Dorchester St Birinus Church of England School

ST BIRINUS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 16 th – 17 th January 2001

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ST BIRINUS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST BIRINUS CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Queen Street Dorchester-on-Thames Wallingford Oxfordshire

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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 Y Jeffcoat-Dick

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th February 1997 Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 4

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Team members

4343 Ms S Billington Registered inspector 11096 Ms M Davie Lay inspector 4341 Mr D Clegg Team inspector

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Birinus is a smaller than average primary school with 99 pupils aged from four to eleven. Pupils come from three local villages and from a wide range of backgrounds. They are taught in mixed age classes with two year groups in each one. The average class size is 24 but there is considerable variation because of the differences in numbers in each year group. Six per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals which is below average. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and no children speak English as an additional language. Three pupils (three per cent) are on the special educational needs register at stage two because they have some specific learning difficulties; none have statements of special needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Children are admitted to school at the start of the term in which they will be five. They join an established class of reception and Year 1 pupils. On entry, levels of attainment are wide ranging but overall are broadly average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. Standards in English and mathematics are good with almost all pupils reaching at least average levels in national tests and a high proportion reaching higher levels, particularly in mathematics. Teaching is good and this is a significant factor in ensuring that the learning needs of all pupils are met. The headteacher provides good leadership with strong support from all staff. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy • Very good teaching of the under fives ensures that they get a good start to school and make good progress • Pupils with difficulties are picked up early, get good support and make good progress • There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare • Pupils have very good attitudes to school, behave well and form good relationships

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What could be improved

• The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science • Standards in, and provision for, information and communication technology (ICT) The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1997. Since then, the high standards achieved in English and mathematics by eleven year olds have been maintained and standards achieved by seven year olds in these subjects have improved and are now above average. Almost all pupils attain expected levels in science but there is scope to increase the numbers achieving at higher levels. Standards in ICT were a weakness in the last inspection and remain so, despite some recent improvements. All the key issues identified in the last inspection have been tackled, but the rate of improvement in some important areas was slow until a new head took up appointment in January 2000. There has recently been good improvement in curriculum planning and in systems for planning for school development. The overall quality of teaching has improved and it is now good and sometimes very good throughout the school. Provision for pupils’ personal development has been further improved and this is now a strength of the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Over the past three years almost all pupils have reached at least average levels in national tests at the age of seven and eleven. The inspection found that standards in reading are very good. Standards in writing are at least satisfactory and often good and are rising further as a result of the focus on improving pupils’ skills and the range of written work. Standards in mathematics are good throughout the school and some of the eight, nine and ten year olds are working at particularly good levels. Standards in science are at least average and often good in terms of pupils’ knowledge, but there are weaknesses in their skills in investigating and experimenting. Standards in ICT are below expectations. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from well targeted support and achieve well.

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Key

By the age of seven children have a good base of skills in literacy and numeracy and in the juniors they use their skills well across the curriculum. Overall they achieve well.

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Key

The under fives make good progress and are well prepared for work in the National Curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very positive attitudes to school. They are keen to learn, eager to participate in all that the school offers and work hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Generally good in the classrooms and in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils form good relationships, work well together and are keen to take on responsibilities throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good, with attendance levels well above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ very good attitudes and the quality of their relationships are important factors in their successful learning. The oldest pupils are well prepared to move on to the next stage in their education. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 8

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

Lessons seen overall Very good Good Good

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

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

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

Teaching is generally good and some aspects are very good. In 70 per cent of lessons teaching is good; 30 per cent of these are very good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. Teachers plan well for the range of ages and abilities in each class and generally have high expectations of what pupils should achieve. Resources are used well and very good use is made of support staff who have a significant role in enhancing the quality of learning. All children are encouraged and fully supported so that they benefit from a range of opportunities to learn. Occasionally the level of challenge in lessons could be greater, particularly in aspects of science.

