Little Marlow CofE School

INSPECTION REPORT

Dates of inspection: 12 th – 15 th February 2001

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INSPECTION REPORT

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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INSPECTION REPORT

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. Little Marlow C of E School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Little Marlow Buckinghamshire

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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 Jenny Gorham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th January 1997 Little Marlow C of E School

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Sue Chesters Registered inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language Equal opportunities Foundation Stage English Mathematics Science Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Geography History Music Physical education How high are standards? The school's results and achievements. How well are pupils taught? How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Learning opportunities. What should the school do to improve further?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Geoffrey Humphrey Lay inspector How high are standards? Attitudes, values and personal development. How good are curricular and other opportunities? Personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils and students? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Limited 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Little Marlow C of E School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Little Marlow Church of England School has been reorganised since the last inspection. At that time it was a first school with pupils aged from four to eight. In September 1998 it became an infant school and now the pupils are aged from four to seven. It is situated in the village of Little Marlow on the outskirts of the town of Marlow in the county of Buckinghamshire. It draws pupils from a wide area. It has 53 pupils on roll (26 boys and 27 girls). This is a similar number to that at the time of the last inspection of the former school but represents a growth in number for the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. It is much smaller than most infant schools. Children start school in reception with levels of attainment that are expected of the age group. The majority of pupils are of white ethnic origin. There are no pupils for whom English is an additional language. There are no pupils eligible for free school meals. There are 10 pupils (19 per

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

cent) on the special educational needs register. This number is high for a small school. No pupil has a statement of special educational need.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school of which the community can be proud. The pupils achieve good standards and are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. The quality of teaching is very good. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and provides strong professional leadership supported well by the staff and governing body. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school is very well led and managed. • It has very good quality teaching. • Pupils learn very well and achieve good standards. • The curriculum is well matched to the needs of all pupils. The provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. • The school provides good welfare support and guidance. • It works in close partnership with its parents and its community.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The programme for personal, social and health education so that it includes aspects of citizenship. • The monitoring and evaluating of teaching. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has been reorganised since the last inspection. However, in relation to the education provided for the pupils in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, there have been significant improvements in a number of areas. Standards have risen. Pupils now achieve above average standards in all subjects. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are now in place and have a positive impact on standards. The quality of teaching has improved and is now very good. The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are now very good. The curriculum is good and the procedures now in place for assessing each pupil's attainment and progress are very good. All the issues raised regarding Key Stage 1 at the time of the last inspection have been addressed effectively. Little Marlow C of E School

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STANDARDS 1

In the national tests in 2000, pupils’ attainment was well above average in reading and writing and in the top 5 per cent in the country in mathematics. When compared with schools in a similar setting these results are well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. Standards have risen since the restructuring of the school. This rise follows the national trend. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls. Teacher assessments in 2000 showed standards in science to be very high in comparison with all schools.

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STANDARDS 1

The evidence from the inspection is that standards are good in all subjects. By the end of the Foundation Stage, children meet or exceed the expectations set out for them within the Early Learning Goals because of very good teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning. They are supported and challenged effectively. At Key Stage 1, all pupils achieve well because of the very good teaching. The quality of learning in most lessons is very good. The school is on course to exceed its targets for English and mathematics for 2001.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Attitudes to school are very good. Pupils enjoy school and show enthusiasm and high levels of interest in their work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good. Pupils relate well to each other and adults. They have an excellent understanding of the effect their actions can have on others and an outstanding respect for the values and beliefs of others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils develop as confident individuals who are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching and learning is very good. One hundred per cent of the teaching seen during the inspection was good or better. Sixty four per cent was very good. Seven per cent was excellent. Excellent teaching was seen in mathematics. Very good teaching was seen in both the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Very good lessons were seen in English, mathematics, science, physical education and art.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teachers prepare and organise their lessons in meticulous detail. They plan activities that challenge all pupils very well with consequent very good learning. Teachers expect pupils to do their best and to behave well, with the result that they do. Teachers assess pupils’ learning in lessons exceptionally well and use that information to plan the next stage for each pupil very effectively. They teach the basic skills needed in each subject to ensure pupils succeed. Consequently, pupils learn successfully. All staff use the time and resources available to them very efficiently and manage the pupils very well. As a result, the quality of learning in almost all lessons is extremely good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

1 There is no table included in the summary as there were only 10 pupils in the school’s cohort for the year 2000. Little Marlow C of E School

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of the curriculum are very good and matched very well to the needs of all pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational need. They are very well supported and make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Spiritual and cultural provision are good. Moral and social provision are very good. The school successfully encourages the pupils to become independent learners.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school knows and understands its pupils very well. All staff know the pupils well and care for them in a very sensitive and supportive way.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good range of experiences outside the classroom. It uses the local environment very well as a learning resource in history and geography. It arranges a good number of interesting educational visits for all of its pupils and regularly invites visitors to work in school with the pupils. The school works well in partnership with its parents.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership. She is supported very well by the dedicated and hard working staff. All are committed to raising standards even further.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. They use their specialist professional skills effectively to support the small management team in the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching are good and there are good strategies to enable the senior management team and the governing body to monitor and review the performance of the school and take effective action when it is needed.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school’s development plan provides a clear perspective on educational priorities, including areas for curriculum development, the continuing professional development of staff, and the provision of learning resources to match the requirements of the National Curriculum.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school has worthwhile aims and values, which direct its work. It effectively evaluates its performance and takes decisive action to ensure that teaching and learning are good. There is an appropriate number of well-qualified staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. Learning resources are good. Accommodation is good. It is bright, pleasant and provides a stimulating learning environment. Little Marlow C of E School

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Fourteen parents attended the meeting with the registered inspector prior to the inspection and 34 questionnaires were returned and analysed.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The very good educational standards their children achieve. • Children have an enthusiasm and interest in their lessons and enjoy school. • Staff in the school are supportive and care for the children. • The school promotes strong Christian values. • Behaviour is very good. • There is very good communication with parents on all matters. • A greater range of additional activities outside of lessons. • A small number did not feel that their children were given the right amount of homework.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors agree with the positive views expressed by parents at the pre-inspection meeting and through the returned questionnaires. With regard to additional activities outside lessons the inspectors concluded that, taking into account the context of the school and pupils’ involvement in community activities, the provision is satisfactory. The inspectors further concluded that homework is satisfactory and adequately supports learning. Little Marlow C of E School PART B: COMMENTARY

