated teaching and resources can be seen to support pupils with SEN. Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) cover sufficient aspects of learning and development and address pupils’ difficulties effectively. Targets for IEPs are appropriate and clear. Class teachers use these targets to inform planning. The high-attaining pupils are frequently set more challenging tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Good teaching takes place in all classes. When teaching is very good or excellent there are very high expectations of work and behaviour and this makes a significant contribution to standards and progress. However, in plenary sessions teachers frequently do not ensure learning objectives have been met and future targets set for pupils’ to improve. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the National Curriculum is good for all subjects, except science and information communication technology where there is a need to increase further teachers’ knowledge and understanding of these subjects. All teachers have very good understanding of the literacy and numeracy strategies. Planning is good with clear reference to the National Curriculum programmes of study, and all teachers plan work together carefully to ensure continuity and progression across the two-class year groups. Assessment of pupils’ progress is continuous with some feedback given pupils to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

help them improve their performance. Work is always marked and many constructive comments are recorded. All pupils have regular homework set which is expected to be completed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching in the early year classes is good. Teaching was never less than satisfactory and was frequently much better, forty-two per cent was very good and forty-two per cent good. The teachers’ planning of the areas of learning to meet the national Desirable Learning Outcomes is good. Their knowledge and understanding of the Desirable Learning Outcomes and expectation of work and behaviour are good. The good teaching has a positive impact on pupils’ learning and progress. Most children, by the time they reach five, have achieved the Desirable Learning Outcomes (DLOs) in all areas.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The overall quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is very good and, at times, excellent. Teaching was never less than satisfactory and was much better, thirty-seven per cent good, forty-two per cent very good and eleven per cent excellent. Generally, teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and have good knowledge of the National Curriculum. They set appropriate activities to meet the needs of all pupils, and lessons move at a good pace. In the very best lessons the teacher’s introduction and the learning objectives were very clear and shared with the pupils. The pace was very brisk and punchy, time and resources were used to very good advantage, and pupils were interested and well motivated to succeed in the tasks set. The plenary sessions discussed whether learning objectives had been met and what was needed for pupils to improve. The excellent teaching has a very good impact on the pupils’ learning and progress during

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

these lessons. In less effective lessons tasks were less well matched to pupils’ abilities and management of pupils needed improving.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching in the Year 3 classes is good. Teaching was never less than Priory Common First School - 14 satisfactory and was frequently much better with eighty-three per cent of lessons being observed good and eight per cent very good. Generally, teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and have good knowledge of the National Curriculum. Teachers in all key stages use praise and encouragement to help pupils develop their self- esteem.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of all subjects are good throughout the school except in IT where there is a need for improvement. It is especially good in English and mathematics but less so in science. The Special Needs Co-ordinator demonstrated very good knowledge and understanding of each pupil’s needs through careful monitoring of individual education plans and preparation of appropriate resources.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. There is evidence of very good collaborative work in planning. At times, science planning is less thorough and more consistent emphasis is needed to ensure pupils’ ideas and experience directly influence planning and teaching. Teachers generally match the work to pupils’ needs and abilities. However, in science tasks set for the high-attainers are frequently insufficiently challenging for their ability. There is evidence that teachers use assessments and evaluation to help plan their next lessons; this is especially so in English and mathematics, and is used to track pupils’ progress. Marking is good, with constructive and helpful comments used to move the pupils forward.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Staff are always well prepared and make good use of resources. Learning Support Assistants assist the pupils very well and make good contribution to pupils’ learning. All class teachers have a comprehensive special educational needs(SEN) file containing details of each pupil’s particular needs, individual plans with targets to be worked on, and other relevant information.

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PUPILS?

25. The curriculum covers all subjects well and meets the needs of the pupils. The curriculum for children in the early year classes appropriately covers the areas of learning of the Desirable Learning Outcomes. The children have regular access to a secure outdoor play area and there are large toys, bicycles, and a sandpit and water trough. Within the classrooms children have the opportunities for role play in the toy shop, paint, use of the computer, play musical instruments and use a wide variety of other equipment and materials. The curriculum promotes children’s intellectual development so that there is a smooth transition towards work in the early stages of the National Curriculum. One of the key issues in the previous report was to ensure planning for continuity and progression between the early years curriculum and Key Stage 1. This issue has been fully addressed. The curriculum across all classes successfully integrates the requirement for the national

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PUPILS?

literacy and numeracy strategies, science, religious education and information communication technology, and ensures all are covered in sufficient detail. However, ICT remains an area for further development. These findings in Key Stage 1 and Year 3 are similar to the previous inspection.

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PUPILS?

26. Statutory requirements for the curriculum, including religious education are met, as are those relating to sex education and a policy on drugs’ education. There is a broad range of opportunities for learning offered to all pupils. There are appropriate after school clubs offered to the pupils. No pupils are withdrawn from collective worship or religious education.

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PUPILS?

27. The curriculum meets the requirements of pupils with special educational needs Priory Common First School - 15 well, because of the very good quality provision for their needs. There are effective early screening procedures to identify pupils who need additional support, and their needs are diagnosed accurately. They have good access to the curriculum, with some good quality class support. The school keeps an up-to-date register of special educational needs (SEN) pupils. Information from previous schools on SEN pupils is well used. The school’s staged approach to SEN identification and provision is understood by all staff. Records for SEN pupils provide accurate profiles of special need to enable progress to be monitored. The outcomes of assessment inform planning for individuals or groups with SEN. Administrative arrangements for annual review are satisfactory convening review meetings;

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PUPILS?

seeking advice; writing and circulating reports. Annual reviews set clear, appropriate targets which are consistently updated. Individual Education Plans (IEPs), with detailed targets and appropriate strategies, are drawn up and followed by all staff. The targets in the IEPs are appropriate and clear.

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PUPILS?

28. The local community makes a good contribution to the pupils’ learning across the curriculum as identified in the previous report however, the school has identified the need for further development in this area. Good use is made of two local Christian groups who take assemblies and address serious and moral issues through drama and humour. Members of the local community come in to talk about curriculum areas, such as parents and grandparents who helped recently with work on World War Two. Pupils were fascinated by the talk about evacuees. A member of the Women’s Institute helped older pupils to design and create a beautiful quilt to celebrate the millennium. Further help with these celebrations was provided by the Parish Council and the Wolverton Science and Arts Foundation. The school makes a number of trips out each year; the one for Year 3 is particularly enjoyed as pupils spend a day in at Holdenby House in Victorian dress. A

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PUPILS?

theatre group visited this year to help enhance the science curriculum through drama.

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PUPILS?

29. As was noted in the previous inspection, there are good links with the pre-school playgroup and the middle school to which the majority of pupils transfer. Good provision through visits and meetings is made to help pupils settle into school when they are approaching the age of five. The school works with another first school and the middle school to try to ensure that there are good links between them all, which enable pupils to make a smooth transition to their next stage of education at the end of Year 3.

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PUPILS?

30. The school’s good overall provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has been maintained. However, pupils need more experience in comparing pupils’ own way of life with those in other countries including non-western countries. There is a good range of opportunities for extending pupils’ spiritual development. The daily act of collective worship meets requirements and provides opportunities for pupils to reflect on the content of the assembly as well as celebrating success both in and out of the classroom. The ‘Happy Book’ assembly during the inspection offered pupils the chance to congratulate their peers on their successes in such achievements as reading a book with a lot of expression and being runner-up in an art competition outside school. The photographic records of the activities relating to the school’s millennium celebrations show a high level of enjoyment in, for example, making salt dough models of the village buildings and creating

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PUPILS?

three-dimensional pictures of themselves. Music makes a good contribution to spiritual and cultural development and there are opportunities for pupils to respond and to express their mood and feelings.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good and is enhanced through the very good role models that staff provide. Pupils learn the difference between right and wrong through the school rules which are consistently re-inforced by all staff. Year 3 pupils are responsible for devising the playground rules displayed in the cloakrooms and these Priory Common First School - 16 show a sensible approach to behaviour outside. Pupils learn responsibility through the undertaking of routine tasks around school and in the classroom. Pupils are given the opportunity to see the world from another point of view through, for example, writing about life as a Victorian house maid; when asked, they display awareness of the need to look after their environment and understand the reasons why.

p.15

PUPILS?

