Clipston Endowed Voluntary Controlled Primary School

SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Marjorie Glynne-Jones

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SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 February - 3 March 2000

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SCHOOL

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

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SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Clipston Nr Market Harborough Leicestershire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Ken Rutland

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1997 Clipston Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Marjorie Glynne-Jones Registered inspector Religious education Art Music How high are standards? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? Robert Folks Lay inspector Equal opportunities Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Stephen Hopkins Team inspector English Science Information communications technology (ICT) Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mary Marriott Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Geography History Under-fives Special educational needs The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Clipston Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 10

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11 - 14

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Clipston School is a controlled infant and junior school. From September 1999 it has had one class in each year, from reception to Year 6, a result of increasing numbers since the last inspection. Newly built accommodation for the reception class is now in operation and a mobile classroom has been installed. The school remains smaller than most primary schools. The proportions of boys and girls in each year group vary widely. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities or for whom English is an additional language, which is untypical of primary schools nationally. About a quarter of pupils has special educational needs; three have full statements of special need. These proportions are high compared to other schools. Overall, pupils’ attainment on entry is above average. The villages from which pupils are drawn have high levels of social advantage although this is not reflected in the backgrounds of a small

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school does an effective job and gives good value for money. It is very much a part of the local community, and is itself a caring community. Pupils’ experience as individuals and as learners is enriched by the curriculum and other opportunities provided. Teaching, learning and pupils’ attitudes are strengths. Standards are high and much the same as those in schools whose pupils come from similar backgrounds; the standards are generally maintained, sometimes raised, from those achieved by the time pupils enter Year 1. There are leadership strengths and some management weaknesses that persist from the last inspection. Since the 1997 inspection, standards have been maintained but progress on the key issues is insufficient.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Science results at Key Stage 2 in 1999 were above the average for similar schools • The results at Key Stage 1 in 1999 were well above the average for similar schools • The headteacher’s leadership strength is in creating a caring community in which staff team-work flourishes • There is strength in teaching, particularly notable in relation to the following four points • Staff expect and achieve high standards in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour • There is strong support for pupils’ personal and social development, especially through the new circle time and lively, stimulating assemblies • The school provides a language-rich and text-rich working environment across year groups • Excellent phonic work is being developed which is raising literacy standards • It makes sure that pupils benefit from links with the local community, the pre-school playgroup on site and the local technology college.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There are no arrangements for monitoring the quality of provision to ensure that all pupils are making the amount of progress they should; no time is allocated for the headteacher, the deputy head or subject co-ordinators to do this • This means that any inconsistencies in practice, or aspects of practice which could be better, are not picked up; this applies particularly to learning targets, the planning of work to stretch pupils of all attainment levels, marking and assessment procedures and analysis; it applies particularly at Key Stage 2 where there is no key stage co-ordinator • Governors are not sufficiently involved in planning the development of the school’s work; nor are they in a position to know what the strengths and weaknesses are in the school’s provision because of the lack of monitoring; neither of these has been adequately followed up. 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 1997. High standards in national tests have been maintained. The work seen shows that above average standards in the core subjects have been maintained. There has been insufficient improvement on the four key issues from the 1997 inspection: there is good improvement in provision for information communications technology; none in co-ordinators’ monitoring of teaching and learning; and not enough in development planning or in governors’ involvement in monitoring the quality of provision. Overall, insufficient improvement has been made.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum test results . Compared with Performance in: all schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1997 1998 1999 1999 In top 5% nationally A* Reading A* A A* A Well above average Above average A B Writing A* A* A* A Average Below average C D Mathematics A* A* A* A* Well below average E

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STANDARDS

The tests on entry in the reception year show average standards overall, with strength in speaking and listening, and weakness in mathematics. Pupils achieve well over the reception year, very well in mathematics, so that by the time they enter Year 1 their attainment is above average. In the work seen at Key Stage 1, standards are above average in English, mathematics and science, and in most other curriculum subjects. Pupils make good progress over the key stage, generally maintaining their above average attainment on entry to Year 1, while sometimes improving on it. This is reflected in the comparison with the 1999 test results in similar schools which show that pupils’ achievement is better than expected by the end of the key stage, and much better in mathematics. Pupils’ achievement is notable. The Key Stage 1 results are consistently high and the year groups small. The details of these high results reflect the

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STANDARDS

proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the year group. The school’s targets for 1999 were met.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests . * ten pupils in the year group Compared with Performance in: all schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1997 1998 1999 1999 English A (D)* A C Well above average Above average A B Mathematics A (D)* B D Average Below average C D Science A (C)* A B Well below average E

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STANDARDS

These results are mostly high and the year groups small. The Year 6 group in 1998 was too small for reliable comparisons of results to be made. The details of these results reflect the composition of the group in terms of the proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The trend in average points scores 1997- 99 is slightly downward for the three subjects together, whereas nationally it is rising. The school’s targets for 1999 were met, although these were more predictions than challenging targets.

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STANDARDS

In the work seen, standards are above average in the core subjects, and in design and technology and religious education. In other subjects they are in line with the expected standard. Pupils generally make satisfactory progress over the key stage, so that above average standards are maintained, although some higher attainers do not consistently achieve as well as they could. This inconsistency is reflected in the English test results in 1999. The comparison with the test results in similar schools shows that pupils’ Clipston Primary School - 8 achievement overall is as would be expected, better than expected in science, a good achievement, and lower than expected in mathematics. Results in mathematics were particularly affected by the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the year group.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Pupils’ attitudes are a school strength. Pupils are friendly, exceptionally helpful and polite to other pupils and adults alike, and show curiosity. Being curious and reflecting on what they are doing helps them to learn well. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Because pupils are interested in their work, and usually intrigued by its challenge, behaviour is not an issue at all. Pupils live up to the school’s high expectations. Personal development and relationships Pupils act sensibly when they are given opportunities to take responsibility, for example, as class monitors, but this does not happen often enough; relationships are very good. Attendance Consistently good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years Lessons seen overall Very good Very good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

• Quality nearly always high in the core subjects; very good discussion-leading and questioning achieve thoughtful and confidently expressed comments and ideas from pupils; good literacy and numeracy teaching, especially for the Under-fives; pupils’ learning and achievement reflect the quality of the teaching. • Particularly at Key Stage 2, learning targets often not clear or linked with assessment; work often not suitably planned for higher and lower attainers, or for pupils with special educational needs; inconsistencies in marking quality; lack of short-term targets for individual improvement. • Of the 40 lessons seen: 92 per cent were satisfactory or better, 70 per cent good or better, 40 per cent very good or better and 10 per cent were excellent; 8 per cent (three lessons) were unsatisfactory. Clipston Primary School - 9

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Good; grouping of pupils by ability and the phonics scheme have a very positive effect on work in literacy and numeracy; curriculum is enriched by strong links with the community and experiences in English, drama and music; good personal and social education; sound range of extra- curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs There is sound provision overall, with strengths for the Under-fives and at Key Stage 1 where planning is more rigorous than at Key Stage 2. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school’s positive ethos and climate of relationships achieve much for these areas of development so that overall provision is good, with strength for social development; but there is no whole-school planning for these areas so that provision is patchy, with opportunities often missed.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The headteacher and staff know pupils very well and give consistently good pastoral care; there is weakness in the arrangements to ensure pupils’ academic welfare through assessments and tracking progress because they are not consistently in place across all subjects; there is good working in partnership with parents.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has strengths in leading a community where team support and team working flourishes, and in which pupils’ social development is promoted as a consistent thread of school life. Staff are a strength. Where co-ordinators are in place, leadership for subjects and Key Stage 1 is generally good. A significant management weakness is the lack of systems for ensuring the highest quality of provision and teaching. The teaching commitment of the headteacher prevents him taking up the monitoring role of headship and results in similar limitations on the deputy head and subject co-ordinators. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors generally fulfil their statutory duties, but have not adequately attended to the issues of the headteacher’s time and systems for managing the school as it has grown in size.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance There are no arrangements for monitoring teaching or curriculum provision across the school, so no adequate evaluation can be made or improvements targeted; governors are not involved in the review and evaluation of development plan targets. This is a major weakness. The strategic use of resources Resources (staffing, accommodation, learning resources) are adequate. Learning resources are used effectively to stimulate interest and learning, although the library areas are under-developed. The deployment of staff in terms of time for management responsibilities is a weakness. Clipston Primary School - 10

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children make good progress • There is the right amount of homework • Teaching is good • They are well-informed about children’s progress • They feel confident raising issues with the school • Staff have high expectations • The school works closely with parents • The school is well managed and led • Children are helped to become responsible • The limited range of activities outside lessons

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The proportion of parents returning the questionnaire, 91 per cent, was exceptionally high. Similarly positive views were put forward at the parents’ meeting, with the same concern about activities and a concern about higher attainers not always being sufficiently stretched. The inspection team generally agrees with parents’ positive views, and also with the concern raised about higher attainers. They find that, at Key Stage 2, progress is not always consistently good for higher attainers. Inspectors recognise the strength in the way the school is led, but find that some weakness in management persists from the last inspection. This relates particularly to checking for consistent quality of provision, a factor determining progress. They find that there could be more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, and that pupil reports could be clearer about the areas that need to be improved. While agreeing that the range of clubs which meets on a weekly

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

basis is limited, they find that the curriculum is enhanced by a range of events and visits. Clipston Primary School - 11

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Under-fives

1. Children entering the reception class show attainment overall in line with the expected standard, above the expectation in speaking and listening, and below the expectation in mathematics. They achieve well. In the work seen during the inspection, in most areas of the Under-fives curriculum, children’s attainment is above the standards expected. In the areas of creative and physical development their attainment meets expectations.

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Under-fives

2. All are becoming fluent readers and have strategies for working out unfamiliar words. They speak confidently. Most show good control of pencils. Pupils count up to 20 from a given number, and downwards from 10. They understand how magnets behave. In physical activity they move confidently in different ways, use small equipment appropriately, and respond to signals, for example, for stopping.

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Key Stage 1

3. The results in National Curriculum tests have been maintained at a high level over the last three years when compared to all schools. This is true for reading test results, reflecting the stable national picture. In writing and mathematics the trend in results has not reflected the stable picture nationally and is a falling one. This reflects the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the year group. Pupils’ achievement is very good when compared with the results in schools whose pupils have similar backgrounds.