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The school’s results and achievements

1. At the time of the last inspection, pupils at Key Stage 1 achieved standards in line with expectations in reading, writing, mathematics, science, geography, history, music and physical education. Standards were good in speaking and listening, art and design and technology. They were below average in information and communication technology. Since that time, there have been significant improvements in all subjects. Pupils now achieve very good standards in all subjects. Particular strengths are pupils’ speaking and listening skills and their ability to investigate, use and apply their mathematical and scientific skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The results in the 2000 national tests were well above average in reading and writing. Results in mathematics were very high and in the top 5 per cent of the country. In the teacher assessments for science, results were very high. When compared with schools in similar context, these results are well above average in reading, mathematics and science and above average in writing.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The number of pupils in reading reaching the higher than expected level in reading, Level 3, was well above average. The number was also very high in writing, mathematics and science. When the school’s results are compared with those from schools in similar contexts, they are also well above average in reading, mathematics and science, and above average in writing.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Since the reorganising of the school in 1998, the standards in all subjects have shown an upward trend. The rate of progress in the last two years has accelerated and standards have risen. There was a dip in the results in 1999. This was due to an unusually high number of pupils in that cohort with special educational needs. Overall, the trend at Key Stage 1 since the last inspection is upward and matches the national picture. There is no significant difference in the attainment between boys and girls.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in information and communication technology are above average. They are good in all other subjects and exceed the expectations of the National Curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their learning in relation to their individual education plan targets. They are supported and challenged effectively. At Key Stage 1, all pupils, including those identified as more able, achieve well, because of the very good teaching. The quality of learning in most lessons is very good. The school has set high, but achievable, targets for English and mathematics and is on course to exceed them in 2001.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. When children start school in the reception class, their levels of attainment are those expected for the age group. They make very good progress at the start of their reception year. By the end of the Foundation Stage 2 , children meet or exceed the expectations set by the Early Learning Goals, because they are taught very well.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. The successful implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies already shows a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Lessons are well structured and well taught; consequently, pupils achieve well and attain good standards. Pupils enjoy using their

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The school’s results and achievements

2 Foundation Stage is the provision for children aged three to the end of the reception year. QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) has produced a set of Early Learning Goals for the end of the Foundation Stage. These goals are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of five. There are six areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Little Marlow C of E School reading, writing and number skills in other subjects, such as history, science and geography. For example, in geography, they use their tallying skills learned in numeracy to count the number of houses of different types in the village. They use their writing skills very effectively in history to write about famous people. The impact of this has

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The school’s results and achievements

raised standards across the curriculum. Pupils use their information and communication technology skills well in other subjects, such as English, mathematics and art.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. Pupils enjoy school and show enthusiasm and high levels of interest in their work. Parents are pleased with their children’s attitudes towards school. Children in the Foundation Stage settle well into school routines and very quickly develop good listening skills. They observe the discipline of holding up a hand to answer a question and concentrate very well on the tasks they are given. A very good example of children in the Foundation Stage enjoying their learning was observed in a music lesson when they had an opportunity to listen to a recording of their own work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. In Key Stage 1, pupils’ enthusiasm and interest in their work continue to grow. For example, in art Year 2 pupils were keen to show the sketches they produced with their newly acquired skills in the use of charcoal as a drawing medium. Other good examples were seen in a Year 2 science lesson, where pupils shared their ideas well when discussing an experiment; and in a Year 1 maths lesson, where pupils’ organised themselves well for group work in a lively atmosphere and were keen to join in and have a go at the set task.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Behaviour is very good and there have been no exclusions in the last 12 months. Pupils relate well to each other and towards adults. Staff treat pupils with courtesy and respect and this is reflected in the confidence and trust that pupils have in their relationships with others. There was no bullying or harassment during the inspection. The pupils have an excellent understanding of the effect their actions can have on others and an outstanding respect for the values, feelings and beliefs of others. Older pupils have caring attitudes towards younger ones. A very good example of how pupils understand the needs of others was observed in an assembly where religious artefacts were being shown. Unprompted, the pupil helping to remove the artefacts from a carrying case took each one to a partially sighted pupil before holding it up to show the whole assembly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds, or those who find learning difficult or have some other disability, are totally included in the life and work of the school. Neither adults nor pupils tolerate any form of unacceptable behaviour. There are many good examples of pupils being encouraged to show initiative and take responsibility. They help with the preparation and clearing up after lessons and learn to make choices and work independently. The learning attitudes and behaviour of pupils in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 have shown significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance is good and above the national average. Unauthorised absence is below average. Punctuality is good. Overall, the very good attitudes and behaviour, and good attendance, make a positive contribution to the attainment and progress of all pupils. They develop as confident individuals, who are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Little Marlow C of E School