32. There is very good promotion of pupils’ social development. Parents agree that the school helps their children to become mature and responsible. From an early age, pupils are given responsibilities that help them develop a very good understanding of living together in a community. They are encouraged from entry to help to keep the classrooms tidy and to be aware of the needs of others around them. Group work in a number of lessons is used well to help pupils to develop collaborative skills. Pupils are asked to make suggestions for the whole-school target for the week; the one suggested during the inspection was to listen to what their teachers say. The other suggestions made showed a good developing sense of social responsibility. Pupils take part in fund-raising activities for charities such as Children in Need, provide gifts for local charities and invite the residents of a local old peoples’ home to their Christmas Play. A number of people from the local

p.16

PUPILS?

community attended the school’s millennium celebrations.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. The school makes satisfactory provision for pupils’ cultural development. However, cultural development now needs to be broadened. The pupils make visits during the year, which broadens their knowledge of their own culture, such as to Holdenby House. Religious education provides pupils with opportunities to learn about their own religion and the beliefs of others’. Some work has recently taken place on looking at the work of Van Gogh with attractive pictures and research produced as a result. However, at present insufficient attention is paid to the comparison of their own way of life with that of other countries, including non-western cultures.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The caring ethos of the school is a strong feature and is manifest in very good relationships. Teachers know their pupils well and have high expectations of behaviour and achievement. To support this each class has an established set of rules which the pupils understand. Consequently, pupils demonstrate good behaviour and attitudes, which has a positive effect on attainment and progress. The school has maintained the findings of the previous inspection with regards to the provision for the care of its pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Pupils’ personal development is a priority for the school. There are school and class targets, which often reflect social issues, and teachers set up individualised targets to promote personal development. Special assemblies, circle time (class discussions) and personal, social and health education programmes are important in highlighting pupils’ successes, as well as helping pupils to reflect on their personal, social and emotional needs. There are individual educational programmes for children with behavioural problems, and strategies for improvement are reviewed by completion of monitoring sheets. Key-stage co-ordinators are involved with pupils and promote positive attitudes. The success of action to promote pupils’ personal development is evaluated at senior management meetings.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Suitable policies and procedures are in place to ensure that the school meets child protection requirements. The Headteacher is the designated co-ordinator. She ensures that staff are aware of procedures for support, guidance and welfare of pupils, and liaises with outside agencies, particularly the Social Services department and the Educational Welfare Priory Common First School - 17 Officer in regular meetings with two local schools to ensure continuity in child protection. First aid and medical matters are well attended to with suitable staff qualified to deal with incidents. Health and safety policies and procedures are appropriate. The school is, in general, a safe and secure place for children. However, it was noticed that the picket fence alongside the school wildlife area is potentially dangerous should a child fall on it whilst trying to climb over.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Attendance-monitoring procedures are appropriate and effective. There are suitable assessment procedures to inform teaching and learning and these have a positive influence on standards of achievement. There is good quality documentation providing guidance in the assessment, monitoring and evaluation policies. Shared area meetings and key stage liaison ensures assessment is made regularly and medium-term plans are modified. Marking of work is also done each day. The needs of high-attaining pupils are addressed through planning for different abilities. This was consistent in English and mathematics, though it was not always evident in other subjects. The school is aware of sources of support for SENs with the Local Education Authority (LEA). Support services provide guidance for staff as well as supporting individual pupils. Outside agencies are involved as appropriate in identification and assessment and in producing IEPs. Good use

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

is made of medical services and speech therapy. Stage 3 (LEA support) is adequate and used well. The school monitors the effectiveness of support service input. Pupils with SEN make better progress as a result of support service input. Any concerns trigger a visit from the Educational Support Team or Educational Psychologist. There have been visits to local special schools. The school’s SEN policy is effective.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Regular formal and informal assessments of pupils’ work are made and examples of pupils’ work are held in individual portfolios. National Curriculum level assessments of pupils’ attainment are made by teachers with cross-moderation between teachers in a year group. The assessments are used to inform planning and reporting to parents. The long term, medium-term and short-term planning is detailed and is linked to school and individual needs. Baseline assessment of children entering the school is used to track individual children’s progress in reading and mathematics. Classroom observations by the headteacher and co-ordinators review standards of teaching and monitor subject areas; pupils’ work is evaluated and school portfolios are used to check standards.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Registers are clearly marked with good attention to the agreed symbols for identifying absences. Any unauthorised absences are quickly followed up either by the headteacher or with the support of the educational welfare service.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Overall, the parents of pupils have positive views of the school. Parents are particularly pleased with the high expectation set for their children, the behaviour in school, the teaching and the way in which the school helps their child to become responsible. Most parents are comfortable about approaching the school with questions and problems and those attending the meeting before the inspection felt that suggestions made are well attended to. Inspectors agree with these positive views. The school has maintained the standards prevailing at the time of the previous inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. Overall, the school’s links with parents are good. However, there a small number of parents who feel that they have not had sufficient information about how their child is progressing. Parents receive an annual written report on their child’s progress. The quality of these reports is generally good. They contain sufficient detail of pupils’ attainment and Priory Common First School - 18 personal development. The best reports contain a good level of detail on what pupils can do, what they understand and what they know, with a brief comment on the pupils’ attitude to their work. All reports contain suggestions of what pupils need to do next to progress. There are a number of occasions, both formal and informal, on which parents can discuss their child’s progress. Teachers are always available at the end of the school day to talk with parents. The school will also arrange meetings at any other convenient time. These

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

procedures provide sufficient opportunity in most cases for parents to obtain information on their child’s progress.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. Two other concerns were identified by parents. They believe there is a limited range of activities outside lessons, although there are two clubs run by parents on Saturdays and a French club during the week for which a charge is made. It is not general practice for schools to provide after-school activities for Key Stage 1 pupils. The amount of homework that is set by the school is another concern to parents. Inspectors found that the amount is in line with government guidelines.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The general and more specific information received by parents is good. Each term, parents are given a leaflet that gives the important dates of the term, together with an outline of what the pupils will be studying. The school helps parents to understand what is being taught by a series of talks on the teaching, for example, of literacy and numeracy. Other information is well provided through regular letters about outings, trips, events and meetings.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school tries hard to establish and maintain good relationships with parents and is generally good at this. There are few adults who come into school to help on a voluntary basis, but those who do provide an additional resource which is appreciated and used well by the school. The help seen during the inspection added well to the learning taking place. The adults involved feel that their work is valued and they are well supported by the school. The school is fortunate in being very well supported by the School Association, which works very hard to raise considerable sums of money each year to help support the work of the school. This has been of great assistance recently due to a change for one year in the funding arrangements.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Parents know about the school’s policy and practice. Parents of pupils with SEN are given suitable school/LEA information and other briefing on SEN provision. They feel they are alerted in an appropriate fashion to initial problems. They are kept well informed by the school of progression. They are involved in identification and assessment of SENs and the school responds effectively to parental concerns. Parents of pupils at Stage 3 of the Code of Practice have been told who has responsibility for SEN matters at the LEA. Parents of pupils with statements receive copies of all relevant reports. Parents attend annual reviews and are able to contribute. Their views are taken into account.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The excellent partnership of headteacher and deputy headteacher provides very good leadership and management which has improved the effectiveness of teaching and learning and raised standards since the previous inspection. Supported by a strong team of year group and subject co-ordinators, their respective and complementary skills enable them to have a good strategic overview of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The headteacher, who took up the post shortly after the last inspection, exercises strong leadership. She has discharged her responsibilities in a dedicated and purposeful manner. The deputy headteacher fulfils a number of important management functions, in particular in staff induction, training and sharing the management of special educational needs. With Priory Common First School - 19 her excellent knowledge of all staff, the pupils and their families, she plays a central role in