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Key Stage 1

4. In 1999, the proportion of girls in the Year 2 group was less than a third of the class group. Because of the small year group size, and varying proportions of boys and girls within year groups, the figures need to be looked at with caution. However, there are differences between the results of boys and girls that are masked by the overall picture. In reading, boys’ results reflect the improving trend nationally; girls’ results show a falling trend, while nationally the trend is rising. In writing, the trend is a falling one, particularly for girls, whereas nationally there is a rise. In mathematics, while results for both boys and girls are stable nationally, the results show a fall, greater for girls than for boys. There are no discernible reasons for these variations.

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Key Stage 1

5. In English, the work seen during the inspection shows standards above those expected by the end of the key stage. Pupils are confident, interested readers, articulate speakers and attentive listeners. Their speaking and listening skills are well above average. Their use of standard English is very good. They write in accurately punctuated sentences. In their handwriting they form letters accurately, but do not always achieve a consistent size.

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Key Stage 1

6. In mathematics, the work seen during the inspection shows standards above the expectation by the end of the key stage. Pupils’ numeracy skills are a strength; they work confidently with tens and units, and tens and hundreds. They tell the time in hours and half-hours. They can explain the way they have worked out calculations using technical language accurately. Clipston Primary School - 12 7. In science, standards in the work seen are above those expected. Pupils know identify and describe the similarities and differences of different materials. They can sort musical instruments by linking the sound with the material they are made of. They can find their own way to answer a question when making an investigation.

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Key Stage 1

8. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress over the key stage. A school strength is their progress in English, which is very good. In mathematics and science their progress is satisfactory. Lower attainers and pupils with special educational needs have a secure knowledge of phonics and make appropriate attempts at reading and spelling unfamiliar words.

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Key Stage 1

9. Standards are above those expected by the end of the key stage in art, design and technology, geography, history and music; and in line with the expected standard in information communications technology. There is not enough evidence to judge the standards in religious education at this key stage. The strengths in art are pupils’ good observing skills and the linking of knowledge of artists’ work with their own. In design and technology, pupils show good making skills, working purposefully and using tools accurately. Pupils’ literacy skills support their work in geography and history well so that they make comparisons between different places, or identify the different features of buildings such as castles, using technical language precisely. The strengths in music are singing and listening skills.

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Key Stage 2

10. National Curriculum test results have generally been maintained at a high level over the last three years in comparison to all schools. When compared with schools whose pupils come from similar backgrounds, the school’s results taking the three results subjects together are average. When this similar schools comparison is made for the separate subjects, results in English are average, mathematics results are below average and in science results are above average. Pupils’ achievement is better than expected in science; this is good.

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Key Stage 2

11. There are differences in the trends for boys’ and girls’ results. In English, boys’ results are rising, a little more slowly than the national rise; girls’ results are stable whereas nationally the trend is rising. In mathematics, there is a falling trend for both boys and girls while nationally the trend is a rising one. In science, while nationally the trend is a rising one for both boys and girls, boys’ results show a slight fall while girls’ results are stable. A factor accounting for these trends is the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in this Year 6 group, particularly in mathematics. In English, a factor is the inconsistency of some higher attainers’ results so that they did not do equally well in each part.

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Key Stage 2

12. In English, the work seen during the inspection shows that standards are above those expected. In some work, standards well above those expected were achieved, more closely reflecting the test results in 1999. Higher attainers, however, are not always sufficiently challenged by the work set. Pupils are fluent and expressive readers and can follow a line of thought in the text, showing this, for example, by making deductions. They have a limited understanding of different types of writing, and their vocabulary is insufficiently developed for the purpose of analysing texts. Pupils are fluent and articulate speakers and perceptive listeners. They write confidently, often creatively, in a range of forms, showing strengths in poetry-writing and the richness of vocabulary. Punctuation skills are secure. Most have fluent handwriting. A number of the English skills which characterise higher levels of attainment are not evident in the writing of higher attainers,

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Key Stage 2

Clipston Primary School - 13 for example, the use of subordinate clauses, punctuation using colons and semi-colons, and literary features such as alliteration.

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Key Stage 2

13. In the work seen in mathematics standards are above average. This reflects the 1999 test results. Pupils construct line graphs and pie-charts to present the data they have collected from surveys. Many understand probability. Their mental mathematics skills are good. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress when their work is suitably planned and supported, but this is not consistently achieved.

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Key Stage 2

14. In science, in the work seen, standards are above average. Pupils have a good grasp of scientific vocabulary and very good knowledge of the properties of solids, liquids and gases. They use numeracy and ICT skills effectively in their investigative work. In some of the work seen attainment was well above average, reflecting the 1999 test results.

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Key Stage 2

15. Standards are above those expected by the end of the key stage in design and technology and religious education. They are in line with the standards expected in other subjects. There is insufficient evidence to judge standards in art. The strengths in design and technology are pupils’ skills in using their evaluation of products in designing their own, and the control with which they use a range of tools and processes. In religious education, pupils have a good understanding of symbols and their significance in differing religious practice. They have a good knowledge of religions.

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Achievement

16. Children’s attainment on entry to the reception class is in line with the expected standard. Over the year children progress well so that they achieve above the expectation in most areas of the curriculum. They achieve well because they are taught very well.

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Achievement

17. Pupils make good progress in the full range of subjects over Key Stage 1 because of very good teaching, in particular, its consistency and thoroughness. In the work seen, pupils’ above average standards on entry are sustained, and sometimes raised further, for example in literacy, science and physical education. Their well above average speaking and listening skills show in the high standards in oral work, for example, in history. Pupils’ achievement at Key Stage 1 is good.

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Achievement

18. Over the four years of Key Stage 2, pupils make satisfactory progress so that these above average standards are sustained. In the work seen, there were relatively fewer occasions than at Key Stage 1 when standards were raised further. This was observed in literacy, science and ICT. The teaching at Key Stage 2 does not consistently provide enough challenge for higher attainers or an appropriate level of challenge for lower attainers and pupils with special educational needs. Pupils’ achieve the standards that would be expected for pupils of their prior attainment.

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Achievement

19. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in the reception class and at Key Stage 1, and satisfactory progress at Key Stage 2. They make good progress when lesson planning takes full account of their differing learning needs and rates of learning, and when they receive the learning support they need, whether from the teacher or a learning support assistant.

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Achievement

20. The school’s targets for 1999 were met at each key stage. They proved to very accurate predictions. At Key Stage 2 they were rather unambitious. This links with the finding that higher attainers are not always sufficiently stretched by the work set, and with the Clipston Primary School - 14 comparison of the 1999 test results with those in similar schools which shows average attainment overall.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils enjoy school, show great interest in all that goes on, and take a full part in the activities and trips provided. This is a strength, and has been sustained since the last inspection. Pupils’ positive attitudes towards their work from the reception class upwards are one of the factors contributing to their good learning. This is true for pupils of different attainment levels and for those with special educational needs. Pupils behave well at all times and work constructively, whether in groups or by themselves. They show enthusiasm for learning and listen attentively to teachers and to each other. They concentrate well in lessons, often very intently. They comment in discussions, and ask or answer questions confidently.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. Pupils are friendly, helpful and polite to adults, both staff and visitors. Boys and girls treat each other thoughtfully and with respect, and take care of their classrooms and equipment. This is consistently evident. Children in the reception class understand the difference between right and wrong. The quality of pupils’ response is such that issues of behaviour are not evident from day to day. There have been no exclusions. Attendance is good and has been consistently so over the last three years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. There are opportunities for older pupils to take some responsibility for the younger ones, for example, at packed-lunch-time and in the playground. Each week, pupils in Year 2 go into Year 6 to read to the class, and vice versa. Across all classes pupils act sensibly as monitors. Older pupils are responsible for the daily reading from the weather station, which they do efficiently. All are well able to rise to taking responsibility, but do not have enough opportunities to do so.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Pupils learn well because the teaching is good, with particular strengths for the Under- fives and at Key Stage 1. They are eager to learn and to get on with the work. At best, teaching and learning shows a high level of curiosity. In teaching, this shows through explanations and questions that present a model of how to explore and make improvements. In learning, it shows in the questions and comments pupils make in discussions and when working in groups. Teaching in over half the lessons at Key Stage 2, and nearly all in the reception class and Key Stage 1, was good or better. There was very good or excellent teaching in the reception class and Key Stage 1 in three quarters of lessons, and in a fifth of lessons at Key Stage 2. Teaching is sound in history and physical education and good, or better, in other subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. English teaching is a strength, particularly the teaching of reading. The phonics scheme being piloted in the local education authority is having a very positive effect. At Key Stage 2, teachers’ enthusiasm for language and books is well communicated. The way teachers express ideas is caught by pupils in their responses, so that, for example, pupils reply to questions in well-constructed sentences which refer to the focus of the question. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well across the curriculum and very well in the reception class and Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. At Key Stage 1, pupils with special educational needs are taught well; lessons are planned to meet individual learning needs. At Key Stage 2, planning does not consistently take Clipston Primary School - 15 account of individual needs. Learning support assistants work effectively with pupils, encouraging them towards their personal targets. The support is of high quality and has a positive effect on pupils’ confidence and learning. Where such support is not provided and planning is not varied to match work to individual needs, pupils with special educational needs do not always make as much progress as they could. In a geography lesson on the effects of wind and how wind is measured, pupils with special educational needs made good progress because the work was planned specifically for them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. What is not well in place is a level of lesson planning which consistently ensures that all pupils in the class or ability group are given work which challenges them at their own level. This particularly applies to Key Stage 2, and to some higher and lower attainers who could do better if tasks challenged them sufficiently. By contrast there is often well judged challenge in discussion sessions. For example, in a Year 5 religious education lesson in preparation for Easter, pupils considered the sophisticated idea of the guilt of the objects, such as the crown of thorns and the thirty pieces of silver, in a play The Trial of Jesus . Good questioning, which probed the first answer with a further question, and so on, clarified and deepened pupils’ understanding so that a forest of hands went up, from boys and girls, and from pupils with special educational needs, to answer difficult questions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. On the first half-day of the inspection unsatisfactory teaching was observed in three lessons. A contributory factor was the timing at an early stage in the inspection. There was a lack of momentum in the work. This resulted from the slow pace, but also from the absence of evaluative comments to pupils as they were working so that they could be helped and challenged to modify and refine their work. Suitably challenging work was not prepared for higher attainers. Because of these weaknesses pupils learned little in one of these lessons. In the other two, pupils’ own learning skills helped them to make progress, although they were capable of more.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. The areas for improvement apply across the board. Although lesson planning is carefully done most of the stated learning targets seen were actually not targets for pupils’ learning. They tended to be a list of activities or of the content to be covered. Very little planning identified the difference in provision for pupils with lower or higher attainment levels. This weakness in planning for special educational needs is often compensated for by the good support given by class teachers and learning support assistants. The absence of specifically planned provision for higher attainers restricts their achievement, so that, for example, a possible standard of well above average remains at above average . This happened when the same mathematics worksheet was used for all the pupils in a group although for some the work was unnecessarily repetitious and under-challenging, while for others it was too difficult.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Excellent teaching was seen in four lessons in the reception class and Key Stage 1 in literacy, numeracy, art and physical education. The strengths included very good subject competence and knowledge of the age group. This showed through the excellent leading of discussion in art where pupils’ contributions were received appreciatively, and their thinking extended well through comments and questions. In physical education, the teacher used technical vocabulary skilfully to link with pupils’ understanding, for example through exploring the idea of sequence in movement. In numeracy, a mental maths session moved at a very quick pace, with questions adapted for pupils’ differing levels of attainment. All pupils learned very well because they were interested, and enjoyed producing quick, accurate answers to questions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Very good teaching was seen in science, design and technology and ICT at Key Stage 2, in music at Key Stage 1 as well as in literacy and numeracy lessons. In science, high level Clipston Primary School - 16 subject skills were used very effectively in giving extended explanations of the properties of liquids; questions were well-formulated according to pupils’ levels of attainment, and demanded the accurate use of scientific vocabulary in the answers. In design and technology, a purposeful working atmosphere was created, the session moved at a good pace, and appropriate pauses in the work were used to review the progress as a class. In ICT, the lesson moved rapidly and the task required pupils to think for themselves. This range of high quality teaching provides an excellent basis for sharing good practice in order to achieve consistently high quality across the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. In most of the lessons seen the quality of learning was determined by the quality of teaching. On occasion, the learning was better than the teaching because of pupils’ good attitudes to work. When teachers do not make evaluative comments to individuals about their work, so that they know how to improve it, pupils do not achieve as well as they could. In the best lessons, pupils were clear about the learning targets. Pupils settle quickly at the beginning of lessons, know how to get on with their work, they work hard and show good concentration skills. The Under-fives concentrate very well.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