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school and results in pupils learning very well and achieving very good standards. Teaching in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 is consistently very good. This is a major strength of the school. The issues raised at the time of the last inspection have been very successfully addressed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. One hundred per cent of teaching during the inspection was good or better. Seventy-one per cent of lessons seen were very good and 7 per cent were excellent. Excellent teaching was seen in mathematics. Very good teaching was seen in both the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. There were very good lessons in English, mathematics, science, physical education and art.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. All staff know and understand the pupils very well. They recognise and address the needs of all pupils quickly and efficiently. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan work in each subject so that all pupils are challenged very well. This results in pupils learning rapidly and to a good level. Teachers teach the basic skills needed in each subject to ensure that pupils succeed. Consequently, pupils learn successfully. Teachers are exceptionally good at assessing pupils’ learning in lessons. They use that information very effectively to plan the next stage for each pupil.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teachers prepare and organise their lessons in meticulous detail and make the purpose of the lesson clear to the pupils. The classes have mixed age ranges and the care with which teachers tackle this in their planning is exceptional. They thoroughly define the work for every ability within each year group. For example, in a mathematics lesson, from the same starting topic of ‘tessellation’, the teacher planned a variety of different activities. Each task was carefully prepared to cover the subject at an appropriate level for each of the different abilities in each year group. Thus, five or six different activities were undertaken at the same time, each precisely targeted so that all the pupils made very good progress. This resulted in pupils learning at a good pace and working to their own potential.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. All staff expect the pupils to do their best and to behave well; therefore, they do. All staff use the time and resources available to them very efficiently and manage the pupils very well. As a result, the quality of learning in most lessons is extremely good. Relationships throughout the school are very good. All staff work as a team. This is a strength of the school and contributes much to the comfortable working atmosphere of the school, in which the pupils flourish and enjoy learning to good levels.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good. One hundred per cent of the lessons seen were good or better. One mathematics lesson was excellent. Teachers plan effectively so that they meet the requirements of the national strategies. Their good subject knowledge allows them to question pupils effectively, carefully targeting the questions to assess what the pupils have learned. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to support their learning by using information and communication technology wherever possible. For example, pupils use shape and number programs to help their mathematics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. All the teaching seen in the Foundation Stage was very good. All staff have a very good knowledge of the needs of young children and they are secure in their understanding of how young children learn. They provide a wide range of practical activities, which involve the children in their learning, and develop and extend them most appropriately. Teachers teach basic skills very well and there is a good emphasis on the teaching of reading, writing and number. They use homework effectively to support pupils’ learning in lessons. Little Marlow C of E School 20. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils benefit from early identification of their need. Teachers set clear and measurable targets for action that are reviewed regularly. All staff provide sensitive and encouraging support that enhances pupils’ self-esteem. This good practice enables the pupils with special

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PUPILS?

21. The school provides a very well balanced curriculum for the children in the Foundation Stage and for all its pupils in Key Stage 1. It provides very well for pupils with special educational needs. All areas of learning, as outlined for the Foundation Stage, are covered. National Curriculum subjects and religious education are taught. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good for all pupils. All statutory requirements are met. The time allocated to each subject is appropriate. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been fully and effectively implemented. The school makes sure that what happens inside and outside the classroom give pupils the widest range of experiences. All subjects are taught in good depth and the content of all lessons is extremely relevant to the needs of all pupils. This is an improvement for Key Stage 1 since the last inspection.

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PUPILS?

22. Staff work well together to ensure that pupils cover all aspects of all subjects in a systematic way. Where different age groups are in the same class, work on the same topic is planned in appropriate depth for each age group and ability. Thus, all pupils receive good challenge. This enables them to make good progress and reach good standards. Pupils develop their speaking and listening skills, as well as their investigative skills in mathematics and science, particularly well. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to practise these areas whenever possible and encourage them at all times.

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PUPILS?

23. The school makes good provision for pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs. Pupils with special educational needs have good access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum. The quality of the support that they receive successfully enhances their access to the full National Curriculum alongside their peers. The school complies with the Code of Practice 3 for special educational needs and carefully devises programmes of support tailored to meet individual needs. This results from parents and staff sharing ideas and information and contributes positively to the good progress that pupils make.

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PUPILS?

24. The school ensures that all pupils, regardless of age, ability or gender, have equal access to the curriculum. This is noticeably effective in the case of pupils with special educational needs. They integrate well into classroom work and work well with their classmates.

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PUPILS?

25. The provision for personal, social and health education is satisfactory. The main elements of the personal, social and health education programme are incorporated into religious education, the science curriculum and a few dedicated lessons. As part of the religious education curriculum pupils learn about relationships, including the concept of belonging, some elements of citizenship and creation. This incorporates the need to care for the environment and to consider issues such as, morality, life and death. In science, pupils learn about life cycles, healthy living, including an awareness of dangerous

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PUPILS?

Code of Practice: this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Little Marlow C of E School substances, and hygiene. The school policy is not to provide formal sex education, but to deal with direct questions in an appropriate way.

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PUPILS?

26. Currently there is no overall policy covering the personal, social and health education programme to underpin the good elements that exist, or to incorporate the latest requirements on citizenship. This is a weakness in an otherwise sound provision. The school ensures that all pupils are included in all activities. It actively promotes equality of opportunity through all aspects of school life.

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PUPILS?

27. The links with the local community are very good. Very good use is made of the local environment to enrich subjects, such as history, geography, art and science. A recent visit to a local printing company provided pupils with an insight into reprographics, when their own drawings were used to illustrate the school Christmas card. The pupils also take part in many local community and parish activities that broaden their experience in music, cultural and religious festivities. Taking into account the context of the school and pupils’ involvement in community activities, extra-curricular opportunities are appropriate.

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PUPILS?

28. The relationships with partner institutions are very good. The links with the receiving junior school are very strong. The schools liaise very efficiently over curriculum issues. They share in-service training days and there are close links between governing bodies. The two schools are currently negotiating a common mission statement that will further enhance the partnership between them. There are also close links with the other Church of England infant schools in the area. These very good links bring benefits to the school. Pupils have access to a fully equipped gymnasium in a neighbouring school, which enhances the physical education programme during the winter term.

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PUPILS?

29. The provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Daily assemblies provide opportunities for prayer and reflection. There are frequent opportunities that encourage pupils to reflect and wonder at natural and spiritual phenomena. For example, in a science lesson pupils explored and discussed their senses of touch, smell, taste and sound with excitement and wonder. There are also frequent visits to the twelfth century Church of St. John the Baptist to enhance the humanities curriculum.

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PUPILS?

30. The provision for the moral development of pupils’ is very good. Through the daily assemblies and all areas of the curriculum pupils are taught moral values. They learn the difference between right and wrong. They are encouraged to make their own judgements and form their own opinions. They are expected to be considerate and respectful towards one another and towards adults. The boundaries of good behaviour are clearly defined and understood. The social development of pupils is also very good. Pupils co-operate well in lessons, play well together and show exceptional care and consideration for others, particularly older pupils for younger ones, and towards pupils who have a special need or disability.

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PUPILS?

31. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. They join with other schools and enjoy visiting musicians and theatre groups. They gain an insight into other religions, such as Judaism, through the religious education syllabus and other cultures through the wider curriculum. The millennium celebrations provided opportunities for pupils to appreciate some of the British cultural heritage and there are special activities associated with Diwali and the Chinese New Year. For example, younger pupils made a costume and performed a Chinese dragon dance during the inspection. Pupils are being well prepared for a future life in a multi-cultural society. Little Marlow C of E School

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The support and guidance given to and the care taken over the welfare of pupils is very good, as it was for Key Stage 1 at the time of the last inspection. Teachers and support staff know and understand their pupils very well and care for them in a sensitive and supportive way. Parents say the provision is good and that they are pleased with the way in which the school cares for their children. Health and safety procedures are diligent and include good arrangements for first-aid. Child protection procedures are effective and recent training has been provided for all staff. The head teacher is the designated child protection co-ordinator and there are well-established links with all appropriate outside agencies.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Personal, social and health education is provided through the curriculum and some dedicated timetabled lessons. The personal, social and health education programme is comprehensive, but does not currently include a scheme of work on citizenship and is not underpinned by formal policy documentation. Hygiene practice is very good and pupils wash their hands after being engaged in practical activities, before lunch and after visiting the toilet.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The policies and procedures for promoting and monitoring behaviour are good. Policies for discipline and managing behaviour, including incidents of unacceptable behaviour, such as bullying, are consistently and fairly implemented. Effort, good quality work and good behaviour are rewarded, with clearly defined strategies for pupils who overcome learning or emotional difficulty. The pupils respond very well to rewards given for achievement. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are also good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The induction procedures for pupils entering the school are effective and include an initial assessment of their prior knowledge and understanding and an evaluation of any personal needs that will have to be accommodated if they are to be fully included in the educational and other opportunities provided. Pupils who need additional help to learn and are assessed as having special educational needs are effectively and quickly identified. They receive effective support for their learning and their personal development. The steps taken to ensure that this is an educationally inclusive school are very good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The procedures for assessing, monitoring and reporting on pupils’ personal and academic development are very good. From the rigorous assessment procedures National Curriculum levels are projected and the progress of each pupil towards their projected level of attainment is carefully tracked. From the daily assessment of pupils’ work in the classroom, termly planning and daily lesson plans are adjusted to meet the ongoing needs of individual pupils. A portfolio of selected work is kept for each pupil. The majority of pupils meet their projected attainment targets and many surpass them by the end of Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is reviewed regularly in relation to the learning targets in their individual education plans. There is a termly consultation with parents to discuss progress and to set new targets. The school complies fully with the statutory requirements for pupils who have special educational needs. Overall the procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress and personal development are very good and make a significant contribution to the high levels of attainment. Little Marlow C of E School

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The consensus view of the parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting or returned completed questionnaires was that the educational standards achieved by the school are very good. They were united in the view that pupils have an enthusiasm and interest in their lessons; that staff are supportive and care for the children; that behaviour is very good and that communications between parents and the school are good. They were also pleased that the school promoted strong Christian values. The inspectors completely agree with the positive views expressed, particularly in relation to the educational standards achieved.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. A small number of parents expressed concern regarding homework and the limited range of additional activities outside lessons. With regard to additional activities outside lessons the inspectors conclude that, taking into account the context of the school and pupils’ involvement in community activities, the provision is satisfactory. The inspectors further judge that homework is satisfactory and adequately supports learning. The inspectors judge that the school successfully promotes a very close working partnership with parents. Parents are made to feel welcome and there are many opportunities for informal contact between staff and parents at the beginning and end of the school day.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The quality of information provided for parents is good. Annual progress reports review the areas of the curriculum that have been studied and give an overview of the progress made by each pupil. Clear judgements are provided on personal and social development, speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics and numeracy skills. A reading age is also provided. Although no written report of attainment in comparison to national expectations is provided until the end of Key Stage 1, the notes used by teachers for formal consultation evenings demonstrate that there is a clear feedback on the attainment of individual pupils. For pupils with special educational needs the quality of information provided to parents, particularly about progress towards agreed targets, is good.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The school also provides regular information on the curriculum, other school activities and village events. The home-school agreement clearly defines the expectations and responsibilities of the school, the parents and the pupils and the contribution of parents to the learning of their children is good. Overall, the impact of parents’ involvement in the work of the school is very good.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. An active parents association forms an important link with the wider community. It is very well supported by parents, staff, governors and, when appropriate, other parishioners. Through this commitment the school plays its full part in the village community. The strong links with the community and overwhelming support of parents reported after the last inspection have been maintained and remain strengths of the school.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher provides very good leaderships and a clear educational direction. She is well supported by a dedicated and hard-working staff. The school has explicit aims and values that include a strong commitment to the equality of opportunity for pupils of all abilities and circumstances. There is a strong commitment towards raising standards even further and a clear capacity to succeed. The contribution of staff with management responsibilities is very good. The restructuring of the school does not enable a direct comparison to be made with the findings of the last inspection. Little Marlow C of E School 44. There is a close working partnership between the governing body and the senior management team. The effectiveness of the governing body in the fulfilment of its statutory duties is very good. The governors have a good understanding of the strengths