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

fostering the caring ethos that is prevalent in all the school’s work. Relationships and equality of opportunity for all are strengths. The senior management team’s (SMT) principal responsibilities in recent years have been to improve the school in line with the key issues from the previous inspection and to manage an increasingly difficult budget situation. The well-costed school improvement plan has proved a useful vehicle for development, setting out appropriate priorities, designating those responsible for actions and giving a clear indication of target dates and criteria for success. Seeking accreditation as an “Investor in People” is, in leadership and management terms, complementary to the school’s expressed goals ensuring all staff are clear about the part they play in the success of the school through improving pupil achievements and understanding how their training needs are linked to this central aim.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. By implementing the school’s thorough and systematic monitoring and evaluation policy, governors and the SMT have built up an informed picture of quality and standards. The policy relates to the work of governing body committees and to the achievement of goals in the school improvement plan. A regular programme of classroom observation by subject co-ordinators and the headteacher, together with rigorous analysis of the results of statutory and other assessment information, allows teaching methods to focus on specific areas of development by providing useful evaluative feedback. In some subjects, for instance, English and science, work sampling and moderation exercises enable teachers to form an accurate view of National Curriculum levels in their assessments, whereas in mathematics this is underdeveloped and teacher assessments are often at variance with statutory test scores.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The roles and responsibilities of all staff are clearly defined and they have received a high standard of in-service training, often with the help of outside specialists and advisers. Co-ordinators work hard to support their colleagues by providing suitable schemes of work, appropriate resources, formal in-service meetings and informal day-to- day support. Teacher’s planning is scrutinised. Individual subjects are made the focus for development and monitoring in rotation. Planning and documentation in all subjects is good with an appropriate system of cyclical review. In a few instances this has resulted in policy lagging behind current practice. For example the written mathematics policy that predates the last inspection makes no mention of the National Numeracy Strategy approach which is now strongly embedded in all classes. In the short term this omission has not adversely impacted on the quality of provision.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The chair of governors provides excellent leadership to a supportive governing body in fulfilling statutory responsibilities. Governors and the senior management team in partnership share a commitment to school improvement and strive to meet the school’s aims. The recently-adopted mission statement reflects these aims and values. It was devised in consultation with the school community and all aspects of management and organisation work towards promoting its goals. The governing body exercises its duties in a committed and caring manner through termly meetings of the full body and regular meetings of the finance, personnel, premises and curriculum sub-committees. They make regular classroom visits and have a good knowledge of the school from the comprehensive reports submitted by the headteacher that are circulated well in advance of meetings to allow informed discussion to take place. The headteacher gives regular updates on pupil

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

performance, which enables the governors to target strategically human and material resources in their decision-making. There are currently two vacancies for co-opted governors and one for non-teaching staff which the school hopes to fill shortly.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. There is an appraisal system which has recently been superseded by new Priory Common First School - 20 performance-management arrangements. However the previous system made teachers aware of their strengths and weaknesses as a result of the varied and effective systems for monitoring which operate. Non-teaching staff have all wished to be appraised resulting in two staff receiving National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) training sponsored by the school and a programme of appropriate in-school training in areas such as numeracy and literacy.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school has begun to exploit the potential of new technology, including information and communication technology, in its management systems but there is currently insufficient expertise beyond the headteacher and secretary to allow real benefits and wider applications to accrue.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Financial planning is very good. The whole school staff, with governors invited, is involved in drawing up the school improvement plan, based on the needs of the school. The school also consults with parents every two years through a questionnaire on their views of the school’s performance; the results are used to help determine the priorities for school improvement. The resultant plan is then drawn up, costed and prioritised. It is then presented to the full governing body for approval. The chair of the finance committee visits the school at least weekly to ensure regular contact over financial issues. This has been particularly necessary recently due to a change in local funding arrangements, which has necessitated the school working very closely with officials from the local education authority to minimise the cut in income for this one year. These discussions have been fruitful in that the school has been able to maintain its priority to keep the current teaching staff level to

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

have two parallel classes for each year group. Standards funds are used well to support the priorities identified by the school.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Financial control is good. The administration officer ensures that information on expenditure is readily available to the head, finance committee and the governing body to ensure that finances are kept in good order. The most recent auditor’s report was positive and the minor areas requiring action have been attended to. The school is careful over any expenditure and always seeks to get the best value through tendering and close comparison of prices.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The use of new technology is sound. The administrative officer has a good knowledge of computerised administration procedures. The use of computers in the classroom is, however, underdeveloped and there is scope for improvement in the use of computers across the school, for example in the library, where one could be used for the issue and return of books. Pupils make appropriate use of the Internet.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The number, qualification and experience of teachers and support staff match the demands of the curriculum satisfactorily. Staff generally have an appropriate balance of experience and expertise, although some lack confidence in some aspects of information communication technology and science. Staff work well in effective teams. Newly appointed and newly qualified teachers are given very good support and guidance and are assimilated well into the life and work of the school. Staff training, including that for all support staff, is appropriately linked to the school improvement plan.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The headteacher and deputy headteacher jointly share the administrative and management of SEN. Their experience and training are appropriate – both as co-ordinator and as SEN “technical” consultant. This high profile partnership ensures high quality support for SEN. There is access for people with disabilities to most of the school. Toilet provision is suitable for pupils with disabilities. The school has adapted its lighting to meet the needs of pupils with sensory impairments. Resources for SENs are adequate and specialised resources are available and accessible. The school is clear as to what Priory Common First School - 21 resources it received from the LEA specifically for SENs and can account for their use. The school is clear as to resources it allocates from within its own budget for SENs. Material resources are deployed well. Staff resources for SEN are well displayed and effective in

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

enhancing curricular access and progress.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Learning resources are sound overall. They are satisfactory in all subjects, although there is only just sufficient to resource the schemes of work currently being studied in mathematics and geography. There is good provision in English, in art, where there is a good range of resources from different mediums and good artefacts, and in PE where there is a good range of large and small apparatus. The library, which is timetabled each week for use by every class, is satisfactorily resourced.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Accommodation inside is sound and sufficient for the delivery of the curriculum. It is well cleaned and there is no evidence of vandalism or graffiti. Physical education is well supported, with a good sized hall, with a good floor; outside is a field which is used for games and sports. A conservation area in the grounds is used for such activities as treasure hunts to support geography through the following of directions to find the treasure. The school has an environmental area that includes a pond that is used by older pupils for pond dipping and environmental studies. Unfortunately it is sometimes the focus of vandalism by people from outside. The school provides very good value for money. Priory Common First School - 22

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

There are no key issues. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

However, in the context of the school’s many strengths, the following points for improvement should be considered for inclusion in the action plan.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Further increase the range and opportunities for learning through information communication technology across the curriculum by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) developing teachers’ experience, knowledge and understanding through in- service training; Paragraphs: 22, 25, 51, 55, 90, 111.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) further improving teachers’ personal confidence and competence and identifying and sharing best practice. Paragraphs: 18, 25, 54, 84, 111.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure a consistent approach to developing pupils’ applications of scientific understanding to their own experience by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

developing teachers’ knowledge and understanding through in-service training. Paragraphs: 89, 90.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Develop opportunities to review learning at the end of lessons by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

revisiting the purposes set out for these sessions, for example, in the literacy and numeracy frameworks, and apply these in all lessons. Paragraphs: 18, 77, 83.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Broaden the provision for cultural development by: including more comparative study of pupils’ own way of life with those in other countries including non-western countries. Paragraphs: 30, 33, 78. Priory Common First School - 23

