Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th – 15 th March 2001

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SCHOOL

Full 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. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 3 - March 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery, Infant and Junior

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: High Street Stonebroom Alfreton Derbyshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs. J Potts

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1997 Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 4 - March 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 11565 Mrs. J E Platt Registered inspector English Music Art and design Physical education English as an additional language What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve? 9399 Mr. R Watts Lay inspector 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? 22740 Mrs. M Leah Team inspector Science Religious education Design and technology Areas of learning for children in the foundation stage Equal opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 5 - March 2001 31201 Mrs. A Crook Team inspector Mathematics Information and communicatio n technology Geography History Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 6 - March 2001

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 31

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 7 - March 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School is smaller than average primary schools having 172 boys and girls on the roll. The area served by the school is economically and socially slightly less favoured than the overall picture nationally. Thirty per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is above the national average. Currently, 30 per cent of pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs and this is higher than normally seen. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. One pupil has a formal statement of need and this is below average. The school has a low number of pupils (0.5 per cent) learning English through an additional language. Children enter the school with a wide range of abilities, though the general level is slightly below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an improving school that provides its pupils with an effective education in a happy and friendly society. Teaching is good for children in the foundation stage 1 pupils under five and satisfactory in the infant and junior classes. As a result, much is achieved in the nursery and reception class and children get a good start to their education. By the time they leave school, pupils reach high standards in mathematics and reading and this is a significant achievement for many pupils. Standards in most other subjects are satisfactory. Standards in writing and religious education are below average and pupils are not achieving as well as they should in these subjects. The new headteacher’s leadership is strong and with the support of the deputy headteacher, staff and governors he has established a clear direction for the school. The cost of running the school is high and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards at the end of Year 6 are good in mathematics and reading. • The stimulating teaching in the nursery and reception class leads to good learning in these classes. • The headteacher provides very good leadership and is having a positive impact on the school. He has already earned the respect and support of all. • The provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good and this leads to good behaviour and a caring community. • The school is making good efforts to involve parents in their children’s education.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in writing and religious education. • Planning of the curriculum to ensure all subjects receive sufficient attention. • The use of assessment to inform curriculum planning and to enable progress to be checked continuously throughout the school. • Provision for pupils to learn about the richness and diversity of other cultures. • The governing body’s oversight of long term financial planning. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress and resolved the weaknesses identified in the previous inspection in February 1997. Standards have improved in most subjects including mathematics, reading, science and information and communication technology. Insufficient progress has been made in writing although the school has been involved in a writing project that has shown positive results in raising pupils’ standards. Teaching has improved and teachers now have clear guidelines to inform their planning. The school has addressed the concerns raised at the previous inspection. Management is effective and the school has a clear direction for the school recorded in a detailed and costed development plan. The

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 Foundation stage is the education provided for children from entry to the nursery to the end of the reception class. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 8 - March 2001 school’s aims have been reviewed. The new mission statement ‘striving together to maintain the highest standards in every area of school life for everyone’ is evident in the positive ethos in the school.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: All schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English A E C A well above average above average A B Mathematics A E D C Average below average C D Science A D C B well below average E

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STANDARDS

These results show that in 2000 pupils left school with standards in line with the national average in English and science and in mathematics standards were below the national average. Compared to similar schools a more positive picture emerges with results being well above average in English, above average in science and average in mathematics. These results show standards have fluctuated since 1999 and this is typical of a small school. Trends over time have been in line with the national trend. Currently the work seen in Year 6 shows standards are similar to the test results in English and science with pupils achieving well and reaching the standards expected for their age. Reading is a strong aspect and standards are good. Considering the low level of entry of many pupils this is a significant achievement. Standards in writing are below average and pupils are not achieving as well as they should.

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STANDARDS

One of the main reasons for this has been the changes in staffing and this has prevented pupils developing the required grammar, punctuation and handwriting skills. By the end of Year 6, standards in mathematics are good. This is an improvement on the test results and reflects improved teaching and the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. Many pupils start school with limited mathematical skills and this high standard represents a good level of achievement. The school has set challenging targets for English and mathematics and is well placed to achieve them.

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STANDARDS

In 2000 results of national tests for seven-year olds were well above average in reading and mathematics both compared to all schools and similar schools. The numbers of pupils exceeding the national average was very high. This was not the case in writing and standards were well below average with no pupils reaching beyond the level expected for their age. Standards have been generally above average since 1998 except in writing. Results vary from year to year because of the low number of pupils in the classes. The pupils in the present Years 2 have had their learning disturbed in Year 1 by staff changes and standards seen are not as high. Currently standards in reading and mathematics are average. Overall achievement is satisfactory but fewer pupils are achieving standards that are above average. Standards in writing are below average. Most pupils are achieving well enough but there is underachievement for higher attaining pupils. Teacher assessment for science in 2000 was above

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STANDARDS

average. Standards seen are not as high and are satisfactory. This does not represent a fall in standards but reflects the difference in ability between separate year groups. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 9 - March 2001 In religious education pupils standards are below those recommended in the Locally Agreed Syllabus as the curriculum is not fully covered. Standards in information and communication technology are satisfactory. In history topics have not been taught in sufficient depth and standards at the end of Year 6 are below those of pupils of similar age. In all other subjects standards are wholly satisfactory.

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STANDARDS

Children in the foundation stage 2 make good progress. They reach high standards in their personal, social and emotional development and reach the recommended level for their age in other areas of learning.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils are enthusiastic about their school and very proud of recent improvements. Pupils have good attitudes to work although presentation in Years 3 to 6 is not always as good as it could be.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good throughout the school and in lessons. Behaviour is often excellent in assemblies.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Social development is central to the school and relationships are good and pupils enjoy working together on group activities.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is below average and the school has implemented new procedures to address this problem.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching and learning in the foundation stage are good and are satisfactory in the infants and juniors. On balance the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. In 57 per cent of lessons seen teaching was good and better. It was very good or better in 17 per cent of lessons seen and excellent in one lesson. Teaching was satisfactory in all other lessons except for one that was unsatisfactory. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection and is one of the major reasons for the improvement in standards.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of numeracy is good. In mathematics lessons teachers include practical activities and use questions effectively to draw out from pupils different ways to solve a problem. As a result pupils learn from each other and this increases their learning. Overall, the teaching of English is satisfactory. The teaching of reading is good. Pupils learn to read quickly and confidently because teachers help them to understand how to tackle new words. Pupils also use their knowledge of letters and sounds in their writing but teachers do not always provide enough opportunities for independent writing and this hampers pupils’ progress.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is satisfactory for pupils with special educational needs and this leads to satisfactory progress. Support staff offer effective support to help pupils in lessons. Pupils learning through English

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

2 Foundation stage is the education provided for children from entry to the nursery to the end of the reception class. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 10 - March 2001 as an additional language are fully included in lessons and make satisfactory progress.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

There was a number of strengths evident in the teaching and learning seen, most noticeably in the foundation stage, Year 2 and in the mixed Year 4 and 5 class and pupils. Pupils learn at a faster rate in these classes as teachers plan a range of interesting activities to make learning fun and pupils are more enthusiastic to learn. A positive feature in the foundation stage is the challenging tasks that fire the enthusiasm of the younger children and much is learnt in their early years. Throughout the school teachers have good relationships with their pupils. This leads to positive management and behaviour is good. Teachers are confident teaching information and communication technology and provide opportunities for pupils to practise these skills in other subjects. A weakness in teaching is brief lesson plans that do not always make it clear what pupils are to learn in lessons. Consequently, it is difficult for

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

teachers to assess learning in lessons. Occasionally, this leads to tasks being set that are too easy or too hard and this hampers pupils’ learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is satisfactory and gives good attention to numeracy and literacy. The full requirements for religious education are not taught. Planning for the mixed age classes is not monitored closely to make sure pupils do not repeat or miss out important topics. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. They make satisfactory progress towards the targets set for them. Support is provided in lessons although occasionally tasks do not match their ability and this hampers their progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision for these pupils is satisfactory and teachers include them in all lessons. At times a closer check is needed to make sure they fully understand the purpose of the set tasks.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Overall provision is good. Provision for moral and social development is very good because staff expect a lot of the pupils and promote a community based on friendship, care for each other and fair play. Insufficient attention is given to cultural development, noticeably to teaching pupils about life in a multi-cultural society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good procedures exist to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety. As yet the school does not make enough use of assessment information to track pupils’ progress or to adjust the curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has effective links with parents. Parents are consulted about new developments and information about what is happening in school and children’s progress is good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership from the headteacher is very good and he has already done much to improve the school. He is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and the school is well placed to move forward.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil Governors fulfil most of their statutory duties although the curriculum for religious education does not fulfil requirements. They are increasing their Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 11 - March 2001 their responsibilities awareness of what the school is achieving.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school satisfactorily evaluates its performance but as yet does not make full use of the assessment data available to remedy weaknesses.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Financial planning has not been sufficiently rigorous. This has led to a large surplus and specific grants not being put to good use. Improved systems are now in place to ensure resources are used efficiently to the benefit of the pupils.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Overall leadership and management are good. Financial control is now on a more secure footing with spending linked closely to school priorities. The school overall obtains suitable value for money when considering spending decisions and is focusing more on the principles of best value.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There are enough staff suitably trained and experienced. Accommodation is satisfactory and much has been done to improve the interior of the building. Resources are satisfactory although equipment for information and communication technology, religious education and design and technology are barely adequate.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school. • They feel comfortable approaching the school for help. • Good progress is made in school. • Teaching is good and children are expected to work hard. • The school is helping children to become mature. • The school is well led and managed. • The range and number of activities arranged outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views. New clubs have started and the school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 12 - March 2001

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children enter school standards are below average. In response to consistently good teaching and a stimulating curriculum children make good progress in the nursery and the reception class. Pupils reach the early learning goals 3 in their communication, language and literacy and mathematical development and this represents good achievement for these children. The school places considerable emphasis on extending children’s social and independent skills. As a result, standards in their personal, social and emotional skills exceed the early learning goal. This is a significant achievement for many children. Children achieve well enough in their knowledge and understanding of the world and their creative and physical development and reach the early learning goals by the end of the reception class.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. At the end of Year 2, the most recent test results (2000) show standards were well above the national average in reading and mathematics. When compared to similar schools, standards were well above average in mathematics and even higher in reading where the school’s results were in the top five per cent of schools across the country. These high standards were not seen in writing and test results were well below the national average and below the average seen in similar schools. The reason for the poor results in writing was that no pupils exceeded the national average and this kept overall standards down. Since 1998 standards have remained above average except for the drop in writing in 2000.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The work of the present Year 2 shows standards are average in reading and mathematics. Taking into consideration pupils’ attainment as they enter Year 1, these standards represent a sound level of achievement for the majority of pupils. These results are somewhat lower than the national test results, partly because of disruption to learning caused by staffing changes. Also, in this size of school considerable variations from year to year are to be expected. Standards are below average in writing and this is similar to the national test results with no pupils exceeding the expected level for their age. Although the vast majority of pupils are achieving well enough, the higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged and they are underachieving. The skills of independent writing were particularly badly affected by the staffing problems. With the good teaching now evident in Year 2 these pupils are