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and weaknesses of the school and apply their specialist professional skills effectively in support of the small management team. They play their full part in shaping the direction of the school.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The school’s plan for development is fully costed and is an effective working document. It provides a clear perspective on educational priorities, including areas for curriculum development and the continuing professional development of staff. The criteria for monitoring progress against the established priorities are clearly defined. The procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching are good, although as yet informal. There are good strategies to enable the senior management team and the governing body to monitor and review the performance of the school and take effective action when needed.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The school has very effective financial management systems. The recently appointed administration officer has been provided with good training and makes an effective contribution towards the smooth running of the school. The most recent audit confirms good practice in all areas of financial administration. Regular budget reports enable the senior management team and governing body to monitor and control expenditure. Currently there is a very large surplus in the budget, which is designated for a building project. Specific grants are effectively used for their dedicated purposes. The best principles of comparison, challenge, consultation and competition are effectively applied. Good use is made of new technology for school administration, the maintenance of pupils’ records, and to support teaching and learning across the curriculum.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The match of teachers and support staff to the requirements of the National Curriculum is good. Teachers and learning support assistants are well qualified and experienced and suited to the demands of a small school. The educational provision for all pupils, including those who have been identified as having special educational needs, is well managed. There are effective induction and support procedures for new staff.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school is part of a local consortium that provides training places for student teachers as well as those taking nursery nursing and national vocational qualifications. The arrangements for appraisal and performance management are satisfactory. A new policy, which complies with the latest statutory requirements, has been approved by the governing body and is currently being implemented. There are good opportunities for the professional development of all members of staff.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The accommodation is good. Its use is well planned and managed to give a degree of flexibility for grouping pupils. They are grouped in mixed-age classes for part of the day and taught in single-age classes for some literacy and numeracy lessons. The available space is well used and the school can teach all of the National Curriculum with the exception of physical education at Key Stage 1. A purpose-built gymnasium in a neighbouring school is used to enable the full curriculum for physical education to be provided for all Key Stage 1 pupils during the winter term.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The school buildings are well maintained both internally and externally. The school is located on an attractive site with some recently landscaped features. These include an environmental area complete with pond and a newly constructed pergola to provide an outdoor teaching space or a quiet area for pupils during the warmer weather. The site includes both hard surfaced and grassed areas suitable for outdoor physical education, games and recreation. There is a well-equipped and enclosed play area for pupils in the Foundation Stage. High-quality display throughout the school provides a stimulating Little Marlow C of E School learning environment. Displays promote an interest in literacy, numeracy and other topics and celebrate the work of pupils.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The provision of learning resources is good and fully meets the needs of the National Curriculum for both Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Classroom libraries provide good support to the curriculum with an adequate range of fiction to encourage pupils to develop an interest in literature and sufficient non-fiction to support independent investigation. The learning resources to support literacy and numeracy are good, and for science they are satisfactory. The school plans to provide additional learning resources for science next. There is a good number of computers and sufficient control equipment and audio visual aids to support the pupils’ learning in information and communication technology. Overall, this is a very effective school that provides good value for money.

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

52. In order to further improve the quality of education and standards achieved, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) develop the policy for personal, social and health education to include some aspects of citizenship; (paragraphs 25-26)

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) formalise the procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. (paragraph 45) Little Marlow C of E School

p.18

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 23

p.19

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.19

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

7 64 29 0 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 51

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 10

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 1

p.19

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

p.19

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.19

Attendance

4 The ‘attainment at the end of Key Stage 1’ table is omitted from this section because the year 2000 cohort consisted of only 10 pupils. Little Marlow C of E School

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.2 Financial year 1999/2000

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 101,784

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Expenditure per pupil 2,213

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 40 Balance brought forward from previous year 5,261

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 34,898

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent. Little Marlow C of E School

p.20

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 65 29 3 0 3

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 65 32 0 0 3

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 53 38 9 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 71 21 3 0 5

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79 18 3 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 29 0 0 3

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 71 26 0 0 3

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 79 18 0 0 3

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 74 26 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 35 14 3 24 Little Marlow C of E School

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. The Foundation Stage offers a good basis for children’s future learning and has many strengths. Children join the reception group in the year in which they are five. They start school part-time and move to a full day in school by the time they are five. They enter the reception group with levels of attainment across all areas of learning which are those expected for the age group. This is confirmed by the assessments tests carried out as they start school. The school provides friendly, structured routines that help children to settle successfully. It makes good links with parents and with pre-school groups. This helps to ease children into the life of the school.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. Staff work very well together to plan a variety of suitable activities that support the areas of learning and the Early Learning Goals. Planning very successfully identifies what children need to learn and is very closely linked with assessments of what children know, understand and can do. The children make rapid progress and meet or, in most cases, exceed the goals set in all areas of learning, by the end of the Foundation Stage. They are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning as they start Year 1.

p.22

Personal, social and emotional development

55. All staff promote children’s personal and social behaviour very well, throughout all areas of the curriculum. The teaching of this area of learning is very good. Children learn very quickly and make rapid progress, particularly at the beginning of their time in school. Staff provide consistent, positive and encouraging role models, treating children politely and courteously. As a result, children trust staff and behave well at all times. They are polite to each other, to staff and to visitors. They have a good understanding of what is right and what is wrong, because staff give them very good advice and guidance. Staff encourage them to make their own decisions and to take responsibility for their actions. Consequently, children become sensible, mature members of the community and quickly learn to work and play together. The school provides an environment where children feel confident and secure, and where their efforts are appreciated and valued. Their interest

p.22

Personal, social and emotional development

in trying new experiences and their understanding of their own needs, as well as those of others, is more advanced than is usually seen in this age group.

p.22

Communication, language and literacy

56. The teaching of this area of learning is very good. Staff make a very good start in giving children an interest in letter sounds and the way in which books work. This gives children a very good basis for reading. Another strength of the teaching is the way in which staff provide stimulating opportunities within most activities for children to recognise the values of reading and writing. Children catch the staff’s enthusiasm for books and they love to share their books and their writing with each other and with adults. For example, when given the opportunity to choose an activity, many will select a book and ‘read’ to another. Children have regular opportunities to tell and enact their own stories in role-play areas. For instance, they act out the story of the Three Bears , using different voices for different characters. Children write with increasing dexterity. They use their knowledge of initial

p.22

Communication, language and literacy

sounds well and make good attempts at writing at least the first sound of a word. As they become more knowledgeable, they include more sounds in each word that they write. Little Marlow C of E School

p.22

Mathematical development

57. The teaching of this area is very good. The strength in this area of learning lies in the way staff use counting and number during the daily routines and throughout various activities. As a result, children are interested in number and shape and use language associated with size and position better than expected for the age. Children enjoy identifying the features of squares and rectangles and begin to recognise the differences between them. They willingly count to 10 and beyond, achieving levels of accuracy beyond those expected for their age.

p.23

Knowledge and understanding of the world

58. Staff promote children’s knowledge and understanding of the world well and children make good progress. The strength of the provision lies in the way in which this area of learning is linked with all other areas of the curriculum. For example, following their work on Goldilocks and the Three Bears in literacy lessons, children made a picnic for their teddies. They used their knowledge of measuring and number and their own experiences to design and produce food fit for them and their bears to eat. Children use computers very well to reinforce their learning in all subjects. They learn to use a mouse to control objects on the screen. They use tape recorders to record and listen to stories and a variety of programs on the computer to practise their spelling and number work.