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 34

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

5 34 50 11 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y3

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 209

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 16 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y3

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 45

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 13

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 13

p.23

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. Priory Common First School - 24

p.23

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 27 17 44

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 24 23 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 15 16

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86 (84) 86 (91) 93 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 79 (80) 83 (81) 86 (84)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 23 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 15 15

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 84 (87) 94 (89) 91 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Priory Common First School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9 Financial year 1999-2000

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.2

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y3 Total expenditure 308048

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1564

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 70 Balance brought forward from previous year -2793

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 2308 Priory Common First School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 48 38 8 5 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 57 5

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 52 16 6 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 41 19 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 51 37 8 5

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 40 57 2 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 33 52 13 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 33 48 10 6 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 49 11 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 11 37 27 15 10 Priory Common First School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. The quality of and range of learning opportunities for the children in the early year classes is very good. With the addition of support staff and voluntary help, provision for the early years children is good. At the time of the inspection there were two early year classes. There is good liaison with the pre-school playgroup. The induction procedures are good and much appreciated by parents. Baseline assessment on entry indicates the majority of children are in line with the county’s baseline assessment in most aspects of attainment. The planned activities enable the national Desirable Learning Outcomes (DLOs) to be achieved by most children, and progress is good. Pupils who have learning difficulties are very well supported, attain well according to their abilities and make very good progress in all areas of learning. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. The findings of this report show an improvement since the last inspection, when the quality of

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

teaching and planning for the continuity and progression between the early years curriculum and Key Stage 1 needed to be improved.

p.27

Personal and social development:

60. Children’s personal and social development is good. The majority of children are eager to come to school and they make good progress. Positive relationships are established between the children, teachers and support staff in a very short time, and ensure complete trust. The children respond to instructions and questions and often initiate conversations. They are confident and friendly. Most children can sustain concentration and interest appropriate for their age. They make independent choices about which area of learning they would like to experience. When the music begins they know they must tidy up their activities which they do very well. They take pride in their work and enjoy showing it to the rest of the class. The majority of children co-operate very well in role-play, take turns and share equipment, for example in the toy shop and in the outside play area with the large play equipment. Most children are able to dress and undress for physical

p.27

Personal and social development:

education but occasionally need help with tying their shoe laces. They have enough confidence to take part in assemblies and physical education lessons in the hall and join the rest of the children at playtime on the playground. Most children appreciate the difference between right and wrong, and generally have a sense of fairness and are sensitive to the feelings of others. They listen to their teachers very well. The quality of teaching in this area is good. Most children are on track to achieve the DLOs by the time they are five.

p.27

Language and literacy development:

61. Overall language development is sound and, at times, good. Children can describe their activities clearly and generally with confidence, using a growing vocabulary. They make good progress and listen with enthusiasm and give appropriate response to questions. Children engage in spontaneous conversations with adults about their personal experiences and their work. They respond well to learning and reciting poems and action rhymes. They know that pictures and words have meaning and associate sounds with words. Children recognise their own names and most can write them on their work. The teachers make good use of the literacy sessions to raise the children’s attainment and progress in speaking and listening, reading and writing, because of their own English subject knowledge and skills and because their enthusiasm is successfully conveyed to the Priory Common First School - 28 children. There is very effective teaching of phonics and the children learn quickly to use

p.27

Language and literacy development:

this knowledge to tackle unknown words. The quality of teaching is sound and, at times good. When teaching is good the pace is brisk and the teachers make the activities exciting. Most children are on track to achieve the DLOs by the time they are five.

p.28

Mathematics:

62. Mathematical development is good and children make very good progress. Many children know that a number gets bigger if you add to it and smaller when a number is taken away. They can count to twenty and high-attainers much higher. Most children can count in twos to twenty and in tens to a hundred. Although a few can count backwards in ones from fifteen many find this a difficult task. They use correct mathematical vocabulary, for example, bigger than, smaller than and less than. Most children can name simple shapes. They can add up single digits to five mentally and enjoy singing number rhymes. Social development is reinforced in sharing equipment and taking turns. The quality of teaching is good because the management of pupils is good and there are clear learning objectives, which have a positive impact on children’s learning and progress. The children are progressing well on their learning of the DLOs and indications are that by the time they

p.28

Mathematics:

reach five all will have achieved them. High-attainers have already achieved the DLOs.

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world:

63. The majority of children make very good progress and demonstrate an awareness of the features of living things as they make observations about the two budgerigars in the activities area. In operating a computer program, many children can control the mouse, press the space bar and use directional arrows independently. They are aware of the importance of the Millennium Project 2000 which the whole school was involved in and they produced portraits of themselves which are displayed in the hall. They handle all equipment with care and can construct successfully using building materials. The majority of children talk confidently about themselves, name their family members and also say where they live. The quality of teaching is good. There is evidence that most children are on track to achieve the DLOs by the time they are five years old.

p.28

Physical development:

64. The organisation ensures plenty of opportunities for children to make good progress in developing their physical skills. They use the hall and the fenced outside area on a time- tabled basis. There is enough space for a range of physical activities to be developed as they use the good range of outside play equipment, such as water, sand, bicycles and other large play equipment. Most children move with confidence in the playground. All children improve their co-ordination as they play and move around together. Scissors, glue, paint and pencils are used with developing skill. The quality of teaching is sound and, at times, good. Most children have reached the DLOs.

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Creative development:

65. Creative development is good and children make good progress. Children explore sound, colour, texture and respond to their senses well. They recognise primary colours, for example when making a large collage of ‘Elmer’ the elephant. They explore shape in three dimensions by creating models. Children sing well together and can repeat patterns of sounds. Many know when a note is high or low. A wide and varied range of materials is available, and is used by the children to express and communicate their feelings. Displays of observational drawing skills show that pupils’ development in drawing is good for their Priory Common First School - 29 age. The quality of teaching is good. Most children are on track to achieve the DLOS by the time they are five years old. However, many children have already achieved them.

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Creative development:

66. The quality of teaching overall is good. Planning is detailed and there are appropriate systems in place, including a useful baseline assessment, to assess children's progress. The teachers and support staff are very conscientious and hard working. The children are happy and eager to come to school.

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ENGLISH

67. Pupils’ attainment in English when they enter the school is average, and is in line with that expected of pupils of a similar age. Results in the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were above the average in reading while in writing they were in line with both the national average and standards gained in similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 or above was close to the national average. Performance over the past four years show that results in reading are well above the national average and in writing above. Performance over the past four years show that girls results in reading and writing are well above the national average and for boys standards are well above in reading and above in writing. Teacher assessments are in line with test results . In the current year Key Stage 1 results in statutory tests have shown a improvement in speaking and listening ninety-three per cent of pupils achieving Level 2 or

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ENGLISH

above. In reading at Level 2 or above pupils achieved ninety-three per cent. Writing results showed pupils achieved ninety-three per cent at Level 2 or above. In spelling sixty- eight per cent of pupils achieved Level 2 or above. Without national comparative data at this stage it is not possible to place these results in a national context, though, they appear to show good improvement on the 1999 results. Inspection findings show that by the end of Key Stage 1, standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening are well above the national average and pupils make very good progress. These results show an improvement in attainment and progress since the last inspection and is attributable to the successful implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and the improved standards in teaching.

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ENGLISH

68. In Year 3 most pupils are working well within Level 3 which is the expected level for their age. Throughout the school high-attaining pupils make very good progress, as do pupils with special educational needs and English as a second language who are well supported at all times.