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

The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good and at times very good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and generally well balanced. There are good systems for planning to ensure that what children have learned is built upon as they go through the school. The curriculum for the under fives is well planned to meet the learning needs of the youngest children.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils are identified early, given extra support and in many instances make rapid progress and catch up with their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good, particularly for social and moral development. There is a strong emphasis on personal, social and health education and all pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to reflect on their actions and responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Pupils are known well and there is a high degree of care and concern for their welfare. There are good procedures for promoting good attendance and behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

All subjects of the National Curriculum are taught but not all aspects of ICT are covered and there is a lack of emphasis on the teaching of skills in science. The curriculum is enriched by a good range of visits and visitors to school. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher has a clear sense of direction and has implemented some important initiatives to take the school forward. There is good teamwork amongst the staff and co-ordinators work hard to fulfil their range of responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities All statutory responsibilities are fulfilled. Governors are very supportive of the school and well informed. The governing body has recently been re- organised and this is helping governors to take a more active role in key aspects of management.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Analysis of test results and monitoring activities are beginning to be used to inform forward planning for the school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Accommodation, staffing and learning resources are used well.

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Aspect Comment

The school is well led and managed and developments are carefully planned to ensure maximum benefit for teaching and learning. The number of computers is inadequate; further purchases are planned but there is an urgent need to improve provision to cover all aspects of the ICT curriculum and to raise standards.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Almost all parents (95%+) feel that: • Their children like school and make good progress • The teaching is good • Behaviour is good • Children are expected to work hard and are helped to mature • Leadership is good A significant proportion of parents (44%) feel that the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection findings support parents’ positive views of the school. There is an adequate range of extra-curricular activities, although not all run throughout the year. These are largely focused on sport and generally for the seven to eleven year olds. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 10

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

1. Pupils progress well in literacy and numeracy as they move through the school so that by the time they leave they are well equipped for the next stage of education. Good teaching ensures that children build on their good start and achieve well.

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

2. By the age of seven almost all children read accurately and with understanding. They read a wide range of books and name some favourite stories and authors. Reading habits are well established, with children taking books home every day to share with parents and some higher attainers enjoying reading to themselves. They write structured accounts of their activities, lists, instructions and their own versions of stories. The majority use full stops and capital letters accurately and most common words are spelt correctly. Higher attainers write lengthy and well-structured accounts, extended stories and events from the perspective of different characters. Pupils start to make good use of their literacy skills across the curriculum, for example in writing about differences between Victorian life and the present day and reports about favourite holiday places.

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

3. Eleven-year-olds are enthusiastic readers with a good knowledge of books. They know what they like to read and can justify their preferences. Some, for instance, loved the magical quality in the latest Harry Potter stories while others preferred stories by Jacqueline Wilson rooted in the everyday experiences of people and families. They understand what they have read and recall events and characters they have encountered with genuine enjoyment. Written work is generally well structured and grammatically correct. Occasionally, creative writing is lively and a real atmosphere is created through the good use of words and phrases. The quality of writing of the eight and nine year olds is of a particularly high standard. Their stories show careful thought and reflection about how best to describe places and people. They are taught to draft and edit their work and the teacher’s marking is very sensitive and encouraging, this

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

results in some very good levels of achievement and written work that is adventurous and interesting. Stories have a fluency and immediacy created through vivid language and the use of capitals to emphasis particular aspects so that there was ‘a sudden CRASH!’, children ‘squeal with delight’, they ‘yell’ or ‘frown’ or appear ‘dazed with sleep’.