p.23

Physical development

59. By the end of the Foundation Stage, most children achieve a level of co-ordination and physical skills above those expected for the age. It is a credit to the staff that children reach and exceed the goals set in this area, considering the school’s lack of space and large equipment for physical education. Staff ensure that children use the outside climbing and adventure apparatus as often as possible. Teachers take care to plan for, and assess, children’s physical skills regularly. Consequently, children make good progress. They quickly gain confidence in climbing, balancing and crawling through tunnels. Children use a variety of tools and resources to refine their manipulative skills. For instance, they use scissors, hole punches, glue and paint brushes regularly and competently to practise and improve their co-ordination.

p.23

Creative development

60. All staff have high expectations that children will succeed in this area of the curriculum. As a result, most children use paint and other media effectively to produce pictures that exceed expectations for their age group. It is also a strength of this area of creative development that children have good access to areas for imaginative play activities. They have regular access to musical instruments and children experiment with volume and rhythm at standards expected for their age. The quality of teaching and learning in this area of learning is very good. Little Marlow C of E School

p.23

ENGLISH

61. Standards are now well above average. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress during the time that they are in the school. They work hard and achieve well. The quality of learning is very good and standards have improved above those reported for Key Stage 1 at the last inspection. The school has implemented the National Literacy Strategy well and this is a contributory factor to the maintenance of high standards.

p.24

ENGLISH

62. The pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well above average. The results in the year 2000 national tests at the age of seven were well above average in reading and writing. Inspection evidence finds that standards are well above average in all aspects of the subject. The pupils are on course to exceed the targets set by the school for 2001.

p.24

ENGLISH

63. By the age of seven, pupils make good progress in speaking and listening. Pupils listen carefully to their teachers and ask and answer questions intelligently and confidently. Teachers encourage the pupils to answer questions in well-constructed sentences. Consequently, the pupils speak with clarity and interest. They offer their opinions with assurance in class discussions and share their ideas with each other in well-reasoned and logical debate. They give good reasons for their comments. For example, when asked how they should behave in an art gallery, one pupil replied “you should be careful so you don’t damage the exhibits”.

p.24

ENGLISH

64. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 2, most pupils read fluently. Pupils love to read and do so with very good expression and understanding. The school inculcates a love of books and the pupils respond eagerly to opportunities to read. For example, in an ERIC (everybody reading in class) session, pupils enjoyed choosing one of their favourite books. They settled quickly and read to themselves or shared a book with a friend with obvious delight. When reading, pupils use their increasing knowledge of letter sounds, picture clues and context to help them read unfamiliar words. They read their books confidently and accurately. Most pupils have good ideas about what might happen next in a story and read with expression and appropriate intonation related to the punctuation. They know what an author is and what an illustrator does and some describe the difference between fiction and non-fiction books very precisely. For

p.24

ENGLISH

example, one pupil described a non-fiction book as “one where you will find things that are really true”.

p.24

ENGLISH

65. Writing has a high focus. Pupils present their work well. They take pride in their work and use their writing skills well in other subjects. By the age of seven, they write interesting stories, using a good level of vocabulary and complex punctuation. For example, in Year 2, pupils distinguish between direct and indirect speech and use speech marks with increasing accuracy. They write imaginatively in a variety of styles. For example, pupils write poems, news items and narratives. They write creative new endings for given stories and write accounts comparing stories by the same author perceptively. Pupils use word-processing programs on the computer efficiently. They learn to edit their work on screen to produce good quality displays.

p.24

ENGLISH

66. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers are enthusiastic and, consequently, the pupils enjoy the lessons and are eager to learn. Teachers challenge all ability groups well and this results in a very good quality of learning. Teachers concentrate on teaching the basic skills of grammar, spelling and handwriting. They have good subject knowledge and break down the skills that pupils are to learn into small, manageable steps. Consequently, progress is good and pupils acquire good reading and writing skills rapidly. Teachers explain their expectations clearly and make literacy lessons interesting. Little Marlow C of E School 67. Teachers provide interesting opportunities for pupils to develop their oracy skills in other subjects. For example, in numeracy lessons pupils explain the strategies that they use to work out sums. They do this clearly and confidently, thus practising and improving the

p.24

ENGLISH

speaking skills. In plenary sessions in all subjects, teachers give pupils the chance to explain their work. They expect the rest of the class to listen carefully to the pupils talking about their work and ask questions when they have listened. This gives all pupils opportunities to learn from each other and to improve their listening skills. Pupils use their writing skills in history to produce accounts of famous people and to record relevant information in geography. Teachers assess pupils’ work accurately and use this information well to guide their planning for future lessons. This encourages the pupils to taken an interest and they learn very effectively.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

68. There has been a significant improvement in pupils’ standards at Key Stage 1 since the last inspection. At that time, standards were in line with national averages. Standards are now very high. In the year 2000, the results of the national tests were in the top 5 per cent in the country. Inspection evidence finds that standards are well above average in all aspects of the subject. The current Year 2 is on line to exceed the targets set for 2001. The improvement is due to the very good quality teaching and to the successful way in which the school has introduced the National Numeracy Strategy. This results in a very high quality of learning. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

69. Pupils receive a suitable level of challenge in their work. This meets their identified needs and abilities and is a direct result of teachers’ careful assessment. They assess pupils’ work regularly through precise questioning and through analytical marking. Teachers plan good opportunities for pupils to use and apply mathematics in problem-solving activities. For example, pupils confidently investigate the properties of shapes practically. They use a variety of shapes to test which tessellate efficiently. They use a computer program to practise this work and as a result gain good understanding to the properties of regular and irregular shapes. They work together very well and organise themselves effectively to find logical answers. They explain the strategies that they have used very clearly, using a very good level of mathematical vocabulary. For example, whilst completing a shape puzzle in Year 2, one pupil described a shape as an “irregular

p.25

MATHEMATICS

pentagon”. He had worked this out from his knowledge that the shape had five sides but did not conform to what he knew about regular pentagons. Therefore, he concluded that it must be irregular.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