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ENGLISH

69. Attainment in reading at the end of Key Stage 1 is above the national expectation and progress is good. The school has developed a good range of monitoring and analysis to identify any areas needing further development. Pupils use mainly phonic and picture clues to tackle unknown words. Most pupils are keen to read and they enjoy books. In class lessons older and high-attaining pupils are able to give simple summaries of character and plot and many can predict the outcome of a story. By the time they reach seven the majority of pupils are very fluent and confident readers, reading with good understanding. They can discuss characters from their reading books in depth and use different sources to locate information they need for work in subjects such as science, history and art. They can give good accounts of the stories and predict outcome. In discussion, all readers express an interest in a range of reading material, which includes

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ENGLISH

fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Older pupils can locate information using contents and index pages, and high-attaining pupils can retrieve information through information communication technology (ICT) programs. However, the use of extracting information from ICT programs for research needs to be further developed. Pupils have appropriate Priory Common First School - 30 library skills and the library lessons are timetabled which develops their research skills. Pupils take their books home daily and most read to parents or carers and this aids the progress they make. This practice is well established throughout the school. Year 3 pupils’ attainment is generally above that expected for pupils of a similar age.

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ENGLISH

70. By the age of seven, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening skills are above national expectations for pupils of a similar age. They enjoy listening to and taking part in the shared reading of stories. They listen to their teacher’s explanations and to the contributions of other pupils in their class. Older pupils often ask questions to find out more. The majority of pupils are confident to speak in class. They recall stories they have heard and give good examples in their own words of what happened. There are regular opportunities for pupils to perform to the class and the rest of the school. In literacy lessons pupils read together from a shared text and enjoy this activity. Older pupils listen very attentively during whole-class sessions and show, in their response, that they have good understanding of the task set. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported within the class by the teachers and support assistants, and are provided with a

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ENGLISH

good range of opportunities to encourage them to develop their speaking and listening skills.

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ENGLISH

71. By the age of seven, most pupils have developed good handwriting skills and use a joined-up style. They form letters correctly when completing specific writing practice but, at times, in their writing tasks, they write untidily and do not apply what they have learned. However, most pupils’ work is presented neatly especially by Years 2 and 3 pupils. Teachers mark the work very well, often giving targets for improvement.

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ENGLISH

72. By the end of Key Stage 1 and in Year 3, pupils can spell simple and commonly used words. Many pupils use dictionaries or wordbooks well. Regular homework is given for all pupils and tested to ensure progress or revision if necessary.

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ENGLISH

73. At the end of Key Stage1, pupils’ attainment in writing is above the national average and for high-attaining pupils, well above. In Year 1 pupils use simple sentences and their choice of vocabulary is generally good. They are beginning to write extended stories. Older pupils, including Year 3 pupils, are producing a range of written work, which includes extended writing, poetry, the use of persuasive language and writing from different viewpoints. There is evidence of redrafting and editing, and the development of word processing skills for the presentation of work. The attainment of special needs pupils shows a good improvement over time, and work is adapted to their needs and abilities.

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ENGLISH

74. Overall standards of literacy are very good. The literacy hour is having a very good impact on pupils’ knowledge and understanding of texts, and is encouraging them to use a wider range of vocabulary in their speaking and writing. Younger pupils are extending their writing into well developed stories which show imagination. Older pupils, including Year 3 pupils, in discussion and in their written work, demonstrate understanding of the purpose of different types of fiction, and some pupils can identify the difference between genres of writing. The literacy hour has contributed to learning in other areas of the curriculum, and much good quality reading and writing is inspired by meaningful links with other subjects, for example, in science, history and art. Word-processing skills are taught and used to support pupils’ work.

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ENGLISH

75. Pupils’ progress by the end of Key Stage 1 and in Year 3 is good because there are clear and effective learning strategies being used by the teachers, and pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for texts is well developed. These good rates of progress are also attributable to careful planning, supported by detailed schemes of work, very good teaching, especially Priory Common First School - 31 in Key Stage 1, high expectations of work and behaviour, good attitudes of the pupils, and support of the parents. Most pupils show an interest in their tasks, often talking appropriately in the process of completing them. They respond well with interesting ideas in their planned speaking and listening times. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in achieving the literacy targets identified in their IEPs.

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ENGLISH

76. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour throughout the school are very good. Pupils enjoy listening to stories and try hard when writing their stories. They respond enthusiastically to their teachers, contribute constructively to lessons and answer questions willingly and appropriately. Most pupils settle quickly and quietly to group tasks, concentrate very well and co-operate with other pupils. They understand and comply with classroom rules and work in groups or individually very well.

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ENGLISH

77. The overall standard of teaching is good, and very good in Key Stage 1. The school has improved in standards of teaching since the last report. The teachers have adopted the literacy strategy enthusiastically. As a consequence, literacy lessons are well planned and organised in detail, with resources readily available for pupils to use. Teachers’ use skilful questioning to consolidate and direct pupils’ learning effectively. They plan appropriate work for pupils with different levels of ability. In the very best lessons teachers make learning objectives very clear and share them with the pupils, have very high expectations of work and behaviour, the pace of the lesson is brisk and targets are set for future improvement. They ensure that all pupils are involved in class discussions, have very good rapport with the class and set challenging but achievable tasks. When lessons are less effective, learning objectives are not shared with the pupils, the pace of lessons is

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ENGLISH

slower, future learning targets are not discussed and tasks are less well matched to pupils’ abilities.

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ENGLISH

78. The subject is very effectively co-ordinated by the deputy headteacher who, in consultation with staff, has produced a well-developed scheme of work. This is supported by a very well moderated collection of pupils’ work which assists the monitoring of progression and continuity between year groups and across key stages. Assessment procedures are good. The statutory assessments are carried out and standardised tests are used and analysed by the co-ordinator, headteacher and governing body. Good use is made of the school’s analysis of national tests in English and used to identify areas for further development. Future targets have been set which are realistic and achievable. The subject co-ordinator has worked very hard to support staff with the introduction and continuing development of the literacy hour. She has monitored a good number of literacy lessons and has shared the findings with the staff. The curriculum supports the cultural

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ENGLISH

development of pupils through a range of classical children’s literature and poetry. However, there was little evidence of stories and the way of life of other cultures especially from non-western countries. The school’s strategy for literacy across the curriculum is good. The school is well placed to sustain improvements and raise standards further.

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ENGLISH

79. Resources are good. There is a good range of fiction and non-fiction books in each classroom and in the library. There are enough big books. However, the big book versions of the text used during the inspection are yet to be published. Displays of topic books with pupils’ writing, also in history and art, are displayed in classrooms to promote literacy. The school is well placed to sustain recent improvement and raise standards further. Priory Common First School - 32

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MATHEMATICS

80. Results in the 1999 tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were in line with the national average and also average when compared with similar schools. Results have varied over the last three years ranging from well above average in 1997 to below average in 1998. In the current year Key Stage 1 results in statutory tests have shown a marked improvement with ninety-seven per cent achieving at least Level 2 or above. Without national comparative data at this stage it is impossible to say how significant this improvement is. This year’s performance exceeds the target the school set by three per cent and further targets have been set to maintain the percentage of pupils attaining Level 2 and above at this high level. The quality of teaching has improved and there is no unsatisfactory teaching, standards are now above national expectations and progress is good. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

81. In Year 3 pupils have good instant recall of number facts and are developing a repertoire of calculating strategies. They know names of plane and solid shapes and understand line symmetry. Most of these pupils are working well within Level 3 which is the expected level for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Work samples and lessons seen in Key Stage 1 show standards are high. Pupils in Year 2 are familiar and confident with numbers to a hundred; they can count in twos, fours, fives and tens and have a good bank of known number facts. They can use partitioning and recombining to solve two-digit additions mentally and their knowledge of doubles to add three one-digit numbers. When using arrow cards pupils demonstrate a good knowledge of place value up to and including hundreds, tens and units. Pupils in Year 1 are working above the average level in the National Curriculum. For example, most can recognise patterns in number bonds to fifteen, and can add on 1, 10 or 100 to a given number confidently. When telling the time these pupils recognise the terms ‘o’clock’ and ‘half past’ and are beginning to understand ‘quarter to’ and ‘quarter past’ the hour. Average and higher-attaining pupils and those for whom English is an additional language make good

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MATHEMATICS

progress throughout Key Stage 1 and in Year 3. Very good progress is made by the significant group of pupils in each class with special educational needs. There is no major difference between the attainment of boys and girls. The amount of work covered and the skills and enthusiasm brought to the subject by the teachers motivate and challenge pupils to achieve higher standards.