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

4. Achievement in mathematics has been consistently high over the past three years. The successful implementation of the national numeracy strategy has complemented much of the work that was already underway and confirmed the importance of teaching pupils fast ways of calculating. A significant proportion of pupils achieve well above average levels and are very sharp at solving number problems and very secure in their understanding of how numbers work. By the age of seven pupils have good awareness of number order to 100 and are beginning to use a range of strategies for calculating including doubling, making pairs to 10 and starting addition with the largest number. They successfully add and subtract two digit numbers to 100 and are working in the early stages of multiplication and division. They begin to apply their knowledge, for example in measuring and in working out problems involving money. The oldest pupils

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

work very confidently with large numbers and have a keen sense of place value, they for instance are very quick at calculating using 10s, 100s and 1000s. Nine and ten year olds are working with decimals, adding and subtracting using two decimal places and Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 11 also have a firm grasp of the relationship between decimals, percentages and fractions.

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

5. Good teaching ensures that lessons are purposeful and that pupils are taught what they need to know. Teachers show a keen awareness of the range of abilities in the class and plan work that challenges all pupils. For example, a successful lesson with the eight and nine year olds helped them to understand how numbers work. Good demonstrations, clear instructions and sharp questioning resulted in most pupils grasping how to use tens and units when adding large numbers. The pace of the lesson dropped slightly when the lesson got bogged down in one particular example, but overall the pupils made progress. In a lesson with ten and eleven year olds, the teacher’s high expectations were evident from the outset as all pupils got involved in activities demanding a range of mental calculations including finding square roots and working with fractions and decimals. There was also a good level of challenge in the

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Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy

main activity that involved pupils in making the greatest product from a series of random digits. They made noticeable gains in using their knowledge of multiplication facts as they assessed the best order in which to place the numbers to reach the highest possible outcome.

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and make good progress

6. Children are admitted at the beginning of the term in which they will be five. A small group of children joins an established class of reception and Year 1 pupils. Numbers in this class are kept at a low level and the staffing ratio is good so that the youngest children settle readily and receive a good level of adult attention both individually and in small groups.

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and make good progress

7. Children’s skills and competencies are assessed within the first few weeks of starting school, areas for further development are identified and information is shared with parents so that they can continue to support their children’s learning at home. Careful track is kept of children’s progress in each area of learning through a combination of informal observation, planned assessments and specific activities to check knowledge and understanding, for example of initial sounds. The information is used to group children and to target the next steps in learning so that work is appropriate to children’s needs and stages of development.

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and make good progress

8. Teaching is carefully planned to cover all areas of learning, often linked through work on a topic such as ‘Clothes’. Links are made with National Curriculum subjects so that children move on to work in these areas as soon as they are ready. Resources are used imaginatively to gain children’s interest and motivate them to try activities for themselves. The impact on learning is often significant; this was evident when a child who had only been in school for a few days, and who found sitting and listening in a group rather difficult, became involved in an creative activity with literacy links. He spent a lengthy time decorating the letters of his name with a variety of pulses and pasta considering carefully how to organise the materials; he was so engaged with the task that when he finished, he asked if he could do the same with his brother’s name. His level of concentration was impressive, he was delighted that he could recognise his

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and make good progress

name, he got involved in talking about sounds in other names and made noticeable gains in his personal, social and literacy skills

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and make good progress

9. A key element in the very good teaching is the careful use of key words. This features in the planning and also in useful briefing notes for classroom assistants which highlight some specific words to be used during group tasks. Staff make very good use Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 12 of talk in all activities, for example in drawing children’s attention to the sounds with which words start and end as they match words and pictures. Good questions are used to assess and extend children’s understanding in a range of activities. Staff make very good use of time, moving learning on at a good pace. A good balance between directed and free choice activities for the youngest children ensures that they have good opportunities to work together in a variety of situations and also to benefit from the opportunity to work with the older pupils in the class.

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and make good progress

10. The outcome of the very good start to school is evident in the progress that children make in their first year in school. Most start school with some understanding of books and stories but few have made a start on reading or writing. Children move quickly from writing over or copying the teacher’s writing to recording their ideas using individual letters and then writing sentences independently. Higher attainers are writing a few sentences using a word book after a term and almost all children write short stories independently after a year. Children make a good start in reading, benefiting from focused teaching of early reading skills. They quickly become familiar with, and start to read, a range of simple books. Progress in numeracy is also good and by the end of the reception year most children order numbers to 20, can increase or decrease by one, add two numbers to 10 and are beginning some practical subtraction. Some

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and make good progress

higher attainers begin to apply their knowledge, for example in calculating amounts of money up to 20p.