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

quickly closing the gaps in their learning. Trends are expected to rise again now the school has a stable staffing situation.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The results of Year 6 in the national tests (2000) were in line with the national average in English and science. Compared to similar schools a very positive picture appears in English where standards were well above average and in science where they were above average. Results in mathematics were below the national average but were average compared to schools with similar intakes. Variations caused by a small school are more apparent for this age group and results have fluctuated considerably since 1998. Taking into consideration test results in all subjects, the trend has been broadly in line with the national trend. In English and mathematics there has been a

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 Early learning goals are the expectations for most children to reach by the end of the foundation stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with the following six areas of learning: communication language and literacy; mathematical development; personal and social development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 13 - March 2001 gradual increase in the proportion of pupils exceeding the national average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Current standards in mathematics in Year 6 show an improvement and are now above the national average. These standards represent a good level of achievement for the majority of pupils and a significant achievement for pupils reaching standards above average. This is mainly due to good teaching of numeracy skills following the successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. Also in Years 3 to 6 pupils are grouped according to their ability. This has led to teachers setting more challenging work and this has raised pupils’ standards. Standards in English are satisfactory overall. Pupils make good progress in reading and reach good standards. As in Years 1 and 2, pupils’ progress in writing has been hampered by staffing changes and pupils are underachieving and standards are below average. Pupils are achieving well in science and standards are satisfactory and reflect the results of national tests.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The targets set for pupils in English and mathematics are appropriately challenging. The school has identified the improvement in mathematics and raised their targets and the school is well placed to achieve this level. The targets in English are achievable in reading but reflect what pupils might be expected to achieve if they work hard and improve the quality of their writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils with special educational needs receive satisfactory support in lessons and are making satisfactory progress. On occasions their learning is hampered by tasks being set that do not match their previous learning. In Years 1 and 2, teachers ensure pupils who are learning through English as an additional language are fully involved in all activities and they are making satisfactory progress. Occasionally they need more attention to check they have fully understood the purpose behind the activities and are achieving as much as possible. The school uses assessment to identify any highly gifted or talented pupils. In mathematics a very small number of pupils have been provided with work at a much higher level and this has led to good progress being made. Test results in recent years have indicated that girls are not performing as well as boys. However, this is a fluctuating pattern and there was no evidence of any

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In work seen in English during the inspection standards are average in speaking and listening, good in reading and below average in writing. Overall standards have remained the same since the last inspection and reading has improved by the end of Year 6. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 speak clearly although in class discussions a few pupils call out, rather than waiting for their turn to talk. Pupils listen closely to stories and each other. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good knowledge of letters and use this well in reading new words. They do not read widely, preferring the books in the school’s reading scheme. There has been a marked improvement in standards by the end of Year 6 and many pupils are now enthusiastic readers having clear preferences of author and type of story. As at the time of the last inspection standards in writing are below average. Pupils in Year 2 write unaided but many have not acquired

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

sufficient skills to enable them to write at length. Progress is unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6 and many pupils lack sufficient confidence to write a well structured and interesting piece of writing. Handwriting of many is immature and pupils do not have a fluent, joined-up script. Reading is used to support learning in other subjects, such as in information and communication technology (ICT) when pupils research information using the Internet. Writing is used to record results in science but the presentation is weak. Pupils lack sufficient opportunities to extend their writing skills in other subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. In mathematics the previous inspection identified satisfactory standards at the end of Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 14 - March 2001 Year 2 and these standards have been maintained. Standards have improved significantly at the end of Year 6 and are now good. Numeracy skills are taught successfully. In Year 2 pupils use these skills well to solve problems. They are confident explaining the methods used in their calculations. By the end of Year 6, pupils use mathematical vocabulary correctly to explain how they calculate the areas and perimeters of irregular shapes. Pupils have good skills of mental calculation. These skills are used to support learning in other subjects. For example, when learning how to use spreadsheets on the computer or recording their science results using graphs.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Standards in science have improved and far more attention is now given to investigation. Pupils in Year 2 confidently set up investigations and compare their results and discover, for example, what a plant needs to grow. These skills are extended in Years 3 to 6 and pupils understand that you need to check carefully to ensure that the principle of fair testing is followed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. In response to the introduction of detailed planning guidelines and training for teachers, the standards in ICT have improved. Standards are satisfactory at the end of Years 2 and 6. Pupils program a floor robot and use word processing skills to support learning in other subjects. Pupils research for information using the Internet and send e-mails to other schools.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. Standards in religious education have fallen since the last inspection and pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Pupils have a sound knowledge of relationships and life experiences but have limited knowledge of major world faiths other than Christianity. The curriculum for religious education does not give enough attention to this aspect of the subject.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

13. Standards by the end of Year 6 have improved since the last inspection in geography and music and standards are now satisfactory. Standards in history remain below what is expected for pupils by the end of Year 6 as the curriculum does not allow for pupils to study topics in sufficient depth. In all other subjects standards are wholly satisfactory.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. As at the time of the previous inspection pupils have good attitudes to school. In the opinion of parents, virtually all of them enjoy school. This is borne out by conversations with pupils. They are particularly aware of the improvement in the environment this term, for example, the new library, and in their enjoyment of mathematics. In the nursery, children come with their parents and quickly go to one of the well-set-out activity areas and become engrossed. When staff are running a particular activity, the children crowd round, eager to participate and learn. In the reception class, children listen carefully to the teacher and are keen to answer questions. In the rest of the school, almost all pupils are keen to get to their classrooms in the morning or after break times. Teachers can start lessons promptly because pupils are keen to ‘get on with it’. During lesson introductions, they are

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

attentive, keen to answer questions and often contribute perceptive comments, particularly when stimulated by good or better teaching. In a few lessons, however, pupils tend to be restless and some ‘switch off’ when the teacher is talking, or require to be continually reminded to pay attention. In Years 3 to 6 pupils, do not always give sufficient attention to the presentation of their work. Most pupils move quickly to start their individual or group work because they enjoy it and are keen to learn more. In general, pupils concentrate well but, because they are not always sufficiently Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 15 - March 2001 encouraged, they do not often work independently to solve problems encountered. They are enthusiastic about doing things outside the classroom, and often volunteer to help when they see things that need doing. They take a full part in the extra- curricular activities offered.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ behaviour is good. In lessons a quiet word is sometimes necessary to keep pupils focussed on their activity but generally teachers need to spend very little time on this and can concentrate fully on their teaching. However, sometimes pupils, particularly younger ones, call out answers and this prevents the teacher finding out what pupils know. Their behaviour in assemblies is always good and sometimes exemplary. As they move around the school, pupils are careful and aware of the needs of others. The dining hall gives pupils good experience of social interaction in a calm atmosphere. Pupils have had the opportunity to discuss the reasons behind school rules with the result that they fully accept their validity. There were no exclusions of pupils from the school last year. Pupils treat school resources and the property of others with care, and books are valued.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The personal development of pupils and relationships within the school are good. The productive rapport between adults and pupils is a noticeable feature of most lessons. In the past, there have been frequent changes of staff and parents felt that pupils did not always feel settled. In most classes they are now much more secure and understand what is acceptable behaviour. Children in the foundation stage are confident with their teachers and other staff and respond by giving of their best. Within lessons, pupils work well to support each other, discussing problems and making suggestions to each other about improving their work. For example, in a mixed Year 4 and 5 art lesson, the sharing of ideas on decorating containers resulted in a steady development of innovation, which spread across the class. Pupils willingly accept responsibilities offered in class and around the school. They often identify

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

what needs to be done and compete to be allowed to help. They recognise that, although theirs is largely a mono-cultural school, other ways of life and beliefs exist and that they should be tolerant. However, this tolerance is not sufficiently supported by knowledge of others’ cultures. Pupils on the school council have mature attitudes towards their responsibilities, which are currently focussed on improving even more behaviour and politeness around the school. In the playground, pupils of all ages play well together and there are very few even minor incidents of conflict, either deliberate or accidental. No incidents of racism, bullying or social exclusion were observed during the inspection. Pupils confirmed that these were rare.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance last year was unsatisfactory and unauthorised absence was high. Under new monitoring procedures, all parents are contacted immediately if their child is absent without reason. As a result attendance is improving with a reduction in the number of unauthorised absences. The vast majority of pupils are punctual. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 16 - March 2001

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching and learning in the foundation stage 4 are good and in the infants and juniors are satisfactory. On balance, the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory and has many good features. In 57 per cent of lessons seen teaching was good or better. It was very good or better in 17 per cent. Excellent teaching was seen in one geography lesson in Year 6. Teaching was satisfactory in the rest of the lessons seen except for one when teaching was unsatisfactory. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection when teaching in 29 per cent of the lessons seen was unsatisfactory. The best teaching seen during the current inspection was in the foundation stage and in Year 2 and the mixed Year 4 and 5 class. Tasks are set that interest pupils and this leads to pupils learning at a faster rate in these classes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching in the foundation stage is good and often very good. Teaching was good or better in 91 per cent of lessons seen and satisfactory in the rest. This enables pupils to achieve well in relation to their low level of attainment as they start school. One of the most positive features in the teaching is the warm relationship established with the children. All efforts are celebrated and this leads to pupils growing in confidence and self-esteem. Planning is thorough and a rich variety of activities capture the children’s interest so that learning is fun. A suitable emphasis is placed on developing children’s social skills and they quickly gain in confidence to do a range of tasks for themselves. The friendly atmosphere in the foundation stage and the well organised sessions develop an enthusiasm for learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Throughout the rest of the school teachers have a secure knowledge of most of the subjects they teach. This is particularly evident in reading, where an active approach to teaching letters and sounds results in pupils quickly grasping this knowledge and using it effectively in their early reading. This knowledge is built on in Years 3 to 6 as pupils use a range of interesting texts that lead to many pupils becoming enthusiastic readers. Writing is not taught as effectively and pupils are not provided with sufficient opportunities to practise their skills in other subjects. The teaching of numeracy skills is good. Lively introductions and quick mental activities lead pupils to gain skills of mental calculation and problem solving. Since the last inspection teachers have grown in confidence teaching ICT and offer effective advice as pupils are working on computers. Only in religious education do teachers lack sufficient subject knowledge

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

and insufficient attention is given to teaching pupils about other faiths and cultures. The unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection was in religious education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Planning for lessons is satisfactory. Plans are more detailed in mathematics and English as the school follows the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies and include more details in their plans. Plans are brief for other subjects and learning outcomes are not always clear. Teachers have started to improve this and often have the intended outcomes of the lesson on display and share them with the pupils. This is good practice but on occasions the language used to describe the outcome was difficult for pupils to understand and so they were unclear about the focus of the lesson.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