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MATHEMATICS

83. In Key Stage 1 eighty per cent of teaching was very good or excellent with all teaching being at least good. In Year 3 all teaching was good. Activities and resources are well prepared and used effectively to reinforce pupils’ understanding. The best teaching stems from good subject knowledge and clear planning, with work set at four different levels to match the needs of pupils of different abilities. Lessons incorporate appropriately high expectations and challenge for pupils with different attainments. There are effective links with what pupils have already learned and activities, including problem solving and investigations are purposeful, set challenges, and enable pupils to improve their work. Pupils are managed very well and this contributes to a positive classroom ethos. In all lessons, teachers use questions carefully to motivate the class during the introduction, and to assess pupils’ understanding and improve learning during the session. The end-of-

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MATHEMATICS

lesson summary is used well in some lessons to share learning experiences and to consolidate or extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, in some instances there is insufficient focus to this part of the lesson and learning opportunities are lost. Homework is set to consolidate learning in accordance with the school policy. Teachers keep good ongoing records of what pupils can do and what they need to be taught. Priory Common First School - 33 84. The co-ordinator is recognised by the local education authority as a leading mathematics teacher. All teachers within the school have observed her teaching a demonstration lesson and received a good level of training and support in the National Numeracy Strategy which has been well implemented. Teachers in all year groups follow an appropriate curricular plan which promotes progression and continuity in pupils’ learning by building on the yearly teaching programmes in the Framework for Teaching

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MATHEMATICS

Mathematics. There is a portfolio of assessed work in the subject to assist teachers to make judgements relating to levels of attainment, although the significant variation between teacher assessment and national curriculum statutory test scores is evidence of the need to develop moderation further. Resources for mathematics are sufficient for the needs of the scheme of work currently being taught although calculators are under-used as a teaching resource. Information and communication technology is generally under-developed in the teaching of mathematics although there was some evidence of ICT being used to display pupils’ graph work. Good use is made of home base and shared areas of the accommodation.

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MATHEMATICS

85. The teaching of mathematics makes a very good contribution to pupils’ developing literacy and numeracy skills. For instance, in a Year 2 physical education lesson pupils chose to develop a 1,2,1,2, pattern of boys and girls when lining up to return to their class while in Year 2 lesson science work pupils took careful measurements even using millilitres.

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MATHEMATICS

86. The results of National Curriculum tests are monitored by the co-ordinator, headteacher and governing body and analysed to identify areas for development and to set targets. This has had a positive effect on standards, which have improved since the last inspection. The school is well placed to sustain recent improvement and raise standards further.

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SCIENCE

87. Attainment in science is above national expectations and at the end of Year 3 above that expected for pupils of a similar age. Progress is good for all pupils. The 1999 teachers' assessments for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 indicated that the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 or above was above average compared to the results from similar schools, with the percentage of pupils reaching Level 3 well above average. At the time of the previous inspection the equivalent assessment results in science were well above the national average. Results for 2000 show that ninety-one per cent of pupils reach Level 2 or above, though there are no national figures available yet for comparisons. Pupils with special educational needs and English as a second language attain well according to their abilities. The school has maintained the high standards achieved in the previous inspection.

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SCIENCE

88. There were insufficient opportunities during the inspection, to observe teaching in science other than in Year 3. This was mainly good. There was in addition, an example of excellent teaching in Year 2. Pupils’ attitudes to science and behaviour in class are also mainly good. From the observations of teaching and wider scrutiny of work across classes there were good examples of investigative science in Key Stage 1 and in Year 3. There were clear structures to lessons with good support for pupils’ recording of the processes through prepared recording sheets. In Key Stage 1 pupils investigated the waterproof properties of materials, showing understanding of fair testing procedures. They investigated the effects of heat on different materials to show reversible and irreversible changes. Different objects were tested for floating and sinking properties. They found out about the effects of exercise on the body. In Year 3 children found out about the life cycle

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SCIENCE

Priory Common First School - 34 and the parts of the plant through observations of plants at different stages of growth. They tested the properties of insulating materials and found out about the strength of materials through applying forces. They made wheeled vehicles and tested them to make them move, speed up, slow down or stop. They investigated transparent, translucent and opaque materials by predicting and testing properties and putting them into appropriate groups. They tested the reflective properties of materials.

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SCIENCE

89. There were some good examples of the application of scientific knowledge resulting from the activities. For example, in Key Stage 1 there was excellent discussion about what materials would be suitable for making waterproof objects; an umbrella, wellington boots, and an anorak were available for demonstration to make the link between the investigation about waterproofing and application to real life situations. The activity was exciting and produced a feeling of awe and wonder by the pupils. In some cases, however, activities placed too much emphasis on technical scientific terms and there was little evidence of application of the ideas to children's experience. For example, in Year 3 pupils completed labelled drawings of the bones of the skeleton with no reference to the main functions of the skeleton; for support, in movement and for protection of delicate organs. Also, the pupils counted, labelled the names of different kinds of teeth and made a detailed cross

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SCIENCE

sectional drawing of a tooth without establishing the function of the teeth in breaking down the food to aid digestion or showing how different teeth have different functions. Extension activities are needed to make these connections. In these activities, and some others across all year groups, there was also no evidence of planning for different abilities of pupils; all pupils completing the same worksheet. For example, Year 1 children matched words with a drawing of the parts of a plant, with no evidence of thinking about the essential functions of the parts and with no challenge for high-attaining pupils.

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SCIENCE

90. There needs to be more consistent emphasis on the application of scientific knowledge to pupils’ experience and to use pupils’ ideas more directly to influence planning and teaching. There is also need for consistent planning for challenge for high-attaining pupils and for pupils to interpret their own ideas about scientific phenomena. This will enhance the quality of children's learning in science. Inservice support of teachers’ background understanding of scientific knowledge and identification of teaching strategies to develop children’s meaningful understanding of science is needed to develop this process.

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SCIENCE

91. The co-ordination of science is sound. Resources are adequate to teach science. Planning, assessment and monitoring of science are generally good. Pupils’ work is matched to National Curriculum level statements and judgements are moderated across the classes in each year. There are suitable procedures for monitoring the effectiveness of teaching through classroom observations, mainly by the headteacher. In this process attention needs to be given to ensuring more consistent planning for challenge for high- attaining pupils and for application of the scientific ideas to pupils’ experiences. The school is well placed to sustain recent improvement and raise standards further.

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ART

92. Due to the inspection timetable it was not possible to see art being taught. However, judgements are based on the scrutiny of work, discussions with pupils and staff and teachers’ planning.