33. There is good breadth and balance in pupils’ learning opportunities although the allocations of time for different subjects suggest otherwise. The length of the school’s teaching week is similar to other primary schools. Within this, the proportion of time devoted to the teaching of English is much higher than usual at each key stage, leaving some subjects short of time by national comparisons. However, the provision for English is imaginative in the way it meets the requirements of the National Literacy Strategy, but at the same time retains some of the strong features of the school’s English curriculum which are additional to the literacy strategy. The grouping of pupils by ability for literacy and numeracy is having beneficial effects on achievement. Pupils’ achievement in other subjects is sometimes limited, not because of the time allocation but because of the lack of subject co-ordination, for example, in art. In music, co-ordination is improving because

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

of the recent full-time appointment of a teacher with this responsibility. ICT is taught within the different subjects, but the range and extent of pupils’ work with computers is not monitored or evaluated on a whole-school basis. A general weakness is that there is no checking to see that requirements are being fully met.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

34. Within subjects themselves, there is good breadth at both key stages in English, design and technology, music and religious education, and, at Key Stage 1, in mathematics, art, geography and history. It is good for the Under-fives. In design and technology at Key Stage 1, strong working relationships between co-ordinators (for the key stage and the subject) secure this breadth although the time allocation is minimal. In art at Key Stage 1, the links made between artists’ work and pupils’ own looking and making are a strength, although work with three-dimensional materials is under- developed, particularly at Key Stage 2.

p.16

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

35. The curriculum is enriched by a reasonable range of extra-curricular activities, although the range of clubs which meets on a weekly basis is limited. These involve clubs such as the netball, football and computer clubs, and lunchtime recorder groups for all the pupils in Years 3 and 4. Pupils take part in the Northampton Music Festival , for example in classes for violin, piano, recorder and singing. School teams compete in soccer, netball and athletics and have been the champions in the Daventry and District Area Sports for the last two years. Parents support after school clubs by making special transport arrangements so that their children can attend the after-school ICT Clipston Primary School - 17 study club.

p.16

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

36. Overall, there is an imaginative range of activities which extends pupils’ experience outside lessons. The school is very much part of the local community. There are strong links with the local church opposite and pupils attend services for religious festivals. During the inspection the rector led an assembly. There is a long established tradition of sewing, weaving and needlepoint that involves a number of people from the village each week. Many visitors are invited to take part in school sessions, for example during the inspection the father of a child with cerebral palsy spoke to different groups of pupils about his family’s experiences. There is a range of stimulating visits to local theatres, museums and places of historical and environmental interest, for example, a visit to Mary Arden’s house in Stratford-on-Avon. The valuable exchange with a multi-ethnic school in Leicester has continued since the last

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

37. Arrangements for the transfer from the pre-school play group on site to the reception class, and from Year 6 to Year 7 at secondary school support pupils well. For example, Under-fives settle confidently into the reception class because most of them are already familiar with the school and know the early years staff. At the top of the school, pupils gain from specialist ICT teaching and equipment provided by the nearest secondary school as a part of its work as a technology college. A particular strength is the liaison by the special educational needs co-ordinator with her secondary counterpart over transition arrangements for individuals. Liaison with external agencies through fortnightly meetings, for example with the link teacher, supports pupils well.

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

38. The school meets the statutory requirements for the National Curriculum and for religious education. Requirements of the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs are fully met, an improvement since the last inspection. There is strength in both special needs planning and in the way it is consistently put into practice for the Under-fives and at Key Stage 1. Practice is not as rigorous at Key Stage 2 in ensuring that work is always matched to pupils’ prior attainment.

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

39. There is strong commitment to giving pupils the best opportunities possible to develop as learners and as members of the community. All activities and visits are open to those who wish to take part. It is expected that pupils with special educational needs should be treated equally and feel equal. This happens.

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

40. The provision for personal and social education is thoroughly planned. It is implemented through weekly Circle Time sessions for each class, that are a strength, and a focus in Year 6 on health, sex and drugs education, although the governing body has not agreed a drugs education policy. The sex education unit in the science programme is conducted according to the policy agreed in consultation with parents. The local police contribute to the programme, particularly to drugs education, in a history unit Law and order through the ages, which also looks at other aspects of personal safety.

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

41. Provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is not planned on a whole-school basis. As a result the provision is made in separate packages rather than as a continuous strand in pupils’ experience of the curriculum. None-the-less the provision is good because of the school’s ethos and values. Pupils' spiritual development is a strong feature of the religious education curriculum and of some school assemblies. This aspect of pupils’ development is not sufficiently Clipston Primary School - 18 addressed in subjects.

p.17

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

42. The ways in which pupils’ social development is promoted by the school abound; provision is very good. For example, collaborative science work in the reception class involved pupils investigating which materials stuck to a magnet. In art at Key Stage 2, a collaborative task involved pupils, in pairs, drawing portraits of each other and negotiating when to change from the role of sitter to the role of artist . The strong links which the school has with the community offer pupils opportunities to interact with a range of adults of different age groups, including senior citizens, for example those who visit on Wednesday afternoons for craft projects. However, the opportunities which pupils have to take responsibility for others, for example, looking after the younger ones at packed-lunch-time , are under-developed, although care for others is emphasised in school life.

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

43. Pupils' moral development is well promoted through the strong and consistent moral framework which permeates the work of the school. Worship in the school is planned using themes that have a strong moral dimension. Teachers talk through with pupils the standards of acceptable behaviour and the reasons for them, especially in relation to the consequences for others of unacceptable behaviour. Opportunities are taken to give pupils experience of public success, for example, through participating in assemblies or by having their achievements acknowledged in assemblies. This reflects the thought, care and emphasis that the school gives to pupils' personal development.

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

44. Good provision is made for pupils' cultural development. The cultural dimension of the curriculum is enriched, for example, by visiting instrumental groups, theatre in education events, and the opportunity for pupils to attend lectures on such topics as Arctic/Antarctic expeditions. Learning about other cultural traditions is a strength of the religious education curriculum and well supported by resources. The school's link with a multi-ethnic inner city school contributes to pupils’ cultural awareness. A weakness is the under-developed multi-cultural dimension in the curriculum for art and music and in the range of books and other materials in the school library.