4 Foundation stage is the education provided for children from entry into the nursery to the end of the reception class. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 17 - March 2001 22. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and attitudes to work. At the end of most lessons effort as well as achievement is celebrated. In mathematics, teachers have high expectations of attainment and ask questions and set tasks that challenge pupils and they learn at a faster rate. This is not as effective in other lessons when occasionally extension activities are not available to fully extend learning. Teachers’ expectations of presentation are good in mathematics but not as good in writing and this leads to work being untidy.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The previous inspection identified a weakness in the range of teaching strategies used in Yeas 1 and 2. There has been significant improvement in this aspect of teaching. In Years 1 and 2, teachers often include a range of practical activities that maintain pupils’ enthusiasm and increase their learning. This is notably good when teaching letters and numbers when games quickly grasp pupils’ interest as they all join in with the tasks. Throughout the school teachers include group and partner work so that pupils help each other and this increases their self esteem. A weakness remains in history in Years 3 to 6 when insufficient attention is given to using artefacts to develop pupils’ historical skills. In the previous inspection teachers failed to provide sufficient opportunity for investigation in science. This has now been resolved and science lessons include opportunities to experiment and standards in this aspect of

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Management of pupils is consistently good throughout the school and lessons are conducted in a purposeful, orderly way. Teachers base their discipline on the good relationships that are firmly established throughout the school.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

25. Support staff are usually effectively deployed in class. This is beneficial for pupils with special educational needs. Resources throughout the school are generally used well to support learning. For example, in art and design in Years 4 and 5 the teacher had provided a range of resources and ideas that caught pupils’ imagination and their finished work was colourful and attractive. This was less successful in Year 6 when the lack of a visual stimulus in art led to pupils being unsure about the methods artists use to create movement in their pictures. A weakness in religious education is the lack of a range of artefacts to teach pupils about other religions and pupils have limited knowledge of other faiths and traditions. Time is used well in most lessons. In the excellent lesson seen the teacher set time constraints to complete tasks and this led to a busy learning atmosphere with pupils being determined to complete their

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. The quality of teaching is at its weakest in the use of assessment. There is no consistent approach in the school for teachers to identify what it is pupils have learnt in lessons. This means that although the majority of lessons have sufficient challenge and new learning in them, tasks are not always matched accurately to pupils’ abilities and prior learning. This slows the rate of pupils’ learning. This problem is aggravated in Years 3 to 6 when pupils are grouped for literacy. This means that teachers are not always fully aware of the progress pupils in their class are making in literacy. As a result, writing tasks are set in other subjects that do not challenge pupils and expectations are not high enough. Marking overall is satisfactory and teachers include comments that encourage pupils. However, it is inadequate when poorly presented or incorrect work is not challenged. Marking does not always tell pupils how they can

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

improve and as a result pupils do not learn from their mistakes and this hampers their progress. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 18 - March 2001 27. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory and teachers try to ensure the full involvement of all pupils in lessons. This is usually successful, although teachers do not always plan work at a level to meet the needs of the pupils and this hampers their learning. This was a difficulty in English in Year 6 when the task was too difficult and the pupils had to rely too much on adult support and this hindered their learning in the lesson. In Years 1 and 2, teachers are aware of the pupils learning through English as an additional language and involve them in class discussions. However, they do not always check that pupils have completely understood the purpose behind the tasks set. This leads to some copying without fully

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

appreciating what it is they are learning in the lesson.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

28. A satisfactory amount of work is set for pupils to complete at home although this is not always on a regular basis. Parents support pupils’ reading at home and this has a positive impact on the good standards in reading. The additional work set to improve writing in Year 6 was successful in raising standards but this is not as yet a regular feature of the school.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. The school’s provision for children in the foundation stage 5 is good. A wide range of interesting and challenging activities promotes the children’s progress towards the early learning goals in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development. The foundation stage prepares children successfully for the next stage of education in Year 1.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The curriculum is satisfactory in Years 1 to 6 and has improved considerably since the last inspection. In science and in mathematics, greater attention is being given to the development of skills of investigation and enquiry and this is improving standards. The school now provides a broad range of worthwhile activities, which generally meets the interests and aptitudes of its pupils. There are however, still some shortcomings in the balance and relevance of the curriculum. The school has recently introduced schemes of work based on national guidance in all subjects. These have not been adapted closely enough to meet the school’s needs, particularly in the mixed age classes. For instance, in history in the juniors, the curriculum is overcrowded and topics are not studied in sufficient depth. In science in the infants, pupils in Years 1 and 2 cover the same work on electricity. This results in too much

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

or too little challenge for some pupils. Statutory requirements are not met in religious education. Insufficient attention is given to the teaching of religious perspectives as outlined in the Locally Agreed Syllabus, especially world faiths. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding in this area are underdeveloped.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The school rightly gives priority to English and mathematics. The National Numeracy Strategy and National Literacy Strategy have been implemented satisfactorily. Mental mathematics sessions are improving pupils’ abilities to calculate numbers in their heads. The recently implemented procedures to group pupils according to their ability in Years 3 to 6 are, however, ineffective in raising standards in literacy for all pupils. The groups are mainly based on the results of standardised tests, which are not closely linked to National Curriculum levels. As a result, some pupils are working at too high a level and there are gaps in their knowledge and understanding. The

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

5 Foundation stage is the education provided for children from entry into the nursery to the end of the reception class. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 19 - March 2001 inclusion of all of the Year 6 pupils, regardless of attainment, in the ‘ top’ set does not facilitate their moving on at a faster pace. Class teachers do not always have a clear picture of the standards reached by their pupils in other sets and this hampers their ability to plan accurately for the use of literacy, at an appropriate level, in other subjects. In literacy and numeracy ability groups, some Year 3 pupils are not confident to work alongside Years 4 and 5 pupils, and do not give of their best.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The school has recently extended the range and number of its extra curricular activities. The provision is now good. The variety of well-attended lunchtime or after school clubs includes music, drama, sport and environmental issues. There is also a newly established school council, which involves pupils from most year groups. Frequent opportunities are provided for girls and boys to represent the school in competitive sport and in the choir. Staff give freely of their time, for instance, to accompany pupils to a design and technology competition at the weekend.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. The school is inspired by its new mission statement and is determined ‘ to maintain the highest standards in every area of school life for everyone.’ All pupils have full access to the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs receive suitable help so that they are fully involved in all activities in the school. There are thorough policies to promote racial harmony and co-operative behaviour.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. There are good arrangements to promote personal, social and health education. A healthy life-style is promoted through the science curriculum. Sex education and drugs awareness are taught sensitively to older pupils. The weekly personal, social and emotional development lessons provide opportunities to discuss social and moral issues.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The local community makes a satisfactory contribution to the curriculum. Ministers from local churches come to school to add their expertise to the teaching of religious education. Local ex-miners have contributed their experiences towards the after- school drama club. The personal, social and health education programme is enhanced by visits from local police and health service personnel. The school has good curricular links with the local secondary school. Each week a party of older pupils go there after school by bus to extend their learning, for example, in physical education or computing. Staff from the two schools liaise to improve the continuity of teaching methods.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. There are particular strengths in provision for social and moral development, but provision for cultural development, especially the pupils’ awareness of non-western cultures, is unsatisfactory.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. The quality of the daily act of worship is good and provides a focal point for pupils to grow spiritually. Opportunities are provided in assemblies for pupils to reflect on their own experiences and to consider their place at home, in school and in the wider world. Insights given by visiting clergy encourage pupils to think about the values and beliefs of others. Through stories like David and Goliath, pupils are taught about the power of faith. Pupils learn to respect the natural world and to contemplate the wonders of nature, as when looking for signs of spring in the school garden. Opportunities for pupils to feel empathy for others, for instance, at the loss of a pet, are sensitively handled in special moments in class.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. Provision for moral development is very good. The school has consulted pupils in Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 20 - March 2001 drawing up its Code of Conduct so that everyone has ownership and feels a sense of responsibility. Positive values are constantly promoted and there is no doubt about what is acceptable and what is not. The emphasis on rewarding good behaviour is so successful that the well-known sanctions are rarely needed. Achievement is celebrated weekly in special assemblies to which parents are invited and in which pupils are encouraged to take pride in themselves and in their school. Qualities like determination and self-belief are promoted through stories. All staff provide good role models and are consistent in expecting the pupils themselves to be good examples for others.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ social development. Pupils of all ages are given responsibility as monitors in class. As they get older, they are increasingly involved in supporting the smooth running of the school, as librarians, assembly helpers or carrying out minor administrative tasks. Pupils are expected to act responsibly in electing their peers to the school council. Although at a very early stage representatives take their role seriously and are keen to gather opinions and promote new ideas. All pupils are expected to care for the school environment both inside and out. There are good opportunities to plan for improvements to the school grounds in the Environment Club. The prominently displayed suggestion box enables all pupils to make their views felt. Staff treat pupils with respect as members of the school community and relationships throughout the school are good. Ninety-seven

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

percent of parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire rightly agree that the school is helping their children to become more mature.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

40. Provision for cultural development is unsatisfactory. The school has not improved the limited provision for the development of multicultural awareness noted in the last report. Pupils learn about their own heritage through topics such as the Victorians and Tudors. Older pupils are aware of famous writers and their appreciation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth was heightened by a visit to the theatre. The work of artists like William Morris and Toulouse-Lautrec are studied. Pupils in Year 2 have been learning about the celebration of Chinese New Year. This has been effective in involving the local Chinese community in the school as artefacts and advice were provided for the class display. There is however, little to see in displays around the school which reflects the ethnic diversity of present British society. In discussion, pupils show little awareness of non-western cultures. In teachers’ planning or in