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ART

93. Overall, pupils throughout the school are achieving standards that are appropriate for their ages and provision for art is sound. Standards in the previous inspection were judged to be above national expectations and good progress in Key Stage 1 and sound in Priory Common First School - 35 Year 3. Pupils with special educational needs and English as a second language make good progress and are well supported at all times. In Key Stage 1, pupils studied the work of Leonardo da Vinci and drew pictures and wrote about his work. In another class Vincent Van Gogh paintings had been studied and pupils had painted their ideas of sunflowers. Pupils had used the computer to record their ideas. There were links with mathematics in the work of a Year 1 class who had painted butterflies in order to understand symmetry. The school has produced a lovely sewn “One World Quilt’ and also a friendship quilt. In a

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ART

Year 1 class pupils had drawn artefacts from St Lawrence’s Church. In the Year 2 classes, pupils had produced a three-dimensional collage and mobiles of the life in a pond.

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ART

94. There is an appropriate scheme of work that assists teachers in their planning of lessons. The subject contributes soundly to pupils’ spiritual development giving them the opportunity to appreciate and study carefully the wonder of nature.

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ART

95. The co-ordinator is responsible for producing the art policy and scheme of work. She monitors standards by assessing pupils’ work and art displays. Assessment is at the end of each block of work and parents are informed of their child’s progress in the annual parents’ report.

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ART

96. Accommodation is adequate and there is a satisfactory range of working surfaces and sink facilities. The subject is well resourced with a wide range of materials and media. Teachers make good use of the resources. Appropriate use is made of ICT to support the art curriculum.

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ART

97. The school celebrates the achievements of pupils in a variety of ways including large, well-arranged displays of pupils’ work in all available public spaces in the school, as well as in the classrooms. The headteacher regularly comments on the good displays and they are changed and updated frequently. Pupils’ work is also celebrated in assemblies.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. The previous inspection reported examples of satisfactory work but with insufficient evidence to make judgements on overall standards. This was also the case during this inspection. Much of the work made during the year has been dismantled or taken home by the pupils. Work in folders and examples seen of completed items were generally sound, and some were very good. In Year 1 the pupils designed and made Millennium dough houses and artefacts under the supervision of an interested parent to produce an attractive and very good quality display. They made card owls after looking at pictures of owls and they designed travel machines. The headteacher reported that the Year 2 pupils also made a substantial model of a local church from boxes, grass matting and tissue paper. Year 2 pupils designed and made a ‘Womblemobile’. In this activity there was good evidence of recording with design plans, identification of materials and tools used and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

evaluation of the completed item. In Year 3 a ‘Millennium Quilt’ had been made to high quality with support from a local resident. Pupils’ ideas were incorporated into the design with an impressive result.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. Many of the comments in the previous inspection apply. Pupils can use simple tools, select appropriate materials, explore joining techniques and some pupils can suggest improvements. National Curriculum requirements are being met, but the subject is taught in blocks too infrequently to ensure progressive acquisition of design and technology knowledge, understanding and skills. There was little evidence that ICT is used to support this subject. Priory Common First School - 36 100. Co-ordination of design and technology is sound. There are good quality schemes of work. Resources are sufficient in tools and consumable materials. Teachers assessed pupils’ finished designs and models and progress is reported in annual pupils’ reports. Provision of construction kits has been improved since the previous inspection, particularly for youngest pupils, but there is still need for more in Key Stage 1 and Year 3.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. Judgements on pupils’ attainment and progress are based on scrutiny of pupils’ work in displays, books and folders, teachers’ planning and records, and interviews with staff and pupils. The standards of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and Year 3 are in line with national expectations for similar-age pupils. These findings reflect those found in the previous report. The indications are that progress, including that made by pupils with special educational needs, is good.

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GEOGRAPHY

102. In Year 1 pupils know that maps represent real locations and develop an understanding of direction by using terms such as north, south, east and wes t. They make class and school maps using the building and grounds appropriately, indicating routes and labelling key areas. They are able to mark the countries of the United Kingdom on an outline map and can discuss places they have visited. They know about the weather, displaying symbols on a class chart each day to record their observations, and in the study of seasons they understand appropriate clothing. In Year 2 they undertake fieldwork activities in the village of Bradwell comparing where they live with the Isle of Wight. They understand the similarities and differences in the buildings they find and their uses, discovering the jobs in each locality and making careful drawings to record their findings.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. The pupils in Year 3 build on their geographical skills and explore places and study themes in greater depth continuing to attain standards commensurate with their age. The study of their local area enables pupils to learn about the main physical and human features and the environmental issues that give the locality its character. By age eight, pupils have made satisfactory progress overall and good progress in mapping skills and have a clear understanding of how to identify physical land features by interpreting map symbols. Their work includes using co-ordinates and grid references to follow a route and identify the points of reference on maps. They use their knowledge to create detailed maps of the school and grounds marking features. They use atlases and globes to locate countries and oceans. They broaden their geographical vocabulary using a questionnaire in a village study to investigate amenities, how long people have been inhabitants and

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GEOGRAPHY

104. The co-ordinator for the subject is effective, and there is a helpful scheme of work and ageing policy to support teaching. This policy is due for review this year. She monitors all planning. The subject is entirely cross-curricular and topic-based and the pupils are involved in practical work, with the emphasis on oral skills and the use of the local environment. The planning for geography is designed to ensure that all pupils are taught the appropriate skills and are given opportunities to investigate places and themes as laid out in the National Curriculum. Continuity and progression in the teaching of geography is supported through the school’s involvement with a local consortium. As part of the Stantonbury Liaison group agreement has been reached over a suggested sub-programme of study for Year 3 ensuring the Key Stage 2 programme of study is completed in the middle school. There has been some variance from the agreed sub-programme in recent

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GEOGRAPHY

years and this needs rectifying. Teachers assess pupils’ work at the end of each year and pupils’ progress is reported in annual pupils’ reports. Geography is a priority for subject Priory Common First School - 37 review next year and this will be an appropriate time as Curriculum 2000 is implemented to update the policy, amend the scheme of work and agree which elements of the Key Stage 2 course will be taught in the first school.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. Geography makes a useful contribution to work in other subjects, such as in science, in studying materials and their properties, and in mathematics, which ties in well with mapping skills and makes a good contribution to pupils’ developing literacy and numeracy skills. Learning resources have improved since the previous inspection and are sufficient to cover the scheme of work, with a range of maps, videos and atlases.

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HISTORY

106. It was not possible to see history being taught during the inspection. However, evidence from the scrutiny of pupils’ past and present work, displays, teachers’ planning and records, and interviews with staff, suggests pupils’ standards of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and Year 3 are in line with national expectations for similar age pupils.

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HISTORY

107. The previous inspection reported attainment broadly in line with national expectations, which is also indicated form the evidence seen in pupils’ folders, though there are examples of some very good standards of writing from displays of work resulting from history activities in Key Stage 1 and Year 3. In Year 1 the pupils learn about famous people such as Guy Fawkes, Leonardo da Vinci and the first man on the moon from research activities. Year 2 pupils’ study the Second World War and draw on relatives and local people for evidence of their experiences during the war and as evacuees. Artefacts were collected from these people for examination as primary evidence and very effective displays showed an interesting and relevant approach to the topic. In Year 3 the work on the Victorians was also stimulating and relevant, as evidenced in an interesting display of work on Queen Victoria, servant life, schools and the exploitation of children to illustrate the

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HISTORY

contrasting social conditions of the day. There were some examples of rich, empathetic writing, for example an account of life through the eyes of a Victorian servant. This work had been stimulated by a visit by the children to Holdenby House in costume and in role to experience the conditions of life during Victorian times and this had been, evidently, very successful in firing the imagination of the pupils.

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HISTORY

108. The policy and schemes of work for history are good and provide a good basis for planning. The resources are limited, but are used efficiently. Teachers are skilful in utilising the resources of the local community to enhance children’s learning in history. Recently, there has been a project with Millennium Commission and the Open University to involve interested parents in local history research to improve the ICT skills of the local community.

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INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

109. The previous inspection reported unsatisfactory standards of attainment and progress in information communication technology (ICT).