70. By the age of seven, pupils work confidently with numbers to 1,000 and beyond. They understand the relevance of place value and use all four rules of mathematics efficiently to solve problems. They measure accurately, using standard metric units of length, capacity, mass and time. They collect data correctly and present their work precisely in a variety of forms, including block graphs and pictograms. They use these skills well in subjects, such as geography, science and design and technology. Pupils use their literacy skills well in numeracy lessons. For example, they use well-structured sentences and a good level of vocabulary to explain their strategies for working out answers in mental arithmetic sessions.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

71. The quality of teaching is very good. One excellent lesson was seen during the inspection and other numeracy lessons were very good. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and make lessons interesting and informative. Consequently, pupils enjoy learning and achieve good results. Teachers plan practical activities that stretch pupils’ powers of reasoning well. Pupils become actively involved in their learning Little Marlow C of E School through the investigations that the teachers design. This has a positive effect on standards and encourages pupils to take an interest in number patterns.

p.25

SCIENCE

72. Standards are well above average. This represents an improvement at Key Stage 1 since the last inspection when standards were in line with national averages. Teacher assessments show that a high number of pupils reached above average levels in national tasks last year. Inspection evidence reflects this good standard. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, learn well and make good progress.

p.26

SCIENCE

73. By the age of seven, pupils make suggestions about how to find things out, carry out tests and explain whether they consider them to be fair. They develop a good understanding of basic life processes and use this to establish the difference between living and non- living things. They devise different ways of sorting materials according to their main properties. They work practically and investigate ways of finding out what they want to know. For example, when they were testing with magnets, Year 2 discovered that not all metal things are magnetic. They learn appropriate vocabulary. For example, in experiments with light they accurately use words such as, ‘transparent’, ‘translucent’ and ‘opaque’.

p.26

SCIENCE

74. Pupils use their literacy and numeracy skills well to discuss, record and measure scientific findings in experiments and observations. Listening and speaking skills are used well in discussions. Pupils measure with increasing accuracy as they develop their scientific understanding through practical experiments. They enjoy working together to investigate a given problem. They share their ideas well and come to logical and sensible conclusions about their work.

p.26

SCIENCE

75. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which they use very effectively to extend pupils’ thinking. They do this particularly effectively through posing questions that challenge pupils well, expanding their knowledge and understanding. For example, in a lesson based on a practical activity to increase pupils’ understanding of how our sense of smell works, the skilful questioning of the teacher not only revised the work covered in previous lessons, it moved the pupils’ learning forward. They increased considerably their understanding of the relationship between smell and memory. Teachers have high, but realistic, expectations of what pupils can do and challenge them well through the work that they plan.

p.26

ART AND DESIGN

76. Standards throughout the school have been maintained since the last inspection and are above expectations for pupils of this age. The school provides a well-balanced curriculum that covers all elements of the National Curriculum. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers teach the skills needed for success in small, progressive steps. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and achieve good standards.

p.26

ART AND DESIGN

77. By the age of seven, pupils understand well the properties of media, such as pastels, paint, pencils and charcoal. They link their drawings with work in other subjects, such as music. For example, Year 2 pupils made careful observations of musical instruments and then drew them accurately using charcoal. Year 1 pupils used their scientific knowledge of natural materials, such as sand, bark, shells and rocks, to produce beach sculptures. Knowing these are materials to be found on a beach, they made interesting pictures all relating to beach scenes. Pupils study the work of famous artists and link their own work to these experiences. For example, the beach sculptures were created after looking at Little Marlow C of E School the work of Andy Goldsworthy. They emulated his style by photographing their work, rather than keeping it as a permanent sculpture. Pupils use information and communication technology to good effect. For example, they use painting and designing

p.26

ART AND DESIGN

programs to increase their understanding of how to use colours and patterns.

p.27

ART AND DESIGN

78. Teachers make sure that the pupils know what is expected of them in their work and behaviour. The activities interest the pupils and they work hard to achieve good results. Pupils enjoy their work and are eager to talk about what they are doing. All members of staff ensure that pupils have opportunities to develop, expand and use their own ideas in their work. The thorough, careful planning shows clearly what it is that teachers expect pupils to learn during each lesson. They share this with pupils and carefully explain their expectations for achievement. Teachers reinforce acceptable behaviour well and pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Teachers make effective use of questions to move pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding forward. They teach skills and techniques systematically and ensure that pupils develop them well. As a result, pupils learn quickly and reach good standards.

p.27

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

79. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection and are above expectations. All aspects of designing and making are very well developed. By the age of seven, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. This results in the good standards.

p.27

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

80. Pupils draw on their own experiences to help generate ideas when designing. For instance, when designing a ‘coat for teddy’, they looked carefully at the design and manufacture of their own coats to produce a suitable ‘teddy coat’. They select materials to suit the purpose of their designs. They use a variety of tools and techniques to make their designs. For example, they learn to use a hole-punch and paper fasteners to make ‘little elves’ puppets with movable joints.

p.27

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

81. Pupils enjoy their work. They design and make confidently. They are not afraid to make mistakes and are secure enough to ask questions when they are unsure. They use tools carefully and sensibly and collaborate well together. Pupils evaluate their work with a maturity beyond their years and use a good level of vocabulary to discuss their work. For example, one pupil was overheard to say during a group investigation “if we all try this first we will save time”.

p.27

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

82. Teachers encourage pupils to use their knowledge from other subjects when designing and making. For example, when pupils were making sandwiches for the teddy bear’s picnic, staff encouraged the pupils to think about the shapes that they might make and to estimate what quantities they would need. Teachers have good subject knowledge and teach the skills needed for success in a progressive way. Hence, the pupils acquire the technical knowledge and ability to succeed .

p.27

GEOGRAPHY

83. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and pupils achieve well. Key Stage 1 standards have improved since the last inspection, when they were in line with the expected level. They are now above expectations. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress during the time that they attend the school.