p.18

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

45. Since the last inspection the quality of provision has been improved. National Curriculum requirements are now being met in ICT. There are now policies in all subjects and schemes or units of work are in place to secure continuity in the teaching. The governing body has not formally determined the use of curriculum time that is not specifically devoted to the National Curriculum and religious education.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. There are a number of strengths in the school’s provision and an important weakness in assessment arrangements. Staff know pupils very well. Their care and concern for pupils is central to the school’s ethos and approached through very effective team work. Pastoral guidance is mainly the responsibility of the class teacher but is well supported by other staff. Requirements for health and safety and child protection are fully met. Unusually, nearly all members of staff are qualified St. John’s Ambulance first aiders. Attendance is well monitored. Good behaviour is consistently expected. Any incidents of poor behaviour are dealt with effectively. No bullying was seen during the inspection.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. An assessment of children’s attainment is made shortly after entry and used to identify particular needs. The information is used well in planning for the Under-fives and for Clipston Primary School - 19 pupils with special educational needs. Special needs records are well kept. Teachers’ planning does not always incorporate assessment opportunities linked to learning targets so that pupils’ progress can be evaluated. What teachers learn from the assessments that are made is not consistently used to ensure that subsequent planning builds appropriately on prior attainment, particularly for lower and higher attainers. Pupils’ progress in their school work is not consistently tracked across the school except in English, mathematics and design and technology, although there is regular testing in the core subjects. Arrangements are helpfully in hand to develop the use of a software program for this purpose.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. There is a good partnership with parents who are very supportive of the school. Some help with sporting and other activities. The School Association is a thriving organisation that helps in providing equipment and resources, most recently, computers.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents are very satisfied with the standards that the school achieves both academically and socially. They always feel welcome in the school. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are very well informed about their children’s learning and work closely with the school. While there is a general view that pupils with special educational needs are well catered for, there is a concern that higher attainers are not sufficiently stretched. Inspectors find this concern justified.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Regular newsletters keep parents up-to-date with school events. Both the prospectus and annual report to parents are informative, but omit some of the required contents, for example, from the annual report, information about the next parent governor elections. The well prepared and attractively presented home-school agreement reflects well the school’s caring ethos. Together with the support which parents give their children, for example with homework, the agreement has the potential to make a considerable contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning. Parents receive sufficient information to keep them in touch with their children’s progress. Annual pupil reports provide much information about what pupils can do in different subjects, and the areas where they do well, but often do not sufficiently identify the areas that need to be improved.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Team-work flourishes in this school to pupils’ benefit. The headteacher’s leadership strength is that, with the deputy head, he enables this to happen. In almost all respects the school’s values are strongly reflected in its day-to-day life. There is a commitment to retaining and developing best provision while also responding to new initiatives. The work on literacy, numeracy and ICT shows this to advantage. In those subjects where there is a named co-ordinator responsibility for planning and resources is carried out with thoroughness. Co-ordinators support colleagues well in the drive to improve their subject. A strength at Key Stage 1 is that subject responsibilities are co-ordinated to ensure a degree of consistency. There is no co-ordinator for Key Stage 2, which is a significant weakness.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. A major weakness is that the school does not monitor its work. There are no systems in place through which the headteacher, deputy headteacher and subject co-ordinators check for consistency in quality or identify strong practice and areas for improvement. Clipston Primary School - 20 The reasoning which has prevailed is that the staff teaching commitment in a small school prevents this. As a result the school lacks knowledge from evidence of its strengths and weaknesses and so cannot use the process of development planning to target improvements in a sharply focused way. In turn, this prevents the governing body from carrying out its responsibilities. Governors are not in a position to account for the school’s performance and improvement because they do not have information from school monitoring. There is no evidence in the minutes of governing body meetings that this information has been requested. Although the issue of the extent of

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the headteacher’s teaching commitment has been raised by governors, resulting two years ago in some funding to facilitate monitoring, this has been inadequately followed up. There has been no progress on the key issue from the last inspection concerned with monitoring and evaluation by subject co-ordinators, with the notable exception of design and technology.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Since the last inspection, when it was identified as a key issue, there has been improvement in development planning which the governing body has chased up. However, although governors’ involvement has been greater, they have not contributed to the review and evaluation of the previous plan as an integral part of the planning process. Current priorities were not identified through school monitoring. Many of the areas for action are not so much development priorities as continuing implementation of policy, for example , continue to promote good behaviour . There is scope for further improvement in development planning.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Statutory requirements are now met for the curriculum because of the improvement in ICT, a key issue from the last inspection. Some of the required contents for the annual report to parents and the prospectus are omitted from the recent editions.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The management of special educational needs is good. However, there are no arrangements for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching and learning in order to ensure that the targets of individual education plans are both appropriate and achieved . Governors are informed about policies and practice and have regular contact with the special needs co-ordinator through the headteacher. Support staff are appropriately experienced. The allocation of support across the curriculum is not always sufficient for need, particularly at Key Stage 2.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. There are strengths in the staffing for the curriculum in English, mathematics, music and religious education. Some weakness in ICT across the school is being addressed. Accommodation has been improved since the last inspection through new building for the reception class, with good fitness for purpose, and a mobile classroom. Learning resources are generally satisfactory although, even with the improvements made, there are still not enough computers. There is a lack of three-dimensional materials for art, and of pitched percussion instruments in music. Learning resources are mostly used efficiently except for computers and the library. Pupils were observed using computers in lessons on very few occasions during the inspection although there is substantial evidence in class files of work using ICT. The upstairs library area is poorly organised and maintained. It does little to promote independent research skills and was not

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

observed being used for that purpose during the inspection.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Not enough attention has been given to staff responsibilities to ensure that each area of the curriculum is suitably led and managed. Current arrangements whereby the headteacher takes responsibility for history, geography and physical education, and nobody takes responsibility for art, are unsatisfactory. This weakness persists from the last inspection. Clipston Primary School - 21 58. The school gives good value for money. There is exemplary financial planning by the governors’ finance committee. The income per pupil is low in comparison to other schools. Spending decisions are made prudently, for example, use is made of the local education authority’s library loan service to supplement book provision. The school makes effective use of the funding it receives for special educational needs, although the use of funding for improvement has not been sharply enough targeted at the needs for management development in this small school. This results from the

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school’s lack of evaluative evidence of areas of weakness. Development work in literacy and numeracy shows rigour in the drive for improvement; in ICT, developments reflect good achievement by the whole school community. However, in reviewing the standards pupils achieve, the school does not give sufficient attention to comparisons with the standards achieved in similar schools. It has not made sure that provision is consistently good across the school. As a result, there is a lack of attention to checking whether there is under-achievement.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

59. The following key issues are in order of their importance for continuing to raise standards in the school by further improving practice. They should be included in the governors’ post-inspection action plan.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Implement management systems for monitoring and evaluating the school’s performance and improvement as a priority through

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that the headteacher is able to exercise fully his management responsibility for the quality of the school’s work, both day-to-day, and for effecting improvement • delegating responsibility for the co-ordination of Key Stage 2, building on the very good practice at Key Stage 1 • delegating responsibility for the co-ordination of each curriculum subject/area • putting into practice an agreed whole-school strategy for the exercise of co- ordinating responsibility over the school year, in order that the co-ordination is effective and staff workload manageable • carrying out an annual schedule of monitoring and evaluation involving senior staff and subject/area co-ordinators in lesson observation and sampling of work • reporting to the whole staff on the strengths and weaknesses identified through monitoring (paragraphs 33, 51-3, 55, 57-8, 88, 96-7, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 131, 135, 139, 144)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Ensure consistent quality in the curriculum and individual lessons, particularly at Key Stage through

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• implementing a whole-school strategy for planning work for different attainment levels • planning specific work for higher attainers which sufficiently extends their skills and understanding and not only expects that they will complete more • planning specific work for lower attainers and (as appropriate) pupils with special educational needs which avoids over-reliance on the presence of learning support assistants Clipston Primary School - 22 • making the learning objectives for lessons a clear statement of what pupils will have learned from the lesson • ensuring that pupils receive sufficiently evaluative comments in lessons and on their marked work so that they know how to make improvements • ensuring that annual reports to parents on children’s progress sufficiently identify areas for improvement (paragraphs 26-9, 33, 38, 41, 47, 49-50, 54-6, 85, 87-8, 93, 95, 104-5, 110, 124, 131, 134, 138, 140, 143)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Implement procedures which enable governors’ to fulfil their accountability for the school’s performance and improvement through

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• regular, formal reporting to the governing by the headteacher on the strengths and weaknesses identified through monitoring activity • involving members of the governing body in the review discussions following subject monitoring • undertaking the review of development plan targets in an agreed schedule in which governors are properly involved throughout • ensuring that priorities for development take account of the findings of school monitoring and are indeed priorities • meet fully the requirements for annual reporting to parents. (paragraphs 40, 45, 50, 52-4, 58)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The following weaknesses are also identified in the report but are not included in the main areas for action to improve standards.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to take responsibility. (paragraphs 23, 42, 104,1 18)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Units of work in art are not incorporated into a scheme showing progression over the Key Stage 2 in skills and knowledge of artists. three-dimensional work in art is under- developed. (paragraphs 34, 56, 110)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• The governing body has not agreed a drugs policy. (paragraphs 40)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• There is no whole-school planning for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. (paragraphs 41)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• There is scope for improvement in multi-cultural provision in the library, and in art and music. (paragraphs 44)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• The library areas are poorly organised and maintained. (paragraphs 56) Clipston Primary School - 23

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 39 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 25

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 10 31 28 23 8 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 155 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR-6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 42

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

p.23

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % % School data 3.6 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Clipston Primary School - 24

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 18 7 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Boys 17 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Total 24 24 25 Percentage of pupils School 96 (96) 96 (96) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (77) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 17 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Total 24 25 25 Percentage of pupils School 96 (96) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 10 12 22

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science Boys 6 7 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 10 12

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Total 16 17 21 Percentage of pupils School 82 ( * ) 77 ( * ) 95 ( * ) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 8 7 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 9 9

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Total 19 16 17 Percentage of pupils School 86 ( * ) 73 ( * ) 77 ( * ) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

* For Key Stage 2 in 1998 the number of pupils, 10, is too small to include percentages for comparison. Clipston Primary School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Permanent Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage Black – African heritage Black – African heritage Black – other Black – other Indian Indian Pakistani Pakistani Bangladeshi Bangladeshi Chinese Chinese White 155 White Any other minority ethnic groups Other minority ethnic groups

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7.1 Financial year 1998/99 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23 Average class size 23 £ Total income 217408 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 218031 Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1380 Total aggregate hours worked per week 51 Balance brought forward from previous year 9780 Balance carried forward to next year 9157 FTE means full-time equivalent. Clipston Primary School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 158 Number of questionnaires returned 144

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 63 33 3 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 65 33 1 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 50 6 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 36 7 1 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 17 1 1 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 81 16 2 0 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 49 44 4 3 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 74 25 1 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 68 31 1 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 12 38 30 10 10

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Some concerns were raised that higher attainers were under-achieving. Clipston Primary School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Children enter the reception class with a level of attainment that is in line with the expectation. Their speaking and listening skills are well developed, and many older children are familiar with books. Most are confident and keen to try all activities. Children soon become used to sharing equipment and taking turns. However, many do not have the number skills expected of children of their age. Children make good progress in all areas of their learning. By the time they are five, they reach standards above the expectation; their achievement is better than expected.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Most children settle happily into the reception class and their personal and social development is good. The majority are confident; children have good relationships with each other and with adults. They share, take turns and co-operate well in their play. Most abide by the rules and routines of the class, and all understand the difference between right and wrong. Children show respect for materials and property, and concern for each other. Many organise activities for themselves, for example when playing in the fish and chip shop. Children have positive attitudes to learning which result from the very good teaching they receive. The teaching supports their personal and social development through making sure that expected routines are carried out, and that all children know and understand what is expected of them.