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INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

110. The school has made considerable effort since the last inspection and action has been implemented to improve standards. Information communication technology provision is now sound in all respects, though ICT is still a major area for development. There was a successful bid for National Grid for Learning and the school accessed the Internet in November 1999. There is a Saturday morning computer club for interested children and a parents’ group has a new ICT system through the Living Archive/Open University Scheme. There are new schemes of work and staff training identifies individual development needs Priory Common First School - 38 with support from the New Opportunities Fund. The impact of ICT development on pupil progress is an evaluation priority for 2001/2002.

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INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

111. As a result of the action to improve ICT in the school there has been enhanced staff confidence and experience in ICT, but there is still need for further development which will be achieved through further planned inservice activities. Co-ordination of ICT is sound. Hardware and software has been significantly improved and is kept up to date. There is a computer in each classroom which is used by small groups at different times of the day and week. Teachers interact with children to support them in their work. A suitable range of software is available and there are examples of pupils’ use of ICT in children’s folders and various displays throughout the school, for example: use of English in word-processed poems, descriptive writing and labels for drawings or pictures; maths application through bar graphs, pie graphs, pictograms and pictures demonstrating symmetry; computer generated art pictures; information downloaded from the Internet about life in Victorian

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INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

times. There is further need for a wider range of activities to be applied more consistently across classes; for example, more use of the Internet, including e-mail, and the further development of ICT skills for older pupils, such as importing graphics into text. There is also need for wider application of ICT across the curriculum, for example science simulations and application of ICT in scientific investigations through data handling.

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MUSIC

112. The previous inspection reported attainment to be broadly in line with national expectations, which was the case from the evidence in this inspection. Teaching of class music was observed in Key Stage 1 and involved musical appreciation and response; a Year 2 group listening to ‘Miserere’, by Allegri and Year 1 pupils listened to ‘The Carnival of the Animals’ by Saint Saens. In these cases teaching ranged from sound to very good, with good overall teaching standards. The example of very good teaching prepared the pupils very well for the music through generating a mood of reflection, supported by the use of darkness and candles. The pupils’ listened to the music with attention and produced some thoughtful responses through drawings and their verbal accounts of the meaning of the images. Pupils with special educational needs and for those for whom English is a second language attain well and make very good progress.

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MUSIC

113. There are weekly recorder sessions, which are optional for Year 3 pupils, during the school day. These support progress in music. Observations of this teaching session showed a generally good standard of teaching. In assembly the children sing enthusiastically and there is a good repertoire of songs. They are accompanied by piano, guitar or recorded music. Pupils hear different types of music at the beginning of each assembly, these experiences are useful to introduce children to a wide range of music. Music makes a good contribution to spiritual and cultural development through the study of their culture and opportunities to respond through mood and feelings. Pupils generally respond very well to music.

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MUSIC

114. Resources are suitable and are well managed. Assessment procedures are sound and pupils’ progress is reported in pupils’ annual reports. The co-ordinator monitors planning. Schemes of work cover the requirements of the National Curriculum and provide a good support for staff. Priory Common First School - 39

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

115. In Key Stage 1 pupils make good progress in physical education (PE) reaching standards that are above the national expectation. This represents an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. There is a useful scheme of work detailing coverage of all the programmes of study in termly blocks. Although in Key Stage 1 the planned programme covers gymnastics, games and dance, during the inspection only indoor games lessons and one dance lesson were observed. In these lessons pupils use space well particularly in the warm up time and are developing good skills in throwing with increasing accuracy and sympathy for the receiver. Catching skills show signs of improvement with pupils showing awareness of the need to keep eyes on the implement until it reaches the hands. Higher-attaining pupils demonstrate mastery of sophisticated throwing and catching techniques and can bounce and catch a ball on the move. Boys, girls and pupils with

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

special educational needs make good progress in PE lessons and take a full part, usually maintaining a good focus of concentration. They use dance to develop expressive body shapes moving under control, exploring their feelings and responding to various rhythms in music. Their movements are supple and often imaginative, and many can use different levels well in their movements. In Year 3 no lessons were seen during the inspection although curriculum plans indicate that these pupils follow a broad and appropriate programme of gymnastics, games, dance, athletic activities and occasional outdoor and adventurous activities consisting mainly of problem solving tasks and obstacle courses.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

116. In Key Stage 1 teaching is good overall. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject, and the co-ordinator provides effective management. Pupils’ attitudes to physical education are always enthusiastic, and they enjoy the subject. They change quickly for their age into correct kit and work in the hall in bare feet to allow the prehensile development of the toes and feet. They work co-operatively in pairs and use the hall space and small games apparatus responsibly. They usually observe each other well and respect each other’s performance, offering evaluative comment when prompted.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

117. Lessons in Key Stage 1 are well structured, planned and organised with teachers using demonstration to good effect. Relationships are good and a non-threatening atmosphere is created which raises pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and attainment. This ensures activities are inclusive and special needs pupils particularly benefit from the equality of access this promotes. There is a good pace to the lessons, and teachers observe individuals well and use observation effectively to develop teaching points. In a minority of instances the noise level in the hall is allowed to get rather high and insufficient time is given for pupils to practise and refine movements and skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. Assessment is rudimentary although reports to parents offer evaluative comment on physical education. The assessment and moderation of judgements on performance need refining further if teachers are to share a common view of standards. This will become an increasingly important factor as the new PE statutory level descriptions come into force.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Accommodation is well maintained and used, and equipment is appropriately stored. The hall floor provides an excellent surface for physical activity and outdoors there are two hard play spaces and a flat grassed area. Good use is made of the Top Play ‘TOPS’ equipment and all teachers have received training in its use. The co-ordinator has recognised the need to review and update the PE policy with the introduction of Curriculum 2000 from September as part of the school’s regular cycle of policy review. Parents pay for children to attend a daily after-school club at the neighbouring middle school. Otherwise, teachers provide six activities per year, usually one per term including games and fun sporting events, while parents run school football regularly on Saturday mornings. Priory Common First School - 40

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

120. No lessons in RE were planned during the inspection and judgements about standards and progress are based upon discussions with pupils and teachers, a review of documentation and scrutiny of pupils’ work. By the end of Key Stage 1 and Year 3, pupils’ attainment is in line with that expected in the locally agreed syllabus for similar-age pupils. This concurs with the findings of the previous inspection. Pupils explore and respond to human experience and study Christianity, Hinduism and Islam in outline. This fulfils the statutory requirement of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils with special educational needs and for pupils for whom English is a second language attain well and progress is sound.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

121. Pupils in Year 1 can discuss and understand the importance of friends. They know the significance of Christian festivals such as Easter, Christmas and harvest and can relate bible stories they have learned. In Year 2, pupils can talk about friends in the bible. They understand that different people have different beliefs and know some Muslim traditions. In Year 3 they have learned what it is like to be in a Hindu family and about the customs, beliefs, clothes, cooking and extended family.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

122. By the end of Key Stage 1 and at age eight, all pupils have made sound progress in understanding the values and feelings of different religions. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have a very good understanding of friendship and can relate this to bible stories and their daily life. Pupils in Year 3 have a good understanding of Christian life and customs and can compare the artefacts special to the Hindu faith with those of Christianity. Their work on celebrations and neighbours develop good understanding of personal, social and moral issues.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. The RE co-ordinator is effective in supporting colleagues and monitoring planning to ensure the systematic development of skills using the topic based blocked themes. Long- term planning and use of the locally agreed syllabus is good. Assessment takes place at the end of blocks of work to inform annual reports. Topic boxes and artefacts purchased since the previous inspection have brought resources to a satisfactory level that enables the scheme of work to be adequately covered. An audit of resources proposed for the coming year will allow gaps to be filled and enhance the quality of pupils’ learning. This will also allow the policy for RE and collective worship to be updated to better reflect current practice.

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