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and make good progress

11. Children are well prepared for the move to the more formal aspects of learning and there is a smooth transition to work in the literacy hour and numeracy lessons. The good start to school and the firm foundation for further learning are key factors in the good standards that are attained by pupils at the age of seven.

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Pupils with difficulties are picked up early, get good support and make good progress

12. Pupils with special needs benefit from the well managed programme provided to meet their needs. The programme of regular assessments is well used to identify any pupils who are not making the progress they should. The early identification of any problems is a key feature and enables support to be given at an early stage so that no child falls a long way behind. The assessment begins as soon as children start school and specific help is often given to the very youngest children to ensure they get off to a good start. Assessments have been adapted to ensure that the achievements of all children are recognised and to pick out any potential areas of weakness.

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Pupils with difficulties are picked up early, get good support and make good progress

13. Annual assessments are made by each teacher and again this leads to some pupils being given extra help through a carefully planned and detailed programme that is particularly effective in helping children through any early difficulties they may be having with reading. The learning support assistants, who help to teach this programme, are very thorough in their record keeping and make a significant contribution to the success that children experience. Older pupils’ progress is also carefully monitored and they are also given the support they need through extra teaching and small group work. The result is that most of the pupils with special needs reach average levels by the time they leave the school. Those pupils who have more serious learning problems are also helped to succeed. Work in lessons is often very carefully planned to take account of their difficulties and they make good progress.

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Pupils with difficulties are picked up early, get good support and make good progress

14. The special needs provision is well managed; records are well maintained and there is a termly review of each pupil to assess progress and plan the next stage in learning. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 13 Parents are fully involved and kept informed of the work their children are doing.

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There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare

15. The school effectively supports all aspects of pupils’ personal development and is particularly effective in promoting their social and moral development. These aspects are supported through a range of strategies working at different levels throughout the school. In every class pupils have a range of responsibilities to help the smooth running of the day. The oldest pupils have additional duties, for instance in the playground where they prepare and collect play equipment used by the whole school.

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There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare

16. All age groups are represented on the newly established school council. This is having a significant impact on pupils, all of whom are very well informed about the issues that are being raised and the possible outcomes. A central noticeboard helps to keep pupils up to date and currently features, for example, information about a request that girls be allowed to wear trousers to school. There are details about how governors have responded so far, what procedures are being followed and when a decision will be made. The recent purchase of new equipment for the playground was a response to the school council’s debate about how to improve behaviour at break times. All pupils were consulted about how to spend the funding provided by the parent-teacher association and the most popular items were purchased. Pupils now have responsibility for working out the best arrangements for organising the use of the

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There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare

equipment and for taking care of it. This particular initiative is contributing to pupils’ personal and social development and raising their awareness of some key principles of citizenship.

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There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare

17. Pupils have the opportunity to participate in local and national fundraising activities and regularly support a range of appeals. Stamps are being collected for the Blue Peter appeal and a sale of unwanted toys is being organised to raise funds for the RSPCA. Notices about this encourage all the pupils to support the sale and also explain why the money is needed. Throughout the school pupils participate in local events, for example maypole dancing for May Day celebrations, and have the opportunity to make a range of visits to places of interest. This enhances the curriculum as well as encouraging pupils’ social and cultural awareness. Outdoor activities include local studies, pond- dipping and investigations into local wildlife. Year 2 children make an overnight visit to a local activities centre and the oldest pupils make a more extended residential visit.