p.27

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

63. By the time they are five, children’s attainment is above the standard expected nationally. Most speak confidently to adults and to each other. They develop good skills in listening attentively to stories, rhymes and adult talk. They enjoy singing nursery rhymes and listening to music. Children’s use of spoken language is encouraged through a range of activities, including play with water, sand and small world toys, creative work, for example in art, and through talking to adults. Children learn to use rhyming words. Most can distinguish between beginnings and endings of words, for example snail and trail , and understand that the beginning has changed. The youngest children are beginning to recognise their written names. They know how to handle books and understand that print carries meaning. Higher attainers join the Year 1 class for the phonics session each morning. All children are beginning to read

p.27

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

fluently and with expression. They have well-developed strategies for working out unfamiliar words. They enjoy sharing books and many opportunities are given for this. Their progress is good.

p.27

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

64. By the time they are five most children show good control of pencils when writing. They are encouraged to copy their name. Some can write simple sentences using a capital letter and full stop correctly. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills by creating their own books.

p.27

PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

65. Teaching is very good; some is excellent. Adults work well with all children. They encourage the use of correct subject language by presenting a good model themselves. This has a positive effect on children’s learning. The quality of the role-play area stimulates talk, and there is easy access to materials for drawing and writing activities. Clipston Primary School - 28 Many opportunities are taken to assess children’s learning.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

66. By the time they are five, children’s attainment is above the standard expected. All children can make a repeated pattern, for example, using coloured objects in sequence. Children can count to 20 and beyond from a given number, and count backwards from 10. They are beginning to write numbers and enjoy number rhymes such as Three enormous, large, small buns in a baker’s shop . Mathematical work with sand, water, and construction toys stimulates learning. For example, children fished for the letters of their name and could count them. Children make good progress in understanding bigger than and smaller than , and develop this through using stories and a variety of small world toys.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

67. Teaching supports children’s development very well, encouraging thinking skills by providing challenging tasks. There is excellent use of language in explaining and questioning. Homework is used effectively through asking children to talk to their families about what they have learned. This is a good strategy for consolidating their learning. Planning is very thorough, with clear learning objectives which are used as a measure for assessing pupils’ progress as they work and play.

p.28

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

68. By the time they are five, children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is above the expected standard. Children talk about their everyday experiences and events in their lives. They have a good understanding of their environment and about how and why things happen. For example, children can predict which of a variety of objects, will be attracted to metal. Some older children understood that not all metal is attracted to magnets; younger pupils understood that a magnet is not attracted to plastic. All developed their knowledge and understanding of magnetism through testing a variety of objects to see whether they were magnetic or non-magnetic. Most children could group objects on this basis. They investigate the behaviour of materials when taking part in sand and water play. They use the fish-and-chip shop for pretend cooking.

p.28

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

69. Teaching promotes thinking skills very well so that children progress well in their understanding. Detailed planning, which has clear learning objectives, encourages children to explore and investigate. However, their experience is limited by the absence of a designated growing area for their use.

p.28

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

70. By the time they are five children’s creative development reaches the expected standard. Children have opportunities to use paint and dough and make models with scrap materials. The work on display shows that they have good control of paintbrushes; the drawings in their writing books show good control of crayons. In music, children sing well in time and with good pitching skills for their age. They remember different songs and rhymes and are eager to join in.

p.28

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

71. Teaching encourages children to listen and look carefully, for example, at the position of a painted shape on the paper, and to take part confidently in class and when singing in assemblies. A range of resources is readily available, including dressing up clothes Clipston Primary School - 29 and various large wheeled toys for outside play. Planning is good and supports teaching well.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

72. By the time they are five, children’s attainment reaches the expected standard. An appropriate song is used to help them warm up. Children, run, jump, turn and use small equipment appropriately. They move in and out of spaces, taking care not to bump into each other. They learn to stop on a given signal, for example, when dribbling a sponge ball. They throw balls through hoops and beanbags into boxes. All children can follow instructions. They help to get equipment out and put it away.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

73. Teaching supports the learning of all the children, as does the good planning and organisation. However, a weakness in provision, shortly to be partly rectified, is the lack of a secure outside play area for their exclusive use, which restricts their physical activity. There is no provision of fixed apparatus for climbing, sliding and balancing.

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ENGLISH

74. The 1999 test results at the end of Key Stage 2 were above the national average for all schools, while close to the national average for similar schools. The proportion of pupils attaining beyond the expected level was well above average. Results show that, over the three years since the last inspection, attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has been stable against a background of a national rise. The test scores rose slightly for boys and were stable for girls .

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ENGLISH

75. The Key Stage 1 National Curriculum test results were well above the national average and well above the national average for similar schools. The proportion of pupils attaining beyond the expected level was well above the national average. The results show that since the last inspection the attainment of boys in reading is rising in line with a national rise, while for girls it is falling. In writing the attainment of both boys and girls is falling against a background of a national rise.

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ENGLISH

76. Inspection evidence shows that by the end of Key Stage1 standards in speaking and listening are well above average. In all classes pupils listen carefully to each other and to the teacher. They follow instructions well. Pupils are confident and articulate; they give extended answers to teachers' questions and participate in class and group discussions. They make very good vocabulary choices. Pupils use of standard English is very good. Average and higher attainers have a very good vocabulary with which to talk about language and literature. They know and use appropriately terms such as speech marks , plot , character , fiction and non-fiction .

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ENGLISH

77. Reading standards by the end of Key Stage 1 are above average. Pupils read confidently and show an interest in and enthusiasm for books and other texts. Pupils are keen to develop their skills. Higher attainers read fluently and expressively. Lower attainers and pupils with special educational needs have a secure knowledge of phonics and use this to improve their reading skills. They are able to attempt to read unknown words using phonics.

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ENGLISH

78. Standards in writing by the end of Key Stage 1 are above average. Higher attainers write extended pieces which incorporate a range of connectives, such as because . They demarcate sentences using capital letters and full stops, and can use commas Clipston Primary School - 30 and speech marks. Average and lower attainers write simple sentences and are secure in the correct use of capital letters and full stops. Higher attainers spell very well. They have a developing vocabulary of known words and for others use their knowledge of common letter patterns well. They are able to spell common words with several syllables, and many not so common ones. Average attainers can represent any vowel and consonant sounds when spelling a word, and make increasing use of their knowledge of letter patterns. Lower attainers and pupils with special educational needs are developing a secure range of phonic strategies to help them to spell. The

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ENGLISH

standard of pupils’ handwriting is average. Pupils write accurately formed letters, though not always of a consistent size. Higher attainers are beginning to join their writing.

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ENGLISH

79. Inspection evidence shows that by the end of Key Stage 2 standards in speaking and listening are well above average. Pupils talk fluently and articulately, and use standard English well. They offer extended, well-reasoned argument. Higher attainers make comments which follow up the contributions made by others so that the discussion moves on.

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ENGLISH

80. Reading standards by the end of Key Stage 2 are above average. Pupils read fluently and with expression. They make inferences and deductions from texts, for example, an author’s choice of the word flinty to describe a character was interpreted by pupils as a means of representing the character’s looks and personality as cold , hard and sharp . However, they have an insecure grasp of the types of writing and lack an effective vocabulary for analysing and talking in depth about their preferences for different styles of narrative. The majority of pupils read avidly and can use a range of texts effectively to access information.

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ENGLISH

81. Standards in writing by the end of Key Stage 2 are above average. Pupils write confidently in a range of forms. Poetry writing is very strong. Much of their narrative writing shows a high level of creativity. Pupils use punctuation securely including the use of commas to enhance expression. Rich and varied vocabulary is a feature of their writing. However, attainers lack some of the skills associated with higher attainment levels. They do not make use of compound sentences involving sub-ordinate clauses to add richness and depth to their writing, and are unable to use colons and semi- colons to punctuate their writing. Pupils do not incorporate literary features such as alliteration into their creative writing. Handwriting standards are good. The majority of pupils write with a fluent, joined and frequently individual style. Pupils present their work very well.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils’ attainment at the beginning of Year 1 is above average, and for a significant minority of pupils it is well above average. Progress is generally satisfactory over both key stages so that above average standards are maintained. At Key Stage 1, progress in handwriting, and at Key Stage 2, the progress of higher attainers in writing, are the least well developed. The progress in handwriting skills results from the way the scheme of work is planned. The writing skills of higher attainers are not always sufficiently challenged by the work set so that they do not consistently achieve the standards they could.

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ENGLISH

83. Pupils respond well in lessons at both key stages and work hard. They are enthusiastic, listen carefully and concentrate well. They respond very well to questions and are keen to show the teacher what they know and to communicate their ideas and experiences. They show respect for each other’s views, and work well together in pairs and groups. Pupils with special educational needs respond very well in lessons. Clipston Primary School - 31 84. Teaching and learning are good overall, and very good at Key Stage 1. At Key Stage 1, teachers have strong subject knowledge and the teaching of phonics is very good. The school's involvement in the scheme for teaching phonics is having a significant impact on the progress of pupils’ literacy development and the standards achieved. Teachers manage pupils and time very well so that lessons have good pace and pupils work productively. They use a wide range of methods to ensure that pupils concentrate on

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ENGLISH

their learning, including whole class, small group and individual work. The teachers have an enthusiasm for literature and for language and communicate this strongly to pupils. A strong feature of the teaching is the use of focused questions which engage all pupils and require them to give extended responses. Teachers use a rich vocabulary and expect pupils to do the same. Lesson planning is very good with clear learning objectives. Spelling, punctuation and vocabulary choices are emphasised in all lessons. Links between reading, writing and speaking are made clear to pupils. There is a good balance between the teaching of the mechanics of reading and teaching which focuses on comprehension. Teachers have high expectations of pupils requiring them to find evidence in texts to support their views, for example, about characters. They make effective use of resources especially classroom assistants. Assessment is

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ENGLISH

used very well in order to match tasks to individual pupils.