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

lessons observed, this area is not sufficiently developed to prepare pupils effectively for life in a multicultural society.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has good procedures for ensuring that its pupils are well cared for. Staff trained in first aid give sensitive care to pupils who are ill or have accidents at school. All know which pupils have specific medical problems and are trained to react appropriately. Systematic health and safety risk assessments and equipment checks are carried out and recorded although this has not been formally extended to precautions to be taken in lessons or on educational visits. The school is addressing the safety issues that came to light during the inspection. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 21 - March 2001 42. Child protection procedures, which meet local guidelines, are good and the designated teacher has been trained in their use. The school works closely with welfare agencies.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school has very good procedures to monitor and promote good behaviour and to eliminate oppressive behaviour. Personal and social education lessons help pupils to become aware of risks and responsibilities of growing up. The low amount of bullying is a consequence of the school’s appropriate emphasis on teaching pupils about the effect of their actions on others and corrective action should any incident occur. When there are occurrences, these are recorded, as are incidents of poor behaviour or racism. Good behaviour is rewarded using a coherent policy involving all staff and these procedures are effective.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Attendance monitoring, using newly implemented computer software is good and good attendance is rewarded. Registers are completed appropriately at the start of each session. The school meets official guidelines on accounting for pupils who come or go during a session and what has happened to pupils who are unexpectedly absent.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Since the previous inspection the school has implemented a range of tests to assess pupils’ academic performance. Procedures are now satisfactory although more work remains to be done. The assessment carried out as children start school is used effectively to plan activities that match children’s abilities. As a result, good progress is made in the foundation stage. Systems are in place to assess pupils’ progress in English and mathematics at the end of each year. Teachers now have a clearer understanding of the progress pupils are making as they move through the school. The school has limited procedures for assessing attainment in other subjects and this makes it difficult for teachers to plan lessons that meet the needs of the wide range of abilities and ages in classes.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The use of assessment information is underdeveloped. In Years 3 to 6 information from test results is used to group pupils according to their ability in English and mathematics. This means in Years 3 to 6 that pupils are taught in mixed age and ability groups. This is being more successful in mathematics where suitably challenging work is being set that is leading to improved standards. It is less effective in English as it is leading to some selected texts in the literacy hour not capturing the interest of the wide spread of ages. Also some tasks are set that do not build on previous learning and this hampers progress, particularly in writing. The school has made a start on using test results to set group targets but currently this is not used to set pupils’ individual targets. As a result, pupils are not aware of what they need to do to improve their work, nor are they involved in self-reviews of their attainment.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Teachers’ lesson plans do not include opportunities for recording identified strengths and weaknesses observed in lessons. Teachers have informal systems to do this but it is not always effective with the result that tasks are set that do not always match pupils’ ability. For example, in writing in Years 1 and 2, higher attaining pupils are not always set work that extends their skills and they could learn more.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The school analyses the results of tests in English and mathematics taken at the end of each year to identify areas for improvement in the curriculum. For example, some action is being taken to extend pupils’ ability to write a longer piece of work that was identified as a weakness in the school. However, this good practice is insufficiently developed in other subjects. For example, it is unsatisfactory that other identified weaknesses, such as handwriting, have not led to the school adopting strategies to improve the situation. The staffing changes and lack of consistent management in Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 22 - March 2001 many subjects have aggravated this weakness in the use of assessment. Staffing is now more stable and co-ordinators have drawn up plans that include better use of assessment data.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents are now pleased with what the school provides and achieves. Until recently, they had been very concerned about the number of staff changes and the detrimental effect on the continuity of their children’s education. Parents who attended the meeting before the inspection had few concerns and were full of praise about the fresh impetus provided by the new headteacher. About half the parents returned the questionnaire and the views expressed there were very positive. They strongly agreed that their children like school and they find staff very approachable. Teaching is good, staff expect their children to work hard and as a consequence they make good progress. The one major concern was the lack of provision of extra-curricular activities.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. One of the priorities set by the new headteacher is to improve the links between the school and parents and to raise awareness of the value of education. The school is putting in place good and improving links with parents. The quality of information the school gives parents is good. When children start in the nursery, staff talk to parents about what the school does and how parents can help at home. Parents find this very useful. As their child moves up the school, parents are given appropriate information on new developments such as the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies. The school keeps them well informed of what is happening in school with regular newsletters and plans to give curricular information each term. A new innovation is the attractive and well-laid out notice board in the main corridor, on which are posted newsletters and general information. It is also used to consult parents about

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Pupils’ annual reports meet statutory requirements and give good information about what the pupil has achieved that year in the main subjects. There are brief comments about other subjects as well as a good insight into the pupil’s personal development. They provide advice to parents about supporting their child by giving practical targets that they can help with. Parents are further able to support their child through formal discussion each term with the class teacher and informally at the start or end of the day.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parents have a satisfactory and growing impact on the progress of their children at school and at home. Many parents support their child’s learning by hearing them read at home and encouraging them to do homework. Parents borrow resources, such as story videos, from the nursery so that the work of the school is built on at home. Parents have largely signed the Home-School Agreement, which lays out what the school will do and reminds them of their contribution towards their own child’s learning. Although there is no parents’ association at the moment, parents willingly participate in the activities such as the Autumn Fair organised by the school, which raises funds for extra resources. Several parents help around the school, supporting teachers with activities like hearing pupils read and helping them use computers. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 23 - March 2001

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher has been at the school for only one term but has settled in very quickly. He has established a very effective working relationship with staff at all levels. Teaching staff, parents and pupils are very confident in the clear, strong leadership, which is now being provided. Everyone concerned with the school is appreciative of the headteacher’s consultative approach and this has done much to raise morale in the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Since the last inspection, the school has had a difficult time of staffing changes including having an acting headteacher for 18 months. The present deputy headteacher led the school during this time and it is to the credit of all involved that standards have improved and the school has managed to tackle most of the concerns identified in the last inspection report.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governing body understands its role and satisfactorily fulfils its statutory responsibilities. It is a far better organised body than at the time of the last inspection. A committee structure is in place and this has led to governors having an informed picture of the strengths and areas for development in the school. The majority of statutory responsibilities are met although the curriculum for religious education fails to meet the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Currently, the governors rely heavily on the headteacher for major decisions and this led to some difficulties in the past. For example, the governing body has allowed a large surplus of money to accumulate. This was at a time when the school lacked resources, for example, in ICT, and the money was not spent to improve the education of the pupils in school at that time. This aspect of management is now improving and recent spending on

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

classroom assistants has been undertaken with clearly identified success criteria linked to improved standards particularly for pupils with special educational needs.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Under the leadership of the new headteacher, the governing body is becoming more involved in strategic planning. The headteacher promptly identified that the school development plan did not have a clear link to expenditure. Following collaboration, an interim policy has been put in place that identifies clear priorities for the school that are costed and appropriate budgets identified. Each priority includes a set time for completion and has specific criteria for success. This plan is a useful document to guide the school in its future developments.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Procedures to monitor the school’s performance are satisfactory. The headteacher, senior management team and governing body review the results of national tests to check on the school’s overall performance. Test results have been used to set realistic targets for pupils in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6. These targets in mathematics have been raised to reflect the current improvement in standards. Monitoring of teaching has fluctuated with the change of staff and governors. The new headteacher has started monitoring teaching through a review of teachers’ plans and has already identified aspects in planning that need attention. Plans are in place to carry out formal observations in the near future. In the past, the acting headteacher monitored teaching and offered support as required. Governors have carried out some informal observations of lessons in the past and this will extend under the new management. Governors are linked to English, mathematics,

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

ICT and special educational needs to increase their monitoring role. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 24 - March 2001 57. The headteacher delegates responsibilities efficiently to the deputy headteacher and teachers with management roles for subjects and other aspects of the school. Management of special educational needs is effective and all statutory requirements to implement the national Code of Practice 6 are in place. Most subjects are led by recently appointed co-ordinators and their monitoring role is in the very early stages of development. All co-ordinators have carried out audits of their subjects but as yet have had no opportunity to check on what is happening in the classrooms. This makes it difficult for them to have a full overview of the strengths and areas for development in their subjects.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Performance management is in place and teachers have targets matched to identified areas for development. Many of these are suitably inked to improving assessment procedures in the school. Training for staff is linked to the priorities in the school development plan and to teachers’ individual areas for improvement. This has been very effective in improving teachers’ confidence, as for example, in teaching ICT. Teachers in the foundation stage have attended training in self-evaluation and adapted their teaching based on this practice. This is having a positive impact on teaching. The school intends to extend these procedures throughout the school.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Financial planning is now satisfactory. In the past insufficient attention has been given to long term financial planning and the governors have not always made effective use of all specific grants. Past weaknesses have been sorted out and the new headteacher has clear plans to balance the budget and to make good use of the surplus funds for the needs of the pupils. Confusion about some budgets has been clarified and plans are in place to make better use of specific grants. This is particularly important for the provision of pupils with special educational needs. The co-ordinator and teachers are now to receive some time to carry out the administrative duties related to special educational needs. Similarly, additional non- teaching staff is to be provided for these pupils. On-going spending is closely monitored and the administrative assistant and headteacher carefully monitor the budget. The governors are now more aware of these procedures. As a result, all have

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

a good knowledge of the school’s financial position to aid their decision making. This ensures spending now is in line with the allocation of finance. The school endeavours to obtain suitable value for money when considering spending decisions and is developing the principle of best value.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. School administrative support is effective and recommendations of the most recent audit have been addressed. Administrative staff provide a warm welcome to visitors and the school has plans to move the office downstairs so that it is easier for parents to call in with any concerns.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school has experienced several staffing difficulties and parents have been justifiably concerned about the effect this has had on their children’s education. Currently, the situation is more stable and the school has an adequate number of suitably qualified staff. Resources in the school are satisfactory but there are weaknesses in a few subjects. The school has insufficient resources for design and technology and there is a lack of artefacts to teach pupils about the major world religions. Resources for ICT are barely adequate and pupils do not have sufficient opportunity to practise their skills. The school has increased the range of reading books and this has had a positive impact on pupils’ enthusiasm for reading in Years 3

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

6 Code of Practice—this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 25 - March 2001 to 6. The books in the library are good in quality but limited in quantity. Currently, the library is underused for independent research. One of the first jobs tackled by the headteacher has been to improve the internal appearance of the school. Parents and pupils are very pleased with the results and are particularly proud of their newly refurbished library. More changes are planned to make better use of the many spaces available in the school. The hall is small for the physical education for the older pupils and the toilets need refurbishing. Overall accommodation is satisfactory.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

62. To improve further the quality of education the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in writing by: - providing more opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills in other subjects; - implementing a handwriting scheme; - developing the skills of planning and drafting writing; - having higher expectations of pupils’ work. (Paragraphs 3, 5, 6, 8, 20, 22, 26, 31, 46, 47, 75, 76, 77, 80, 83, 84, 141)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Raise standards in religious education by implementing fully the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus and improving resources. (Paragraphs 12, 20, 25, 30, 54, 61, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the planning of the curriculum by: - adjusting the planning for English in Years 3 to 6 to ensure work set matches more closely the interests and needs of the pupils; - checking that pupils cover all subjects at a level that matches their age and ability; - revisiting the history curriculum in Years 3 to 6 to check the school only covers the required topics; - providing more opportunities for pupils’ cultural development including information about life in a multi-cultural society. (Paragraphs 13, 16, 23, 26, 30, 31, 36, 40, 46, 83, 97, 104, 116, 121, 131, 136, 137)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Further improve and extend assessment procedures by: - implementing procedures in all subjects (except English and mathematics) to enable progress to be more closely monitored; - making better use of assessment information to adjust the curriculum when a weakness is identified; - tracking the progress of pupils as they move through the school and setting individual targets for improvement; - including more comments when marking pupils’ books so that pupils know what they have to do to improve. (26, 27, 45, 46, 47, 83, 84, 90, 91, 93, 96, 108, 115, 121, 125, 131, 136, 142) Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 26 - March 2001 (5) Improve financial planning procedures: - to reduce the current large surplus; - to ensure all money allocated by the authority for pupils with special educational needs is spent for that purpose. (Paragraphs 54, 59)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issues above the following less important aspects should be considered for inclusion in the action plan: - further extend resources for ICT and design and technology; (Paragraphs 61, 109, 126) - give closer attention to the needs of the few pupils who need support to learn English as an additional language; (Paragraphs 7, 27, 82, 93) - provide opportunities for subject co-ordinators to check that the new planning guidelines are being effectively implemented; (Paragraphs 57, 104, 110, 126, 131, 142) - improve the use of the library for independent research. (Paragraphs 61, 84) Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 27 - March 2001