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There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare

18. Lessons on personal, social and health education (PSHE) enhance pupils’ understanding of issues ranging from the importance of healthy eating to what it means to take on specific responsibilities. Pupils have opportunities to debate a range of moral issues in these sessions, but lessons are sometimes too short to allow full discussion of a range of views. Themes for assemblies also support aspects of PSHE, for example in reflecting on what it might mean to be a ‘good neighbour’.

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There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development and welfare

19. A key element in the school’s success in promoting pupils’ personal development is that children throughout the school are known well and cared for as individuals. Each is seen as having something to offer and children’s views are sought and taken seriously by the staff. The headteacher sets an important example and in one assembly, for instance, she skilfully managed a five-minute discussion with the whole school about playtime procedures. Pupils responded well to having their views sought and conducted a conversation in a large group in a very sensible manner, listening carefully to others and contributing helpful suggestions. The outcome of the school’s high expectations is demonstrated well by the oldest pupils who are mature and confident, well prepared for the next stage in their education. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 14

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Pupils have good attitudes to school, behave well and form good relationships

20. Pupils of all ages are keen to come to school and are enthusiastic about learning. They listen carefully to their teachers and take part readily in discussions. This was evident in a PSHE lesson with all the four to seven year olds. Although the group was large, the children listened attentively to a story and joined in at intervals showing good understanding of the reasons for the main character being ‘different’. In the discussion that followed, they were eager to comment on what they might be good at doing and responded well to the teacher’s suggestion that in the next lesson they would begin to make lists of their friends’ good qualities. In a mathematics lesson with the oldest pupils, the children responded very positively to a quick game of ‘beat the teacher’ in trying to find more than five factors in a range of two and three digit numbers. They were keen to succeed without being too competitive and individuals were very ready to

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Pupils have good attitudes to school, behave well and form good relationships

make an attempt at finding answers, in response to the teacher’s positive encouragement in a situation where errors were regarded as opportunities for further learning.

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Pupils have good attitudes to school, behave well and form good relationships

21. Pupils’ behaviour is good in classrooms and around the school. Parents rightly feel that key reasons for this are that the school has high expectations and that children are encouraged to appreciate and understand the needs of others. They move around the building sensibly and readily share equipment at playtimes.

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Pupils have good attitudes to school, behave well and form good relationships

22. Relationships are very good between adults and pupils and between the children themselves. From the earliest stage in school, children quickly learn to take turns and to support each other. This was evident with four and five year olds working, often without direct adult supervision, on a range of practical activities in the shared resource area. Two took turns in using the computer and two others worked very well together making a ‘fantasy house’ with large building blocks. A small group using playdough shared very readily with another child who joined them – “can I have some playdough?” “of course, there you go”. Older pupils work well together in pairs and small groups, sometimes specifically organised by the teachers so that they help each other but often collaborating informally. In a science lesson, pairs of eight and nine year olds measured parts of their bodies, helped each other to record results accurately and eagerly

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Pupils have good attitudes to school, behave well and form good relationships

compared the outcome. Ten and eleven year olds worked in pairs in a maths lesson on multiplication problems and a few pairs asked if they could join to make a bigger group to compare possible answers.

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The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science

23. There are some weaknesses in the way science is taught that are resulting in children not achieving as much as they could. There is a lack of emphasis on the experimental and investigative elements of the subjects and the starting points for some modules of work for the older pupils are often at a low level. This results in some time being lost before they start to work at the sort of level that they should.

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The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science

24. Most pupils are knowledgeable about the science that they have been taught. Seven year olds know some of the differences between living and non-living things, the functions of the senses and what humans need to keep them healthy. The oldest pupils know how to create simple electrical circuits and understand that some materials conduct electricity. They also know about the movement of planets and the effect that Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 15 this has on earth, they understand what plants need to grow and they also have a good idea of the foods they should eat to stay healthy. However, their understanding is not always as accurate as it should be because scientific conclusions and explanations are not always sufficiently emphasised during lessons. Opportunities to promote scientific understanding are sometimes lost by the links made with other subjects. For example, work on making a milk shake was entirely appropriate as a design and

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The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science

technology task but the opportunity was missed to record observations and draw conclusions, for example about the processes of change or types of food.