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ENGLISH

85. Teaching at Key Stage 2 is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding and their enthusiasm for language and books is communicated to pupils. They use a range of methods to ensure that work is matched appropriately to pupils’ learning needs. In reading, the teaching of text work is very good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and use questioning well to extend their thinking and to deepen their interpretation of texts. The teaching of grammar and punctuation is satisfactory. However, during the inspection there was no evidence of pupils’ writing being used as a teaching resource to discuss strengths and weakness and demonstrate how improvements can be made. The marking of written work is satisfactory but does not include targets for improvement. Spelling is taught well and builds on the work done at Key Stage 1; regular spelling tests and homework are a feature at Key Stage 2.

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ENGLISH

86. The teaching of reading is a strength. The school uses a wide range of strategies and methods to ensure that all pupils are taught very well. Involvement in the phonics scheme is a strong feature in the highly effective provision at Key Stage 1. Effective use is made of the information gained from assessment to plan teaching programmes for individual needs. All pupils are taught through whole-class shared reading sessions and guided reading in groups. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read and those who need extra support have additional individual teaching.

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ENGLISH

87. A similar quality of provision does not support the development of pupils’ writing. The use of information from assessment in planning is under-developed, especially for higher attainers. Although marking is generally satisfactory it does not incorporate targets for improvement. While opportunities for the development of speaking and listening are built into all lessons, curriculum planning and assessment arrangements are not in place to ensure that all elements of the National Curriculum programme of study are progressively covered, or to monitor pupils' progress.

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ENGLISH

88. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory. Considerable thought and imagination has been given to implementing the National Literacy Strategy. All elements of the strategy, with the exception of guided writing, have been incorporated effectively into the curriculum. The school now organises teaching groups for literacy Clipston Primary School - 32 on the basis of prior attainment. This is a good development that is having a positive effect on raising standards. Within these teaching groups, the need to plan specifically for differing levels of attainment is not sufficiently recognised. Some monitoring and evaluation of teaching has been undertaken at Key Stage 1 but this has not yet been extended to Key Stage 2, which is a weakness.

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ENGLISH

89. The development of pupils' literacy skills is emphasised by teachers across the curriculum at both key stages. At Key Stage 2, there is a rich and diverse range of opportunities to use language in drama. The school is well resourced with books, and supplements these by using the local authority library service to good effect, although the library itself is an under-developed resource. Visiting theatre in education companies and outside speakers provide a valuable resource for literacy development. The school is a text-rich environment. Displays in classrooms and around the school incorporate a variety of texts for pupils to read. Probing questions and thorough explanations, which achieve extended answers and comments from pupils, are characteristic of much of the school’s teaching. The use of technical language is a feature of lessons across subjects.

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MATHEMATICS

90. In the Key Stage 2 tests in 1999 results were above the national average for all schools. Over the last three years there is a falling trend in the average points achieved by boys and girls. In 1999, this is accounted for by the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the Year 6 group. Boys did better than girls, which is a reverse of the national picture. When compared with similar schools, the results were below average.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Results of the 1999 national tests for Key Stage 1 were very high compared to the results in all schools nationally. These high standards have been maintained over the last three years. The detail of the scores shows a slightly fall over the three years, accounted for by the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the 1999 Year 2 group. When compared to similar schools the results are very much higher than expected. This is excellent.

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MATHEMATICS

92. In the work seen, attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 is above the expected standard, especially in numeracy, and pupils make good progress. Pupils have a good understanding of mental calculation strategies. They understand place value of tens and units, and can count in tens to 100. They understand that 6 rods with a value of 10 each have a total value of 60, and can estimate how many are needed to make a given number below 100. Pupils can mentally calculate with 10s up to 100, for example 60 + 40 = 100. They can multiply by counting forwards and backwards in 2s to 20, counting how many 2s make 18, and developing this into 9 x 2 = 18. Pupils respond rapidly and accurately to mental questions in oral work. They are beginning to understand that multiplication applies to equal addition. They recognise odd and even numbers and can tell the time in hours and half-hours. Pupils with special educational

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MATHEMATICS

needs make good progress; their learning is enhanced by very good teaching and the support provided by learning support assistants. When they begin Year 1 pupils’ attainment is above average. Over the two years of the key stage they sustain this standard of work overall, while in numeracy their progress is very good. Pupils’ achievement is better than expected. Clipston Primary School - 33 93. By the end of Key Stage 2, the work seen shows that attainment is above average, particularly in numeracy. Pupils make satisfactory progress. Their understanding and use of mental calculation strategies are impressive. In data handling , pupils carry out surveys to construct pie charts and line graphs, and use them to interpret data. They estimate the size of angles. They recognise simple equivalent fractions and can answer questions such as how many halves in one-and-a-half. Many pupils understand the principles of probability. All demonstrate rapid recall of calculation facts

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MATHEMATICS

and use good strategies that show their understanding of the number system and its properties. The highest attainers, including one pupil from Year 5, are already working within the higher level 5. For example, they gave quick and accurate mental answers to 3.6 x 10 ?, 1/3 of 90 ?, 7 x 5 ?, 50% of £2 ?, 35 degrees, what angle? 175 degrees what angle? 64 divided by what equals 8 ?, 75% of £1 ?, 8 squared ?, 2/3 of 90 ? Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. However, investigative work is generally not given a high enough priority in lesson planning and there is an over-reliance on work sheets, particularly at Key Stage 2. The standards in the work seen maintain pupils’ above average standards when they begin Year 4 so that they achieve as would be expected. The standards in the work seen suggest that the school’s targets for Key Stage 2 are not challenging enough. Expectations of

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MATHEMATICS

higher attainers are too low. This was reflected in the results of teacher assessments in 1999, which were lower than the test results.

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MATHEMATICS

94. Relationships are good. Teachers manage behaviour very well and pupils display very positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils listen well and respond fully to questions in whole class sessions.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Teaching and learning are good overall, and very good at Key Stage 1. Teaching has embraced the principles of the National Numeracy Strategy, which is taught well. Speaking and listening abilities are developed well in whole class question and answer sessions. At Key Stage 1, teachers plan work that challenges all pupils, including higher attainers and those who have special educational needs, so that their thinking and understanding are extended. This raises standards. At Key Stage 2 the challenge is insufficient for higher attainers and pupils with special educational needs so that pupils do not consistently achieve the standards they could. There is scope for teachers to make greater use of investigative and problem-solving approaches. In the best lessons teachers intervene to deepen pupils’ thinking and build on pupils’ responses to extend their knowledge and understanding. Homework is well used to

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MATHEMATICS

support learning in lessons. Assessment records make a satisfactory contribution to future planning. Day-to-day assessment through the comments teachers make to individual pupils in lessons and the written comments on marked work is not a regular or strong enough feature of lessons. Work in books is marked regularly but is inconsistent in quality; comments aimed specifically at helping pupils to improve their work are infrequent.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Since the last inspection standards and the quality of provision have been maintained. The lack of monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons remains a weakness.

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MATHEMATICS

97. There is sound subject management; the co-ordinator is implementing the training for numeracy effectively and monitors teachers’ plans. The information from national test results is used to help long-term planning, although the school does not monitor results by gender. There are no monitoring arrangements to check that improvement is consistently achieved across the school. The use and development of pupils’ numeracy skills in other subjects is good and mathematical language is used well. Some good examples of measuring and estimation were seen in design and Clipston Primary School - 34 technology. In science, history and geography, graphs are used well, for example, in recording the data collected in the project on wind. In Year 4, pupils drew on their work on rotational symmetry in their work in physical education.

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SCIENCE

98. In 1999, test results at the end of Key Stage 2 were well above the national average for all schools. Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained at this level. Over the last three years, the detail of the results show that the attainment of girls has been stable while for boys there has been a slight fall, accounted for in 1999 by the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the Year 6 group. This is against the background of a national rise. The 1999 results were above average for similar schools. This is good.

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SCIENCE

99. In 1999, the results of teacher assessment at the end of Key Stage 1 were well above the national average. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher level was above the national average. Teacher assessments show that those pupils who attained the higher level did less well in investigative and experimental science than they did in the knowledge-based areas.

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SCIENCE

100. The work seen during the inspection shows that by the end of Key Stage 1 pupils' attainment is above average. Pupils know about a range of physical phenomena and common materials, and can recognise and describe similarities and differences associated with them. They can sort musical instruments using different criteria and link their observations of the sound made by an instrument (long or short) with the material it is made from (metal or wood). They can use their own ideas about how to find the answer to a question. Higher attainers at this stage recognise the need for fair testing and record the results of investigations that involve measurements.

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SCIENCE

101. By the end of Key Stage 2, the work seen shows standards that are above average. Pupils have a very good grasp of scientific vocabulary and a broad and secure base of knowledge. They are developing a secure approach to investigations and to writing reports. Pupils have a very good knowledge and understanding of the properties of solids, liquids and gases and can explain the differences between them using scientific ideas. When working on a given line of enquiry, higher attainers plan their own investigations and evaluate the validity of their conclusions. Pupils designing an investigation into the relative viscosity of a range of liquids were able to suggest a range of approaches. These included how variables could be controlled, and how the measurements they were planning to make would link with the conclusions they would be able to draw. At both key stages pupils use literacy skills, including the use of

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SCIENCE

relevant terminology, to communicate scientific findings clearly. They use mathematical and graphic skills to display and analyse numerical data, although there are insufficient opportunities for this. Pupils use ICT to present this information.

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SCIENCE

102. Pupils’ attainment is above average when they enter Key Stage 1. The work seen shows that above average standards are maintained by the end of each key stage. Pupils make satisfactory progress over both key stages. Their achievement is as would be expected. The work seen shows some increase in the rate of progress in Years 5 and 6 which explains the difference between the standards observed in the current Year 6 work and the 1999 test results. This quality of progress reflected very good teaching. Clipston Primary School - 35 103. Pupils' attitudes to the subject are very good. They enjoy the work, especially practical activities, and are confident, keen and eager to share their thinking and ideas with the teacher and other pupils. Across the year groups pupils handle materials and equipment carefully and work co-operatively in small groups. The enthusiasm with which pupils learn is greatest when they are challenged by the teaching. At Key Stage

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SCIENCE

2, pupils are enthusiastic about the homework tasks set.