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 21 151

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 42

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 54

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

p.27

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.27

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 28 - March 2001

p.27

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 6 17 23

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.28

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (100) 87 ( 100) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (100) 96 (100) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 10 10 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 70 (48) 55 ([43) 75 ( 67) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys * * * Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls * * *

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 55 (62) 55 (62) 55 (67) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year *data not included as number of boys and girls is 10 or less. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 29 - March 2001

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 349,658

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Expenditure per pupil 1,840

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 24 Balance brought forward from previous year 70,050

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 67,515

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 30 - March 2001

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 67 33 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 43 3 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 38 9 1 17

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 45 6 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 30 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 38 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 45 48 6 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 57 42 0 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 43 0 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 14 33 23 9 20

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents expressed concern about staff changes in recent years. They are very pleased this situation is now resolved and the school is in a more stable situation. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 31 - March 2001

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. Since the last inspection, the school has responded to national initiatives to co- ordinate provision for children from three to five in the nursery and reception classes into the new foundation stage 7 of education.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. There are currently thirty-nine part-time children in the nursery and twenty-three full- time pupils in the reception class. Although attainment varies widely, many children start nursery with skills which are below those of most children of this age. This is confirmed by the careful assessments made of these young children soon after they join nursery. The children’s progress is tracked further through formal assessment again at the age of four years, and on entry to the reception class. This reveals an encouraging pattern of successful learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The school makes good provision for children in the foundation stage and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. Consequently, the vast majority consistently achieve well and often very well. The teachers use their secure knowledge and understanding to plan a rich curriculum, which is firmly rooted in the six areas of learning appropriate for this age group. Particular emphasis is appropriately given to the development of personal, social and emotional skills, to communication, language and literacy development, and to mathematics development. The children are encouraged to enjoy learning and to become fully involved in the wide range of lively practical activities, which support their progress well in all areas.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. The quality of teaching is almost always good with some very good teaching in the nursery. Throughout the foundation stage, relationships are strong and supportive. Teachers value the children’s contributions and use praise and encouragement to raise their self-esteem and persuade them to greater effort. Teamwork between teaching and non-teaching staff is especially effective and has a considerable beneficial effect on pupils’ progress.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. From a below average base, the vast majority of children achieve well and fulfil the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematics development, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development and creative development by the time they leave the reception class. The children make particularly good progress in personal, social and emotional development and standards are above those found in most schools by the time children enter Year 1. The foundation stage prepares pupils well for the next stage of education.

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Personal, social and emotional development

68. Teaching is very good throughout the foundation stage and reflects the considerable emphasis given to this area. Opportunities to promote personal, social and emotional development are built carefully into all aspects of school life. Staff work hard to create a welcoming and secure environment where children feel valued. Daily routines are established clearly so that children know what is expected of them and

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Personal, social and emotional development

7 Foundation stage is the education provided for children from entry to the nursery to the end of the reception class. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 32 - March 2001 are confident and eager to learn. Even the youngest children enjoy taking responsibility, for instance, in drawing the curtains in the story room. In the reception class, children are eager to fill in the calendar or return the register to the office. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to learn co-operative attitudes. In the nursery, for instance, the whole class co-operate together to control the large parachute and take turns to crawl underneath. Reception children work closely in twos to prepare balancing routines in physical education. Staff encourage children to feel part of the nursery family in special birthday celebrations. The children are enthusiastic to join in congratulating the birthday boy and singing to him. They wait

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Personal, social and emotional development

patiently, confident in their expectation that there is enough cake for all. Staff make sure that social skills are promoted in saying ‘ please’ and ‘ thank-you’ . In the reception class, children are taught to respect the world around them. They wonder at the new springtime growth in the garden and handle living things with care. All children are developing enthusiastic attitudes to learning. They are independent in selecting activities and concentrate for increasingly long periods as they get older.

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Communication, language and literacy

69. Teaching is consistently good and often very good. Much attention is given to the development of speaking and listening skills in formal whole class situations and less formally, for instance, in role play. Staff intervention in the nursery hairdressers is very effective in extending children’s language skills. As a result, the children grow in confidence, in fluency and in understanding, so that most achieve well. Staff take care to model positive attitudes to books, and share their enthusiasm for literature with the children. All children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They concentrate well in large and small groups. Nursery children become increasingly confident in joining in shared refrains and have fun with rhyming words like Turkey Lurkey and Foxy Loxy. Basic skills are taught well with an effective, systematic approach to the learning of letters and their sounds. In the reception class, most

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Communication, language and literacy

children follow the text as the teacher reads from a class book. They recognise several words and letters. Many children are beginning to use this knowledge to read and spell independently. Nursery children use their emerging skills in writing in play situations. They make more and more use of letter shapes when making appointments in the hairdressers. In the reception class, elements of the National Literacy Strategy are used successfully and lessons are well focused on the development of skills. Most children are confident enough to try to spell words correctly. They generally have good knowledge of letter sounds and use this to write a sentence from a familiar story. Staff take every opportunity in incidental situations throughout the day to promote the pupils’ language development.

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Mathematical development

70. Teaching is good. Teachers provide a wide range of interesting, well structured, practical activities which support learning well. Children count, match and order with enthusiasm. In the nursery, informal activities like the birthday party are used effectively to develop number concepts. For instance, children are taught to count the four candles on the cake, and to give four cheers. Specific questioning, like, ‘ How many more do we need?’ enables higher attainers to begin to add practically. Most children can recite numbers in order to ten. Many children recognise the numerals. In the reception class, mathematics is taught more formally. Elements of the National Numeracy Strategy are used effectively to promote progress. Children count forwards and backwards to twenty and are thoughtful in suggesting ways of checking that they have counted correctly. Group work is well organised with clear focus and

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Mathematical development

tasks are chosen specifically to meet the needs of children of different abilities. All Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 33 - March 2001 staff throughout the foundation stage use language very precisely, so that pupils learn, for instance, to order numbers in first, second or third place.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. Teaching is good. Teachers have high expectations and plan interesting activities which are clearly focused to challenge pupils to observe carefully and talk about what they see. Resources are well chosen and carefully organised so that children benefit from being practically involved in good quality first-hand experiences. In the main, teachers use questions skilfully to extend pupils’ ideas and make teaching points clearly. The focus during the inspection was on the natural world. In the nursery, pupils are enthusiastic to extend their knowledge of living things by looking closely at, and discussing, daffodils. They use appropriate vocabulary to describe the stalk, buds and petals and know that all living things need water. They relate the flowers to the coming of spring. They know that air is trapped in the balloon and wonder at the way static electricity holds it to the wall. Reception children notice signs of spring on

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

a walk in the school grounds. They spot signs of life in new growth on twigs, and are beginning to consider differences between living and non-living objects. They collect objects and use their senses to investigate them. They use appropriate vocabulary such as ‘ rough’ and ‘smooth’ to describe what they have found. Children in the nursery and reception classes are adept at using the computer to support their learning.

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Physical development

72. Teaching is satisfactory overall. All staff manage the children well with praise and encouragement. They make their high expectations of the children’s behaviour clear and establish rules carefully, for instance, in the use of space. Clear instructions make sure that children know how to succeed. Occasionally, lessons proceed at too slow a pace and too much time is spent on teacher talk with insufficient time given to interesting and varied energetic activity. Outdoor play facilities are good and used well by the nursery in daily sessions. Due to the arrangement of the accommodation, reception children have less opportunity to use these facilities. Nursery children control large wheeled toys with an awareness of space and of others. They respond to the teacher’s traffic light signals. Nursery and reception children enjoy using the school hall. Nursery children respond with enthusiasm to control their bodies to walk,

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Physical development

skip and run to the beat of the tambourine. They share space well. In the reception class, children practise to improve their work. They work in pairs to twist, stretch, and balance, controlling their bodies carefully to hold their positions. Throughout the foundation stage, staff provide daily opportunities for the children to develop fine motor skills. They control tools like scissors and paintbrushes, and use construction toys to carry out their own purposes.

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Creative development

73. Due to the constraints of the curriculum, little focused teaching in this area was seen during the inspection. Evidence of work on display indicates that the teachers provide many interesting opportunities for pupils to use their imagination and to work creatively, and to develop skills over time. Teaching is good. Informal role-play is well organised in the nursery and staff intervene imaginatively to extend pupils’ ideas in the ‘hairdressers’ . In the reception class, children are enthusiastic, and show some imagination when acting out familiar stories in formal situations. Opportunities are missed to encourage them to continue to develop their ideas more independently Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 34 - March 2001 in the less well-developed home corner. All pupils happily sing a range of action rhymes and songs from memory. Nursery children enjoy painting. They develop their ideas carefully for specific purpose when recording daffodils they have seen, as

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Creative development

well as expressing their own ideas freely in paint and collage. Reception children experiment with colours to make a range of shades. They express excitement as the colours change.

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Creative development

74. There is good liaison between school and home. Careful induction procedures welcome children into nursery so that they quickly settle into school routines. A weekly video library is used well by parents. Staff use thorough assessment procedures to identify pupils with special educational needs, and to plan work that meets the needs of all pupils. Particular effort is made to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all activities.

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ENGLISH

75. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2000, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected level for their age in reading was well above the national average. When compared to similar schools results were within the top five per cent in the country. These high standards were not reached in writing and test results were well below the national average and below average when compared to similar schools. Since 1998 standards in reading have remained above the national average. In this size of school considerable variations from year to year are to be expected and standards in writing have fluctuated from being very high to very low. The low results in writing in 2000 were caused by no pupils exceeding the national average. Results in the national tests for eleven-year-olds in 2000 show standards in line with the national average and well above average compared to similar schools. Again trends over time show a

p.34

ENGLISH

fluctuating pattern linked to the small size of the cohorts. Overall, the trend has been broadly in line with the national trend.

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ENGLISH

76. Evidence gathered during the inspection shows that at the end of Year 2 standards are satisfactory in reading. Standards are not as high as last year as this group has fewer pupils achieving above the level expected for their age. This group of pupils had the continuity of their learning disturbed by staffing changes in Year 1. Considering their levels of attainment as they started in Year 2 overall achievement in reading is satisfactory. Standards in writing are slightly higher than the results of national tests but are still below average. Pupils are underachieving in writing and few have sufficient confidence to write an extended piece. These standards are the same as those identified in the previous inspection.

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ENGLISH

77. Current standards in English by the end of Year 6 are average and confirm the results of national tests. Reading is above average and this is a significant achievement for many pupils. Pupils achieve satisfactory levels in speaking and listening. Writing remains a weakness and is the aspect of English that has suffered most from staffing changes in Years 3 to 6. Pupils are underachieving in their handwriting and pupils do not transfer across to everyday writing the skills they learn in the literacy hour. Since the last inspection, standards in reading have improved but the school has not resolved the weaknesses in writing. The school has set realistic targets for 2001 and in reading is well placed to achieve them. Pupils need to improve the quality of their writing in order to meet the required level.