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The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science

25. While all aspects of the subject are taught and knowledge is generally secure, scientific skills are not given enough emphasis throughout the school and pupils have too little opportunity to plan and conduct their own experiments and to mount their own investigations. The exception to this is the older pupils, who regularly get opportunities to investigate phenomena and draw their own conclusions. A good lesson with the ten and eleven year olds resulted in them understanding how bubbles are made of gas surrounded by a liquid. The experiment in which they observed the behaviour of a sultana placed in lemonade was successful in provoking some sensible ideas that eventually enabled them to grasp what forces were at work in making the sultana rise and fall in the lemonade. The teacher encouraged pupils to observe carefully and to try to give an explanation about what was happening. She made sure by the end of the

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The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science

lesson that all pupils understood the scientific explanation for what they had seen.

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The rate of progress and levels of achievement in science

26. Overall, however there is not enough teaching that emphasises the continuous development of scientific skills and key ideas concerning fair testing and the need to consider variables when conducting experiments. Consequently this is an area in which pupils’ knowledge is not as strong as it should be.

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Provision for ICT to raise standards

27. Pupils do not make as much progress as they should in ICT and do not reach the standards that are expected by the time they leave the school. There are two weaknesses that are hampering pupils’ achievement. Firstly, the school does not have enough computers and so pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to use them. The teachers make good use of the machines that are available and these are used effectively to support work for instance, in mathematics and literacy. However, with only one computer in each classroom the number of occasions when pupils can work for a sustained period is very limited. It also makes teaching specific skills very difficult because the pupils cannot practise or try out things as they are being taught them.

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Provision for ICT to raise standards

28. Secondly, the curriculum that the pupils are taught has some limitations and does not cover all the requirements of the National Curriculum. In those aspects that are taught consistently, the pupils achieve in line with expectations for their age. For example most pupils use computers to communicate information successfully and use word processing programs to present stories. They also import pictures to illustrate what they have written and most recently have recorded a voice message to add to a Christmas greeting.

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Provision for ICT to raise standards

29. However, there are aspects of the subject that pupils have not been taught. For instance, pupils have had limited opportunity to explore how computers can be used to control things or monitor events. They have some rudimentary skills in using computers to handle information but they are not entirely sure about how to interrogate the information to find out what they want to know. They have successfully used the Internet to search for information and most pupils send e-mails. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 16 30. Overall, pupils are not taught enough ICT and they do no have sufficient opportunity to use computers in a variety of ways. Work has already begun to address this weakness with an intensive programme of staff training and planning in place for regular use of ICT to link with subjects across the curriculum. There are also plans to purchase more computers and these are urgently needed. With the current level of provision, the work

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Provision for ICT to raise standards

that is planned cannot be covered and ensuring the continuous development of pupils’ skills is almost impossible.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

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

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

q Improve the rate of progress and levels of achievement in science by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ ensuring that there is sufficient emphasis on understanding scientific ideas in lessons; § increasing the range of opportunities for pupils to carry out practical investigations and to plan and carry out experiments.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

q Improve provision and raise standards in ICT by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ increasing the number of computers available for pupils to use; § ensuring that all aspects of the subject are taught. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 97

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 30

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 5 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 5 5 5

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 14 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 5 5 5

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 10 6 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 9 8 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 6 6

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (91) 88 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 7 8 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 5 6 5

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 75 (91) 88 (100) 88 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 4 Other minority ethnic groups

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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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.2 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 201,792

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2,039

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 67 Balance brought forward from previous year 18,975

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 2,648

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Dorchester, St Birinus CE Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 56 39 4 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 49 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 44 9 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 42 46 11 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 30 7 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 74 23 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 32 56 9 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 46 53 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 46 51 0 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 35 42 2 4

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