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SCIENCE

104. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers make very good use of questioning to probe children's existing knowledge and understanding and to develop their thinking further. This is a strength. Teachers require pupils to give extended answers and introduce them to technical scientific vocabulary. They make use of an appropriate combination of exposition, demonstration, practical activity and investigative work by pupils. They manage time and pupils well to secure a good pace to the lessons. Homework tasks are set for older pupils to consolidate and extend their scientific knowledge and understanding. Helpfully, work is often marked alongside the pupil so that comments can be made directly. Higher attainers at Key Stage 2 are not challenged sufficiently by investigative activities which do not give them opportunities to decide on their own lines of enquiry and test out their own hypotheses; the marking of

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SCIENCE

their reports of investigations does not include comments on how they can improve. The most effective teaching involves the continuous assessment through questioning of what pupils are learning and how their ideas are developing. Where teaching does not build suitably on pupils’ knowledge and understanding, it does not enable pupils to progress sufficiently in their learning.

p.35

SCIENCE

105. Improvements since the last inspection have been good, except for the lack of lesson monitoring by the co-ordinator. The school now has a curriculum co-ordinator who has strong subject knowledge and a clear commitment to the development of the subject and the success of the pupils. The co-ordinator has provided support for teachers and has produced sound schemes of work. There is scope for further improvement in the way curriculum content builds progressively over each year, and between years

p.35

ART

106. There is sufficient evidence from the inspection to report on pupils’ attainment and progress at Key Stage 1, but not at Key Stage 2. There has not been enough improvement on the weaknesses identified at the last inspection; there is still no co- ordinator for art, nor a whole-school overview of the art curriculum. The subject is co- ordinated at Key Stage 1 because there is a co-ordinator for the key stage. This is not true at Key Stage 2.

p.35

ART

107. Good teaching, a well-planned curriculum, and pupils’ positive attitudes help them to learn well at Key Stage 1 so that progress is good and attainment is above the expectation. Pupils achieve better than would be expected in relation to their attainment at the beginning of Year 1. A strength in the planning is the close linking of work about artists and their paintings with the work pupils do themselves. For example, in Year 1, pupils explored spiral shapes in nature and in a painting by Matisse; in Year 2, a close look at Rousseau’s Tropical storm with a tiger led to work on a jungle collage. When discussing spiral shapes, Year 1 pupils drew on their previous learning, for example, commenting that a bracken frond looks like the tail of a sea- horse . Work on display in both classrooms shows good awareness of colour, with some striking African Landscapes by Year 1. Pupils in Year 2 worked confidently

p.35

ART

creating a striped background for the jungle collage, exploring the range of colour blended greens they could produce, and doing so with great care. Colour collages on Clipston Primary School - 36 display show a feel for shape and balance. A strength in the teaching is the high quality of questioning and explaining skills, focused on the story of Henri Rousseau or on the comparison of spiral-looking shapes. This shows very good subject knowledge, used very well, and invites thoughtful and confident exploration by pupils, drawing on work in literacy, numeracy and science. For example, a pupil in Year 1 commented If you turn it round, these lines (verticals) will be (horizontals) not like plants growing .

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ART

108. There is some Key Stage 2 work on display round the school, for example, Faces by Year 6, including pencil drawings, three-dimensional paper sculptures and plaster casts. A portfolio of two-dimensional work has been collected, but not annotated by academic year or year group. In the session timetabled during the inspection, pupils in Year 4 created pencil portraits of the person sitting opposite them. They co-operated in a very friendly spirit as sitter, showing notable personal confidence in maintaining eye- to-eye contact with the artist, and without embarrassment. They applied considerable intellectual effort to the task of close observation, working in a strongly self-evaluative way. Pupils of all attainment levels made good progress during the session. A talented pupil achieved well, skilfully creating a life-like portrayal.

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ART

109. Pupils listen very attentively and make contributions in discussion which are clearly to the point. They often set themselves a good working pace. Relationships are good. Year 2 pupils, at the same table, shared their interest in the greens they were creating by offering a running commentary as they worked.

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ART

110. Since the last inspection good progress has been sustained at Key Stage 1. ICT is now incorporated into art work. However, the weakness in reports to parents persists. The management of the subject has not received attention. While there are planned units of work for Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6, these are not incorporated into a scheme showing progression over the key stage in skills and knowledge of artists. Pupils’ experience of working with three-dimensional materials is limited, particularly at Key Stage 2.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Pupils’ work seen in two lessons, on display, and in the sample provided by the school, shows that attainment is above the expected standard at each key stage. Pupils achieve well at Key Stage 1, making good progress in their work. Over Key Stage 2, their achievement is sound so that they maintain above average standards. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. At Key Stage 1, pupils made good progress designing and making a nursery rhyme card with moving parts, for example Mary, Mary, quite contrary. They made movable flower heads (snowdrops), and a movable spout for a watering-can. For Jack and Jill, the hill was carved out so that water could be seen at the bottom, and the bucket could be moved up and down using a slide. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 explored designs for making a net (one-piece pattern) for constructing a cube; lower attainers found it difficult to distinguish the net from the cube; higher attainers designed a variety of nets. Year 5 pupils checked and improved their designs for producing better packaging than is produced commercially for a soft sweet product. Higher attainers made a cylinder and designed a decorative surface for it. In Year 6, there is a long- standing tradition of needlework classes where pupils work with parents, grandparents

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

and friends of the school. The sessions are productive, as seen in the work on display in the hall, which includes pencil cases and peg bags with cross-stitch patterns, peg Clipston Primary School - 37 dolls made from a variety of materials, and stitch samplers. In the session observed, pupils were engaged in making these products, a group was knitting and another was making a collage.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Pupils show enthusiasm for their work and for evaluating their designs as they go along, re-designing and re-making in order to improve it, as they did with their sweet containers. They are keen to talk about their work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Teaching and learning are good. Lessons are well planned and pupils are managed very well. There is good pace. The teaching stimulates pupils to work hard and do their very best.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. The Key Stage 2 subject teacher works closely with the Key Stage 1 co-ordinator, ensuring that lesson planning and evaluation is rigorous. However, the co-ordinator is not provided with the time to monitor the development of the subject through the school, a weakness persisting from the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

116. Pupils’ work seen on display and in the sample provided by the school, together with three lesson observations, shows that attainment is above the standard expected at Key Stage 1. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. At Key Stage 1, pupils learn about the physical features of an environment that is different from their own through studying the rainforest. They understand canopy and camouflage , commenting that its colours all blend in . They discuss the differences they have found using a variety of sources including maps, and reference books. They use dictionaries to underpin their understanding of geographical terms, for example, looking up the spelling of equator to check the meaning as well as the spelling. There are good links with literacy lessons where pupils read about Jamil’s clever cat , and with art, where they are making a collage of a rainforest.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. At Key Stage 2, the evidence from lessons and pupils’ work shows that attainment is in line with the expected standard at Key Stage 2, with some work at a higher standard. Pupils do not always achieve as much as they could. This is because work is not always matched to their particular attainment, although, sometimes, this is done well. In Year 4 pupils develop their skills knowledge and understanding of geography through a study of the causes and effects of wind. This study is part of a millennium project in conjunction with a national company that is imaginatively conceived. The topic strongly involves ICT; pupils use the Internet to retrieve and present information to the class. They use efficiently a range of equipment; for example, they record data from the maximum and minimum thermometer kept in Stephenson’s Screen and present it through line graphs. A local resident collects the weekend data so that pupils are able

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GEOGRAPHY

to keep continuous records. Higher attainers work with more examples although not more challenging ones. Lower attainers work at a similar level to average attainers. In Years 5 and 6, pupils study the physical and political composition of Europe through learning about capital cities, flags, peoples, and their languages. They explore similarities and differences through discussion, using reference books, and from first hand accounts by children in the class who have been to European countries themselves. 118. Pupils enjoy using maps and learning about places; they are interested and behave well. Older pupils have insufficient opportunities to engage in independent study. Clipston Primary School - 38 119. Teaching and learning are good. Planning is thorough with clearly identified learning targets. Teachers have good questioning skills. They generally express questions and explanations appropriately for pupils’ different levels of attainment. Pupils concentrate

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GEOGRAPHY

well and work hard; older pupils show mature study skills. Their learning is enhanced by their discussion as they work.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. There are weaknesses in the management of the subject. There is no delegated responsibility for the subject, no scheme of work to guide teachers’ planning, and no overview of the quality of pupils’ progress from year to year. This weakness persists from the last inspection.

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HISTORY

121. P upils’ work seen in lessons and in the sample provided by the school, together with three lesson observations, shows that attainment is above the expected standard at Key Stage 1. Pupils achieve well and those with special educational needs make good progress. At Key Stage 1 pupils learn about William and Harold and study the Battle of Hastings . They are beginning to have an in-depth knowledge of castles, for example, the features of motte and bailey castles. They are beginning to understand that castles were built in the past to defend people from enemies. Pupils use historical vocabulary well, such as palisade and drawbridge . They begin to put events from the past in order, and make a collage of these events.

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HISTORY

122. At Key Stage 2, attainment is in line with the standard expected. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. In Years 3 and 4 pupils learn about some of the characteristic features of ancient Athens and Sparta and compare people’s lifestyles in each. They use reference books, CD ROM and the Internet effectively to extend their learning. In Years 5 and 6 pupils study the Victorians and find out what life was like for people of that time. Pupils do not always achieve as well as they could because they are not always sufficiently stretched by the work.

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HISTORY

123. Pupils are interested to find out about the past. Year 1 pupils concentrate very well in class discussion. This showed, for example, in a pupil’s quick-fire question What was that again in order to check the word palisade ; and in the comment by a higher attainer The castle I saw had none of those things .

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HISTORY

124. Teaching overall is satisfactory. In the best practice there is secure subject knowledge which is used to very good effect in leading discussion; the teacher ensures that pupils clearly understand the lesson objectives and there are good opportunities for group work. However, not all work is planned to match pupils’ different attainment levels which limits the progress made. Some good use is made of the library lending service to provide books to support topic work. A series of visits supports learning in history, for example, pupils visit Holdenby House, a local museum, to participate, in costume, in a Victorian day.