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ENGLISH

78. Standards in speaking and listening are similar to those found in most schools. By the age of seven, almost all pupils apply themselves well when listening to stories. They do not always give sufficient attention to instructions and then are unclear about their Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 35 - March 2001 tasks. Pupils have satisfactory conversation skills and are confident talking about their work. They enjoy class discussions although a few still call out, rather than waiting their turn, and this disrupts the activity. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ listening skills have improved and teachers include opportunities for pupils to share their ideas with a partner. Pupils are confident talking in front of the class about their ideas but a few pupils do not give pupils sufficient attention in the conclusion to lessons. Pupils understand language changes in different situations and recognise standard English

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ENGLISH

is used to read the national news. They quickly spot formal language used in letters of complaint. The majority of pupils have a sound grasp of subject specific language, which supports their learning well in science and other subjects. There was little evidence of planned debate for pupils to develop the skills of persuasive language.

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ENGLISH

79. At the end of Year 2, standards in reading are satisfactory. In the foundation stage and Years 1 and 2, teachers give considerable attention to teaching pupils letters and their corresponding sounds. As a result, pupils are confident using this knowledge in their reading. They also use picture and context clues to help them tackle new words. Pupils do not read widely and many refer to the school’s reading scheme book as their favourite story. The higher attaining pupils recognise the difference between fiction and non-fiction books and with prompting use the contents and index sections to locate information. By the age of eleven pupils have experienced a wider range of texts in their literacy lessons. They are familiar with a range of literature from Shakespeare to Roald Dahl and overall standards are good. The vast majority are competent scanning down a page to find specific information. In the literacy hour their

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ENGLISH

responses show a good understanding of the shared text and they are confident when reading their work aloud to each other. Higher attaining pupils discuss their preferences in great depth. They recognise how J K Rowling has captured the interest of today’s youngsters by including adventure and magic. They read between the lines of stories and this helps them understand how the author is creating suspense in the story.

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ENGLISH

80. Standards in writing are below average at the end of Years 2 and 6. This aspect of English has suffered most from the changes of teachers and pupils’ continuity of learning has been disturbed. By the end of Year 2, most pupils are writing independently but few have sufficient skills to express their ideas in a fluent style and there is limited evidence of longer pieces of writing. Most pupils are using their knowledge of letters to spell words and also have a good knowledge of commonly used words as these are learnt as homework. Pupils are less secure in their use of early punctuation. Handwriting is taught in Years 1 and 2 with the result that most pupils have a legible style of print. This is not developed in Years 3 to 6 and pupils are not taught an agreed style of handwriting. As a result, pupils in Year 6 have not acquired a fluent, joined-up script. Pupils are unsure of what is expected and the

p.35

ENGLISH

presentation of work is not as good as it could be. The skills of planning and drafting work are not taught thoroughly and many pupils find it difficult to develop and sustain their ideas to reach a conclusion that holds the interest of the reader. Language is not always interesting and pupils are not enthusiastic writers. This improves when a topic captures their interest, such as writing an exciting text when the higher attaining pupil used ‘heart pounding’ and ‘weaved around’ and the work was of a higher quality. Most pupils recognise the style of writing changes for a particular purpose. In Year 6 they recognise the structure of a formal letter as opposed to a letter to a friend.

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ENGLISH

81. Reading skills contribute to pupils’ learning in other subjects as they research information and in mathematics are confident reading mathematical problems. Although writing is not as good, skills do not hamper progress in other lessons. For example, in Year 1 pupils make little books recording how their seeds grow. In history Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 36 - March 2001 in Year 6, pupils write about Anderson shelters and much of this work is structured using paragraphs correctly.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils with special educational needs receive additional help in most literacy lessons and make satisfactory progress. In Years 3 to 6, tasks are set that do not always build on previous learning and this hampers progress. For example, pupils in Year 3 found the idea of clauses and connectives difficult and this hampered their learning in this lesson. Pupils with English as an additional language are generally confident speaking English but on occasions need a closer check to see that they fully understand the purpose of the work set. Overall, they make satisfactory progress relative to their prior attainment.

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ENGLISH

83. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory throughout the school. It is good in Year 2 and the rate of learning is faster in this class with many pupils catching-up and reaching the level expected for their age. Teaching was satisfactory or better in all of the lessons seen. Teachers have a secure knowledge of teaching reading and this is reflected in pupils’ confidence in reading. The active approach to teaching sounds and letters means pupils quickly grasp this knowledge and use it in their early reading. Teachers in Years 3 to 6 are less confident teaching writing or in promoting these skills in other subjects. The range of activity does not always capture pupils’ interest and as a result many pupils are reluctant writers. Teachers structure their lessons according to the National Literacy Strategy and include learning outcomes. However, these outcomes are not always shared with pupils in language they understand and

p.36

ENGLISH

this means pupils are not always clear about the focus. This was good in the mixed Year 3,4 and 5 lesson when pupils have their targets on show on their desks so that they know what they have to do to get better. A positive feature in most lessons is the warm relationships. This leads to lessons being carried out in an orderly atmosphere and promotes good behaviour. A strong feature in lessons in Years 1 and 2 is that a variety of methods are used to maintain interest. For example, in Year 1 pupils have letter cards to identify if words are correct and this keeps them focussed on the task. The school uses assessment information to group pupils in Years 3 to 6 according to their ability. This is not always effective as texts selected for lessons are not always suitable for the age range in the groups. Similarly, planning leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge and as a result pupils are not always working at a level that matches their

p.36

ENGLISH

previous learning. Teachers do not have an up-to-date view of pupils’ literacy standards to plan for the use of literacy at the correct level in other subjects. This situation is aggravated by the school’s lack of a system to record pupils’ learning in lessons and this leads to some tasks not closely matching pupils’ ability. For example, in Year 2 the task set for the higher attaining pupil was finished quickly and these pupils could have achieved more. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to extend their computer skills and pupils in Year 6 show satisfactory levels of word processing.

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ENGLISH

84. Overall management of the subject is satisfactory. The new co-ordinator has already carried out an audit to identify areas for improvement. In the past insufficient attention has been given to addressing weaknesses that were revealed in test results. A recent initiative to tackle this problem has been the school’s involvement in a writing project that involves pupils taking home a rucksack of writing activities to complete at home. Early evaluations show that 11 out of the 18 pupils improved their writing using these resources. The main impact was on pupils’ enthusiasm to write and the school intends to extend this resource to other classes. Assessment data from tests is not currently used to track pupils’ progress or to set individual targets. Teachers have made a start in Years 3 to 6 to write reading targets in pupils’ reading record books but these often were too general or were in language that pupils did not fully

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ENGLISH

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 37 - March 2001 understand. The school has recently refurbished the library and this is now a very attractive room. Currently, it is underused for independent research. Teachers arrange theatre visits and book fairs that effectively enrich the curriculum and lead to many pupils becoming enthusiastic readers by the time they leave school.

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MATHEMATICS

85. The 2000 National Curriculum test results show that by the age of seven the proportion of pupils achieving the expected level was above the national average and the average of similar schools. The proportion of pupils attaining a higher level was well above the national average. Since 1997, results have been consistently high. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that attainment by the age of seven is in line with national expectations. This does not represent a fall in standards but reflects the difference in abilities between the year groups. Considering their attainment as they start in Year 1 this standard reflects satisfactory achievement for most pupils including those with special educational needs and those learning through English as an additional language. The school has identified a pupil as being particularly gifted in mathematics and have set more challenging work and this has

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MATHEMATICS

led to good progress being made. Standards are the same as those identified in the previous inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

86. The results of national tests for eleven-year-old in 2000 were below the national average. The proportion of pupils who achieved the higher levels was below the national average. When compared to schools with a similar background results were average. Trends over time have fluctuated linked to the small size of the cohorts. The size of each year group is small in comparison to the national average, and the attainment levels of a relatively few pupils can affect the overall comparison of results. Good progress is now being made in Years 3 to 6 and standards are above average at the end of Year 6 and this represents a significant achievement for many pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. On occasions in the mixed year groups, tasks are set that are do not always extend their learning and they could achieve more. Since the last inspection, standards have improved

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MATHEMATICS

significantly at the end of Year 6. Standards were judged to be unsatisfactory with many pupils having an insecure knowledge of number or skills to tackle problems. The school has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and with better teaching these weaknesses have been resolved. The school has increased their targets for 2001 based on recognition of the current improved standards in the school. The new targets are challenging and the school is well placed to achieve them.

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MATHEMATICS

87. By the age of seven, pupils have satisfactory number skills. They count to 20 and order numbers to 100. Most pupils are able to recall number facts within 10 mentally. More able pupils confidently count to 100 in tens and back. Pupils use their number skills effectively to select the correct mathematical operation to solve number problems and can explain what they have done. When measuring, pupils have begun to use standard measures. Pupils show an understanding of place value, for example, as they use two digits to make the highest and lowest number within 100. They use their knowledge of place value and the order of numbers to 100 as they look for hidden numbers in a game on the computer. Pupils in Year 1 work to ensure that their numbers are correctly written and practise counting on to 20 and back. They are able to double and halve numbers within 10. Most pupils know well the names and

p.37

MATHEMATICS

dimension of basic two and three-dimensional shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

88. By the age of eleven, pupils have made good progress and have become increasingly Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 38 - March 2001 proficient in all aspects of mathematics. The quantity quality and range of their mathematics are good. Pupils have a good understanding of place value and can use all the number operations to solve problems. They find perimeters of irregular shapes and use multiplication facts to find the area of regular shapes. When presenting or interpreting data most pupils are able to use line graphs and bar charts. Pupils have begun to have an understanding of the principles of probability. Year 6 pupils mentally halve and double decimal numbers to three places. They correctly use mathematical language and apply their knowledge of number operations when setting and solving problems. In Year 3, pupils mentally count in 3s, 5s, and 10s. They extend their knowledge of place value by multiplying and dividing three digit numbers by 10. In

p.37

MATHEMATICS

Year 4, pupils use various strategies to mentally add the cost of two items and calculate change from a pound. They create bar charts to represent the different types of litter found in the school.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Numeracy skills are used effectively to support learning in other subjects. For example, in geography pupils use co-ordinates to work out positions on maps. In science, younger pupils measure very carefully the growth of their plants.