p.27

GEOGRAPHY

84. Geography is taught as a separate subject. It has an appropriate allocation of curriculum time and all aspects of the subject are covered very well. Good links are made to other Little Marlow C of E School subjects, such as history and science. Pupils use their literacy skills and information and communication technology well to support their learning in geography.

p.27

GEOGRAPHY

85. Pupils acquire good skills in investigating places and topics. They do this through studies of their local area and from projects, such as weather studies. They walk to the local village regularly to study the environment. They learn geographical terms, such as hill and river, when they explore their surroundings and go on field trips through the local part of the Thames Valley. They use maps knowledgeably and plan elementary routes for their walks to the village and river. Pupils understand the work that they do very well. The work that they record is of a high standard.

p.28

HISTORY

86. Evidence for standards in history is taken from pupils’ work on display around the school, past work, teachers’ planning and discussion with the pupils. This indicates a considerable level of improvement for Key Stage 1 pupils since the last inspection when standards were in line with expectations. Standards, by the age of seven, are now above the expected level. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

p.28

HISTORY

87. Pupils enjoy their work and show a good understanding of chronology and of the division of time into periods. For example, they have placed the Victorian era correctly on a time line and indicated when electricity came into general use. They study famous people, such as Louis Braille, and learn about famous events, such as the Great Fire of London. They visit the local church to find out about the past life of the village and are knowledgeable about the differences in life then and now.

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HISTORY

88. Teachers encourage the pupils to be aware of history around them, at home and on holiday. They use the local area to reinforce work in history. They invite visitors to come into school and talk to the pupils about past times. This gives pupils valuable first-hand experience of the impact of the past on present day life. Pupils use their literacy skills well to research and record their findings.

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HISTORY

89. Teachers base their planning firmly on the National Curriculum. The quality of planning is very good. The subject is given an appropriate allocation of time during the school year. There are strong links made to other subjects, such as geography. For example, when the pupils visit and study their local area both historical and geographical aspects are considered. This ensures that pupils cover a suitable range of work and make good progress in developing skills, knowledge and understanding.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

90. Standards for Key Stage 1 have improved significantly since the last inspection. At that time, they were below the level expected for seven-year-olds. Now, standards at the end of the key stage exceed those expected. This is due to the very good quality of teaching, which results in very good learning. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress and attain good standards. Pupils use computer skills confidently in other subjects, such as English, mathematics, geography and art and design.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

91. By the age of seven, pupils use information and communication technology to edit, amend, organise and present their ideas. They use it to save and store information. They use a good variety of peripheral equipment, such as a mouse and different styles of keyboards. They learn to control a programmable robot accurately. They build up their skills in a systematic and progressive way and use them to support their learning in other Little Marlow C of E School subjects. For example, they learn to change font size, colour and style to make their work more interesting.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

92. Teachers prepare and plan very good opportunities for pupils to use computers in many lessons. For example, pupils use a paint and clip art program to produce coloured designs. Teachers use a wide range of technology routinely; for instance, tape recorders in literacy and music. Their confidence reflects in the pupils’ ability to use comfortably a variety of media to record and present their own work. Teachers teach the skills pupils need to operate various programs. For example, they show pupils how to use the mouse to control movements on screen. They demonstrate how to load disks and choose the required program from a menu. Consequently, pupils enjoy working with computers and work very well, individually or in small groups.

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MUSIC

93. At the time of the last inspection, standards were in line with expectations for pupils aged seven. They are now above expectation, representing improvement. The quality of teaching and learning is very good for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. This and the enthusiasm of the staff have contributed greatly to the improved standards.

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MUSIC

94. Music has a high focus in school. All areas of the National Curriculum are covered well. The listening and appraising, and performing and composing elements of the subject are taught and learned with pleasure. This enables pupils to reach good standards.

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MUSIC

95. Pupils, throughout the school, sing tunefully and with gusto. They listen to a good variety of styles of music and begin to form their own likes and dislikes, which they can discuss at a good level of understanding. Staff are careful to choose good recordings for the pupils to hear. They talk about the style and history of the music. Consequently, pupils begin to evaluate music carefully and with better understanding than is usual for this age group.

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MUSIC

96. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Teachers adopt an enthusiastic approach, communicating well with their pupils and encouraging them to participate. They use their good subject knowledge to plan interesting activities, which extend the pupils’ knowledge and understanding very well. For instance, pupils were encouraged to describe how they would play a variety of untuned percussion instruments. Pupils suggested how the instruments could represent a variety of sounds to accompany a story. Then they listened to their teacher telling a story and accompanied her by making the sound effects very imaginatively. They listened to a recording of their work with joy and surprise.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

97. The facilities in school for physical education are limited. Nevertheless, the school compensates for its lack of space and equipment very well and pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve good standards. This is an improvement for the Key Stage 1 pupils since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

98. In good weather, there is sufficient space outside and equipment to teach simple skills safely and for team games. However, the indoor accommodation is not suitable for indoor games or gymnastic activities and is barely adequate to teach dance skills. The school overcomes these difficulties very well. Key Stage 1 pupils have weekly access in half termly blocks to the hall in a nearby school. Staff use this time very well to teach games and gymnastic skills, using the large apparatus available there. In the other part Little Marlow C of E School of the term, they teach dance skills in the classrooms and use the outdoor facilities and playground to enable pupils to practise the skills that they have learned. A result of this positive approach is that pupils make good progress and achieve above the expectations for this age group.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

99. Pupils know the importance of warm-up sessions at the beginning of lessons. They explain clearly why they need to cool down at the end of the lesson. They are well aware of the reasons for physical exercise. They use space well and run, jump, hop and balance, with good co-ordination. They are imaginative when they use large apparatus, and work out and perform series of sequences most efficiently. They pay good attention to the way in which they finish their sequence of movements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

100. The quality of teaching is very good so that pupils learn very well. Teachers plan the lessons efficiently to optimise the time available. This means lessons have very good pace and pupils are fully occupied throughout the sessions. Staff plan interesting and exciting activities and the pupils thoroughly enjoy the lessons. Teachers teach the skills needed to succeed in small, but progressive, steps allowing pupils to build up their expertise effectively. Pupils take pride in their physical prowess and are pleased to demonstrate their ability.

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