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HISTORY

125. There are weaknesses in the management of the subject: the co-ordinator does not have an adequate overview of the quality of pupils’ progress from year to year, and there is no monitoring of teaching. This weakness persists from the last inspection. Clipston Primary School - 39

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Work in lessons, on display, in the sample provided by the school and the files of work kept by teachers, together with one lesson observation, shows that pupils make satisfactory progress across the school, including those with special educational needs. Standards are in line with those expected nationally at each stage. The fact that many have access to ICT facilities at home contributes to the progress they are able to make in the subject. Pupils use ICT with developing confidence and independence, and with increasing understanding of the characteristics of equipment, software and the Internet. As they work individually or in pairs, they develop fluency in basic operations using the keyboard and mouse. They acquire skills in using menus, and in positioning the cursor when editing text. Progress is most marked when teachers focus on specific ICT skills in their planning and monitor pupils’ achievement; there are some good teacher records

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

at Key Stage 1. The progress of younger pupils and pupils with special education needs is also marked when their learning is supported by a classroom assistant.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

127. Pupils use ICT in a wide range of subjects. Many use computers at home to word process pieces of writing they have done in English and other subjects. In English, at both key stages, they use word-processing packages to present stories and poems and to produce the front covers for folders of work. In the reception class, pupils use the computer to support their learning in English. Pupils at Key Stage 1 use information- handling software to produce graphs and charts; they use paint and draw programs to produce seaside pictures or to design a house in design technology. In geography and science, pupils at Key Stage 2 use information-handling programs to process and present the data they have collected from surveys and investigations; this develops from the use of simple graphing software to more sophisticated and varied representations. Pupils use the Internet each day to obtain weather forecast

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

information linked to their work in geography; they use a variety of search engines to locate information for their work in science, for example, about the moon and about animals. At both key stages, pupils use ICT to develop their learning in mathematics, although this was not seen happening during the inspection. As they move up the school, pupils use a growing range of software applications and acquire new ICT knowledge and skills, for example, different formats and font styles and sizes. They can create an impact on the page using different orientations of the text and different colours, and through graphic images. A Year 4 pupil spoke very confidently, and with a good level of knowledge and understanding, about how she was trying different search engines to locate the information she was looking for.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

128. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the applications they have used. They behave and concentrate well when using computers, and are thoughtful and considerate when sharing equipment. They work co-operatively in pairs, and help each other to overcome the difficulties they encounter when using search engines to surf the Internet. Higher attainers show high levels of enthusiasm when using lap top computers to write programs to control traffic light sequences.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

129. In the lesson seen, teaching and learning were very good. Particular lesson strengths were clear learning targets and demanding work at a rapid pace. Pupils had a clear idea about how they were progressing and how to make improvements.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

130. Improvements since the last inspection have been good. Development of the subject has been effectively managed. The entire school community, including parents, has worked hard, and with great success, to provide pupils with the facilities they need to develop ICT skills. Each class now has its own stand-alone computer with access to a Clipston Primary School - 40 variety of appropriate software. In addition, a multimedia computer, connected via an ISDN line to the Internet, is available to all pupils. Teachers have attended training, and have increased their own ICT skills. The school is currently evaluating the range of ICT training available in order to use New Opportunities Funding to the best advantage.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

131. The ICT curriculum ensures that all pupils have opportunities to develop their skills in using ICT as a tool across subjects. Pupils have access to a satisfactory quantity and quality of hardware and software. Where the school does not have the facilities or the appropriate degree of teacher competence to support pupils' learning adequately, it has secured effective links with a secondary school to provide these. National Curriculum requirements are met except for the use of spreadsheets for investigations, and the use of control technology in years other than Year 6. However, there is a lack of whole-school planning that identifies the skills which pupils are expected to acquire in each year, and assessment arrangments are insufficiently developed. The lack of monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning is limiting the quality of pupils’ learning, a weakness persisting from the last inspection.

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MUSIC

132. The work observed in music included one lesson at Key Stage 1 and two at Key Stage 2, recorder club and violin lessons, as well as singing in assemblies and as part of music and reflection . Progress is good over Key Stage 1 so that pupils reach standards above those expected. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 sing with great enjoyment and much effort, sometimes with excitement. They show a good level of accuracy in pitching, make the words very clear, and shape phrases expressively. Those chosen to play small percussion instruments in an assembly story-with-music played their patterns rhythmically and timed their start well. Pupils listen very attentively and are responsive to the qualities of the music they hear. This shows in the way they enter the hall for assembly while music is playing, and in the comments they make about music. For example, after listening to The Carnival of the Animals , a Year 1 pupil

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MUSIC

commented on The Aviary, it’s fluttery music , and several described The Elephant as plodding .

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MUSIC

133. At Key Stage 2, pupils generally make satisfactory progress and meet the standards expected. Instrumentalists do not achieve as well as they could because, in class lessons, they do not work with the instruments they play. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to their peers, sometimes showing a higher level of musical awareness. Boys and girls sing with enthusiasm and enjoyment, sharing this with smiles to the person next to them. The experience contributes to the sense of community and reflects it. Pupils make a good sound and sing very rhythmically, sustaining the skills developed at Key Stage 1. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 sang with infectious delight at a Thursday afternoon assembly, maintaining the quality of tone through some roof-raising moments. Recorder playing is good. Pupils in Year 4 play confidently and accurately; they tune in to each other well so that group playing

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MUSIC

has an attractive sound. They show good control of tempo and phrase well. In Year 5, pupils created sounds to go with a story. They played their parts confidently, knowing the cues. One group created a well-shaped piece using their chosen sound patterns expressively. Pupils do not achieve as well in composing as they do in performing. By Year 6, pupils show sound listening skills. When listening to a piece they know, King of Kings , pupils draw on their experience of it when identifying where the tempo changes; they comment on the effect of the change and say why they think it changed when it did. Clipston Primary School - 41 134. Teaching and learning are good. Pupils enjoy music activities, work hard, and respond effectively to teachers’ coaching and direction. Teachers’ good questioning and explaining skills invite thoughtful and effortful learning by pupils of all attainment levels in whole-class activities. Technical language is used effectively by teachers and pupils.

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MUSIC

Pupils put notable effort into singing, stimulated by the singing leadership and high expectations of a number of adults. Group composing and performing activities, however, are not planned to build sufficiently on pupils’ instrumental skills on recorder or strings. This limits progress, although offering good opportunities for collaborative working, independently of the teacher, to which pupils respond very well.

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MUSIC

135. Since the last inspection the quality of provision and of pupils’ response has been maintained. There has been a period in which music co-ordination was the responsibility of a part-time teacher, which limited the extent of development work. This is particularly true in composing. The music co-ordinator, now full-time, is providing good leadership for developing the music curriculum, but has no opportunity to monitor and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, or those in the teaching, in order to identify priorities for improvement and training. Arrangments for assessment are insufficiently developed. There is no use of ICT in music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Inspection evidence shows that pupils achieve very high standards at Key Stage 1, very much better than expected in relation to their attainment at the beginning of Year 1. There is not enough evidence to judge the standards at Key Stage 2. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress when they are supported by classroom assistants. Pupils develop skills in using their bodies to create controlled sequences, and in refining their movement using different levels, tensions, balance points and directions. They develop their ability to use space effectively. Pupils make links with learning in other subjects. For example, in Year 4, some linked their work in gymnastics to work on rotational symmetry covered earlier in mathematics. Progress is best when the teacher makes it clear to pupils what they have to do to make improvements, and when the pupils have opportunities to evaluate their own level of

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

skill. The standard achieved is highest when teaching incorporates demonstration, by the teacher and pupils, alongside some analysis, using technical vocabulary, of how the quality was achieved. The quality of learning is highest when lessons have clear learning targets, when pupils have a good understanding of the targets, and when the teaching is enthusiastic and lively.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Pupils show a high level of commitment to improve their skills when they are challenged and inspired by the teaching. They show delight in using their bodies in controlled, creative sequences of movement that they have worked out for themselves. They respond enthusiastically to the physical demands of the subject.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Particular strengths at Key Stage 1 are excellent management of pupils and use of support staff, lively pace and very good use of assessment to help pupils improve. Weaknesses at Key Stage 2 are a lack of clear learning targets and evaluative comments on the work so that pupils have a clear idea about what they are trying to achieve and how to go about it well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Not enough improvement has been made since the last inspection. The school does not have a co-ordinator for physical education to provide the necessary support and guidance for developing the quality of teaching in the subject. There are no Clipston Primary School - 42 arrangements in place to monitor and evaluate the development of physical education teaching in the school or to track the attainment of pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Curriculum planning ensures that, over the key stages, a balance of activities is provided. Swimming is included. There are opportunities for pupils to participate in a limited range of competitive extra-curricular activities arranged with local schools, in teams for soccer, netball and athletic sports. The school is striving to develop the range of activities offered. However, planning does not ensure that pupils' physical skills build steadily in all aspects of the subject. Nor does it provide teachers with clear learning objectives so that teaching can be well targeted and pupils’ progress suitably assessed.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. The work seen in pupils’ books, in one lesson at Key Stage 2 and in a Year 6 play in assembly shows that pupils achieve standards above those expected by the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. The evidence is insufficient to report separately on Key Stage 1. Pupils achieve well, supported in exploring issues of meaning and value by their good linguistic skills and by very good questioning from the teacher. They show good knowledge of some major world religions and good understanding of the meaning in religious stories. Year 6 pupils presented their own play combining the creation story with the story of Noah, which showed thoughtful consideration of moral values and how these affect people’s lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. Pupils’ have very positive attitudes to the subject. They show mature enjoyment when taking part in a class play-reading about the Easter story, sharing their pleasure in the experience. They listen very attentively to each other. Pupils concentrate well and their behaviour is exemplary. Pupils in Year 6 presented their play confidently in assembly .

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. Teaching is sound, with particular strength in questioning skills. Literacy skills are well emphasised. Pupils show mature work attitudes, setting about the writing task systematically. They took part in the play reading and discussion with effort so that they learned well. Pupils’ books at Key Stage 2 show that the scheme of work is not consistently followed up by lesson planning which matches work to pupils’ levels of attainment, so that higher and lower attainers are not always suitably stretched by the tasks set. ICT is used for presenting work, for example, poems on creation.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. Since the last inspection, library resources for religious education have improved to include, for example, video materials on the major world religions. Arrangements for assessment are insufficiently developed. The lack of monitoring of teaching and learning persists.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. There is a good scheme of work that follows the locally agreed syllabus and reflects the importance the school attaches to the subject. Assemblies make a strong contribution to religious education.

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