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MATHEMATICS

90. In lessons seen all of the teaching was satisfactory or better. Taking into consideration the good presentation of work in pupils’ books and teachers’ strengths in teaching numeracy, the overall quality of teaching and learning is good. In most classes the mental sessions are lively, the pace is brisk and pupils participate fully and develop their mental skills. Pupils say they enjoy mathematics and they work hard in the oral part of the lessons. Teachers plan their lessons using the National Numeracy Strategy and this ensures that pupils’ skills are developed in the correct sequence. When teachers plan activities for the different ranges of ability within the class or set, learning is good. Teachers mark the pupils’ work and a few teachers include supportive comments and this increases pupils’ confidence in their mathematical skills. Management skills are based on good relationships and behaviour in lessons is good. Lesson outcomes are clearly identified in lesson plans

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MATHEMATICS

but not explained with sufficient clarity to pupils. As a result, pupils are not always clear about the focus of the lesson. Similarly, teachers do not assess progress to meet these outcomes. Consequently, lessons are not always adjusted to meet the needs of all pupils when a weakness has been identified in a lesson. In Years 3 to 6 pupils are grouped according to ability. This has enabled teachers to set suitably challenging tasks for pupils and this has had an impact on improved standards. However, some younger pupils lack confidence working with pupils who are older than themselves. Resources are used appropriately and the school has recently purchased a new set of textbooks and workbooks to support the teaching of mathematics throughout the school. The use of support staff is effective when teachers give them specific tasks both during whole class and group activities. On other occasions, support staff are not given suitable guidance and they could

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MATHEMATICS

contribute more to the lesson. Computers are used well to support the mathematics curriculum.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Management of the subject is effective and has had an impact on raising standards. Clearer planning guidelines have been introduced and the continuity of learning has improved. Information from test results is used successfully in Years 3 to 6 to group pupils according to their ability. This has led to improved standards notably for the higher attaining pupils. However, test results are not yet fully used to set individual or group targets and so pupils are not clear about what they need to do to get higher results. The co-ordinator knows the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and has planned appropriate action that includes extending the use of assessment information. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 39 - March 2001

p.38

SCIENCE

92. Inspection evidence indicates that the standards reached by seven and eleven year olds are similar to those found in most schools. Standards at the end of the infants are not as high as those reported in the statutory teacher assessments in 2000. This is due in part to the nature of the current Year 2 class and also to the disruption caused by staffing problems only recently resolved. The standards at the end of the juniors reflect the results of the National Curriculum tests in 2000, when standards were in line with most schools nationally but above the average for schools with similar backgrounds. Standards in both key stages have improved considerably since the last inspection when they were below average.

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SCIENCE

93. The majority of the pupils throughout the school are now achieving well enough. Since the last report, the school has improved the curriculum, and gives more attention to the systematic development of skills of scientific enquiry. This is having a beneficial effect on achievement. Teachers ensure that pupils with special educational needs are supported in class, for instance through careful arrangement of mixed ability groups where higher attainers support less confident pupils or through increased adult attention. This enables pupils with special educational needs to make good progress alongside their peers. Pupils who need support to learn English as an additional language make good progress but need support to check they have fully understood the scientific concept being taught. Assessment, however, is not used rigorously enough to track pupils’ progress over time and to set relevant targets for the full range

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SCIENCE

of ability in each class. Whilst the school is more aware of the needs of the higher attainers towards the end of the infants and juniors, provision is not consistent throughout the school. Consequently, some more able pupils do not achieve as well as they might.

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SCIENCE

94. By the end of the infants, the vast majority of the pupils have sound knowledge of living things, of materials and of physical forces. In all areas of the science curriculum, pupils carry out purposeful investigations so that by the time they are seven, most are confident, with help, to ask questions and to set about finding solutions. When investigating life processes, they observe and record individual differences in hair and eye colour, and ask and answer relevant questions such as, ‘ Is the tallest child always the oldest?’ They observe and compare their growing plants to discover the essentials for healthy growth. Higher attainers classify objects by living/nonliving criteria. Pupils’ knowledge of electricity is good. They are aware of safety aspects. They can put together an electric circuit, making sure that it is complete so that it lights the bulb. Higher attainers control the light to shine intermittently in their ‘ lighthouse’ . In

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SCIENCE

discussion, pupils explain how some materials, like chocolate and ice, change on heating. Higher attainers know some changes are reversible.

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SCIENCE

95. In Years 3 to 6 pupils gradually become more independent in initiating enquiries. A good example of this is in Year 4, where the teacher skilfully questions the pupils to make them really think about magnetism. They show sound knowledge of forces of attraction and repulsion between magnets and magnetic materials and link cause and effect. The pupils co-operate in threes to use their knowledge to test which magnet is most powerful. Most explain with help how they have made the test fair. By the end of Year 6, the pupils are aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle including diet and exercise. They have sound knowledge of systems in humans and plants. The vast majority are beginning to understand that there are helpful and harmful bacteria. In this work on micro-organisms, a good number of pupils are working at a higher level. Almost all pupils are confident in applying the principles of fair testing. They make

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SCIENCE

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 40 - March 2001 reasonable predictions and draw relevant conclusions from their work. They record their findings in a range of tables and graphs.

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SCIENCE

96. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. The unsatisfactory teaching has now been eliminated and teachers provide more opportunities for investigation. Teaching is now good overall and this leads to successful learning in most lessons. In three-quarters of lessons seen, teaching was good. In one quarter, it was satisfactory. Teachers set a calm purposeful atmosphere where pupils concentrate on learning. Relationships are good and pupils are confident to explore ideas without fear of failure. Pupils are enthusiastic to join in practical activities and co-operate well in pairs and small groups. Learning objectives are usually clearly focused and resources carefully prepared, so that pupils can work practically and learn at first-hand. Group work is well-organised and non-teaching assistants and volunteers carefully briefed. For instance, following the teacher input, the Year 6 class

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SCIENCE

worked in three groups each guided by an adult. One group found information about Edward Jenner, one tested their fingers for bacteria and one found out about helpful bacteria in making yoghurt. The good organisation and brisk pace enabled the three groups to complete all three tasks in the time and make good progress in learning about micro-organisms. Marking is not used effectively to improve standards. Teachers’ comments in books are often encouraging but do not tell pupils what they must do to improve their work.

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SCIENCE

97. Whilst the overall curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, it is in need of some adjustment to serve the school’s needs well. The recently implemented long and medium plans have not been adapted in sufficient detail to meet the needs of different age groups working on the same topic in the two-year rolling programme. For instance, the pupils in Years 1 and 2 carry out the same work on electricity. This results in too much or too little challenge for some pupils and hampers their progress. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 41 - March 2001 98. Co-ordination of the subject is good. The curriculum co-ordinator has carried out an audit of the school’s needs together with some monitoring of teaching and learning in class. This is beginning to lead to greater consistency in the quality of teaching, so raising standards of attainment. Frequent opportunities are provided for pupils to use

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SCIENCE

their mathematical skills in measurement, in charts and graphs to record investigations. Opportunities to practise and improve writing skills for specific purposes in science are not well developed. Presentation of work is often poor. There are good opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills in reasoned discussion. Information technology is not used sufficiently to record results.

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ART AND DESIGN

99. Standards in art and design are satisfactory and are similar to those seen in most schools at the end of Years 2 and 6. Considering pupils’ attainment as they start in the school this reflects satisfactory achievement for pupils of all abilities. Although it was only possible to see three lessons there is sufficient evidence of pupils’ work to show that the school uses a satisfactory range of materials. Standards identified in the previous inspection have been maintained.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. By the end of Year 2, pupils use a variety of resources and artistic skills. They mix colours and have an understanding of different tones. For example, they know that by increasing the number of layers of tissue paper they will get a darker colour. Many pupils show great care in their pencil work. This was apparent in Year 2 as pupils repeated patterns of small flowers and leaves after looking at the work of William Morris. Most pupils chose felt tips for this work and as yet have not acquired the skill of planning in sufficient detail so that they select resources for a particular task. Pupils have experimented with pastels and chalks and created attractive shades by smudging the colours. Higher attaining pupils give close attention to detail in their drawings of twigs and leaves.

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ART AND DESIGN

101. By the end of Year 6, pupils have experimented with a satisfactory range of techniques. More attention is given to detail and their drawings of shoes suggest pupils have looked closely at these items. Shading is included and some examples are good. Pupils are starting to think more carefully about their work. This was evident in Year 6 when a few pupils practised sketching different parts of the body before starting their picture. Others lack confidence and opted to produce cartoon characters rather than considering different ways to create movement in a picture. At the end of this lesson, pupils shared their ideas and many then began to see how to improve their own work. This ability to evaluate work was also evident in Years 4 and 5 when pupils showed genuine appreciation of the efforts of their classmates. Pupils have sketchbooks but these are not used regularly. There is little evidence of pupils using

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ART AND DESIGN

them to collect ideas to extend their artistic knowledge or skills.

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ART AND DESIGN

102. Pupils with special educational needs and those who learn through English as an additional language are fully included in all activities. They make satisfactory progress and achieve appropriate standards.

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ART AND DESIGN

103. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Lessons include practical activities and are organised efficiently so pupils have ample time to carry out practical artwork. The school lacks resources to use as a focus for lessons. As a result, in the Year 6 lesson pupils did not fully grasp the aim of the lesson. Similarly, lesson planning is brief and does not always identify the skills to be developed in the lesson. This was better in the Year 4 and 5 lesson. The rate of learning was good as pupils started with a simple idea but as the lesson progressed pupils became very Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 42 - March 2001 adventurous with their decorations. The finished boxes showed that the skills of curling, twisting, fringing and weaving paper had been taught effectively. Teachers manage lessons successfully and this leads to good behaviour. Teaching includes opportunities to produce whole class collages and this promotes pupils’ social skills.

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ART AND DESIGN

This was very evident in Year 2 when the teacher had mounted the pupils’ work as a large display and varnished it to create an impressive class picture. Pupils were very impressed with this and were very proud of their contributions.

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ART AND DESIGN

104. Management of the subject is satisfactory and the school has started to adopt new guidelines to aid their planning. Monitoring of the subject is in the very early stage, with a few examples of work being collected. This is insufficient to identify aspects needing improvement. Planning is reviewed but teachers need to be more aware of what other teachers are planning. For example, in Years 1 and 2 both teachers used William Morris as a stimulus for art. Although teachers had different reasons for using this artist, pupils had concentrated on repeating patterns. Pupils in Years 2 have looked at the work of Van Gogh but this aspect is underdeveloped and this hampers pupils’ cultural development.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. Standards at seven and eleven years are similar to those found in most schools. Standards have remained the same as those identified in the previous inspection. The vast majority of the pupils, including those with special educational needs and those pupils whose home language is not English, are achieving satisfactorily. They are learning skills and extending their knowledge at an acceptable rate as they move through the school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. As pupils move through the infant department, they become increasingly adept in the designing as well as the making aspects of the curriculum. In Year 1, the pupils follow simple instructions with help to make a fruit collage. They are skilled in cutting and assembling card and paper and join their product together with glue, or sewing stitches. In Year 2, pupils design homes of different types. They produce labelled diagrams to show what they intend their house, flat, or lighthouse to look like. They compile a list of resources they need. Higher attainers understand that their design is a plan of work and are beginning to refer to it in their construction.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. By the age of eleven, pupils have an increasing range of techniques to enable them to fulfil their designs for a range of purposes. In Year 6, pupils design and make a fairground ride using a pulley system. They show sound knowledge of how a pulley system works. Most evaluate their design and finished product. Higher attainers modify their plans to improve the product. All are becoming skilled in the use of tools, such as drills and saws. Finishing skills are not well developed. Their ability to decide on the most suitable techniques or mechanism for a specific purpose is not well developed due to the lack of frequent opportunities to work independently. In Year 4, pupils produce clear and well-labelled designs to make moving toys. They measure accurately cut and assemble. Although some pupils are unsure about evaluating their work in a relevant way, higher attainers are perceptive in identifying problems and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

suggesting improvements. They explain clearly, for example, how the cog mechanism works.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. No lessons were taught during the inspection. Scrutiny of pupils’ work and photographic evidence, together with discussions with pupils and staff, indicate that teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers use their knowledge and understanding of the subject to plan interesting tasks, and this leads to satisfactory learning. They Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 43 - March 2001 choose activities, which motivate pupils and create enthusiastic learners who are proud of their work. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to co-operate and share ideas. Assessment systems are not yet in place. This results in teachers not having a clear understanding of what their pupils have learnt so that they can plan the next steps to meet their needs. This results in progress being satisfactory overall, rather than good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. Resources are barely adequate. A wider range of tools is needed to assist pupils in working practically. No evidence was seen of the use of information and communication technology to support learning. Pupils use their mathematical skills accurately and purposefully in measuring and counting. Writing skills are not well promoted, although some instructional writing is evident on occasions.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. Management of the subjects is satisfactory. A thorough audit of the subject has been carried out and there is now a clear direction for the subject. The role of monitoring teaching and learning is not well developed due to the school’s other priorities.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Pupils occasionally have opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom. For instance, a group of pupils, led by the co-ordinator, have taken part successfully in a model bridge building competition. This effectively increases pupils’ self-esteem as well as improving their skills in design and technology.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. No lessons were seen in Years 1 and 2 but pupils’ work indicates that standards by the age of seven and eleven are satisfactory. Overall achievement is satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs and those who need support to learn English as an additional language make satisfactory progress related to their previous learning. Standards have improved since the last inspection as the school has implemented more detailed planning guidelines.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. By the end of Year 2, pupils draw their own maps of an island. They use symbols to represent physical features such as woods, rivers and hills. In their study of an island they learn about life in other places and how the environment affects the way people live. They are starting to use geographical vocabulary in their writing. There is no evidence that pupils compare their own lives with life on the island or recognise the impact people have on the environment.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. By the end of Year 6, pupils study man’s impact on the environment as they compare photographs of Skegness today with pictures of what it was like before modern development. Pupils look at the effect of coastal erosion, and how the weather can affect floodplains around rivers. Pupils explain the water cycle, and how rivers are formed. Pupils are more confident using geographical terminology and explain ’erosion’ and ‘flood plains’ in their own words. In Year 4, pupils learn to collect and record evidence as they conduct a survey of litter around the school, and enter their findings on a spreadsheet to produce a graph of the results. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 44 - March 2001 115. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. One example of excellent teaching was seen in Year 6 and was characterised by the specific teaching of geographical skills. Other positive features include clear objectives for learning which

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GEOGRAPHY

were used to assess achievement. Pupils understand what is expected of them and pace is good when a suitable, precise time frame is allowed to complete tasks. Activities within the lessons are planned to meet the different ability levels of all the pupils so that all pupils learn at a good rate. Pupils are involved in learning and expectations are high. When teaching is less effective expectations of work are insufficiently high and worksheets are often unfinished and not always marked. This gives little value to the activity. Lesson plans seen do not identify assessment opportunities, or how the activities will be adapted to meet the needs of the higher and lower attaining pupils.

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GEOGRAPHY

116. The co-ordinator for geography is recently appointed, but has identified areas for development, for example, an increase in investigational work to develop skills in independent research. The school has adopted national guidance documentation on which to base schemes of work. Long term plans currently in use in Years 3 to 6, indicate that some pupils will miss areas of the curriculum as they progress through the school and this hampers pupils’ learning.

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HISTORY

117. Standards at the age of seven are satisfactory and the overall achievement of pupils of all abilities is satisfactory. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were unsatisfactory. By the age of eleven, standards are below average and achievement is also unsatisfactory. No improvement has been made since the last inspection for this age group.

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HISTORY

118. By the age of seven, pupils have developed an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the lives of people and events in the past. They know about Florence Nightingale and the Great Fire of London. Pupils talk about the past using words and phrases such as ‘long ago’, ‘100 years ago’ and the ‘Victorian Age’. They understand items in their houses have changed over time. This was evident in Years 1 and 2 when pupils compared items from a Victorian kitchen with those seen today. They were very interested in the artefacts and showed a good level of concentration. They were eager to participate in the activity asking questions about the past, and developing thinking skills as they decided what the objects were and what they might be used for.

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HISTORY

119. By the age of eleven, pupils have a limited knowledge of the passage of time and show limited knowledge of some of the major historical events. For example, pupils were unable to give dates for the Victorian Age, which they had recently studied. They recalled that clothes at that time were different and people were often dirty. They understand that there were no medicines but were unable to talk in depth about other significant events of this time. There was little evidence that pupils understand how to obtain information about the past.

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HISTORY

120. Teaching and learning are satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and teachers use resources well to facilitate discussion about life in the past. They encourage pupils to think about the differences between old and new. Only one lesson was seen in Years 3 to 6 and this was satisfactory. However, a review of pupils’ work shows weaknesses in teaching that leads to pupils’ lacking interest in the subject and this limits their rate of learning. Pupils have few opportunities for pupils to develop their historical skills. Insufficient attention is given to finding out about the past or that events in the past can Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 45 - March 2001 be interpreted in different ways. Pupils hear about or watch videos about the past and fill in a worksheet or record what they have seen or heard. Insufficient emphasis is placed on pupils’ work and it is not always completed or carefully marked. When

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HISTORY

teaching was more successful pupils were engaged in their learning and made toys that might have been used during World War Two. Good learning took place as pupils were motivated by the activities. Pupils are encouraged to empathise with people in the past and teachers promote literacy skills as pupils write letters from an imaginary evacuee. No evidence was seen of the use of the local area to promote historical concepts and to develop a sense of time.

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HISTORY

121. Management of history is satisfactory. The new co-ordinator has carried out an audit of the subject and a plan of action has been drawn up to address identified weaknesses. There is no system to assess pupils’ learning so it is difficult for teachers to monitor pupils’ progress. National guidance for history has been adopted throughout the school. This has been effective in improving planning in Years 1 and 2. However, it is less effective in Years 3 to 6 and currently is unsatisfactory as the school’s long-term plans include too many topics of study for pupils. For example, this year pupils in Years 5 and 6 are studying more British studies than required by the National Curriculum. Similarly, as pupils progress through the school they study more than one world history study. As a result, pupils do not have sufficient time to learn about the topics in enough detail and standards are below the level seen in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. By the ages of seven and eleven, standards of attainment are broadly in line with the level expected nationally for this age group. This represents satisfactory achievement for most pupils and for those who do not have access to computers at home it is a significant achievement. Pupils with special educational needs and those learning through English as an additional language receive effective advice and progress is satisfactory. Since the publication of national guidance for the teaching of information and communication technology, the school has planned a more systematic approach. Teachers have attended training and are more confident helping pupils as they work on the computers. This has had an impact on pupils’ computer skills throughout the school. As a result, standards have improved since the previous inspection when they were reported as being below the level expected for pupils by the end of Years 2

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. By the age of seven, pupils are able to control the movements of a programmable toy by planning and entering procedures. Pupils have satisfactory word processing skills. They are beginning to enter text when writing stories and know how to delete mistakes and change the size of letters. They know some of the everyday uses of technology and use a tape recorder to store and give instructions to others.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Pupils in Year 6 are more confident using computers to aid their writing. Pupils understand work can be saved. Each class has a file and pupils retrieve their work. In art pupils draw figures confidently using the menu to change the colour. Pupils are not afraid to seek out information for themselves. For example, they use the Internet to find information, and send e-mails to another school. In Year 3, pupils classify information to enter on a database. In Year 4, pupils enter information collected in a litter survey on a database, and use it to produce graphs to present to the class. In Year 5, pupils experiment with text and import graphics as they design a poster.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. The evidence of pupils’ work and the standards seen indicate that teaching and Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 46 - March 2001 learning are satisfactory. Teachers plan to use information and communication technology throughout the curriculum and good examples were seen during the inspection. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good and most have completed recent training. Little evidence of direct teaching was seen although teachers offer good advice to support pupils using the computer. Assessment of pupils’ achievement and recording of attainment is not in place. This makes it difficult for teachers to monitor pupils’ progress and check that tasks set build effectively on previous learning. Teachers allow pupils to support each other. As a result, pupils behave responsibly as they use the computer, and co-operate with each other as they take turns.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Management of the subject is satisfactory and the co-ordinator has a clear view of how the subject should be developed. Currently, there are no systems to monitor how the subject is taught and so it is not possible to identify where support is needed. The school has sufficient computers for pupils to learn new skills but there are insufficient resources for pupils to practise their skills and so increase their learning.

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MUSIC

127. Standards and pupils’ achievements in music are satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs and those few pupils learning through English as an additional language are fully involved in lessons and make satisfactory progress. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection. The weakness in composition has been resolved. During the inspection there was evidence of pupils writing and performing their own small pieces of music.

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MUSIC

128. By the end of Year 2, pupils maintain a rhythm clapping and slapping different parts of their body. Pupils understand symbols can be used to represent sounds. Pupils play untuned percussion instruments responding to the appropriate symbol. They understand ‘loud’ and ‘soft’ and adjust their playing in response to a signal from their teacher. A few pupils find it more difficult to maintain the given rhythm when playing in a group. Most listen carefully to each other and are beginning to suggest improvements and say which part they like the best. Pupils know several songs from memory and these are sung tunefully in assemblies often accompanied by actions.

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MUSIC

129. By the end of Year 6, pupils have extended their composition skills. After listening to ‘Battle of the Planets’ pupils collaborate in groups to write their own small composition. As a whole class the pupils play the different parts and then come together for a final session all playing together. Pupils play percussion and in the mixed Year 4 and 5 class experimented in groups, writing patterns of music including beats and rests. They understand how patterns can be repeated and play these confidently for the rest of the class. Pupils are less confident using musical terminology to explain their compositions. Pupils listen appreciatively to each other and suggest ways to improve their own and others’ work. In assemblies pupils listen to music as they enter the hall, but little emphasis is placed on the composer or type of music. This is an aspect of pupils’ musical knowledge that is underdeveloped.

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MUSIC

Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 47 - March 2001 130. Teaching is good and has improved since the previous inspection. Pupils are now learning at a good rate in lessons. The identified weakness which led to pupils sitting listening for a long time has been resolved. Lessons include a range of opportunities to use and play instruments and pupils are keen to perform their own pieces of music. Management is good and based on good relationships. This results in lessons being fun while pupils play instruments but good behaviour is also maintained. Although teachers are confident and encourage pupils to compose music, they do not always stress the correct use of musical terminology. As a result, pupils have limited knowledge of these terms.

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MUSIC

131. Co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory and the school has obtained new instruments to resolve a weakness in the last inspection. Teachers now have more detailed guidelines to use when planning lessons. Assessment is not yet in place and the co-ordinator has not had time to check that the new guidelines are having an impact on standards in lessons. The curriculum is extended by a music club and opportunities to learn to play the recorder. These activities enhance pupils’ musical skills and their social development. A weakness in the musical curriculum is the lack of the use of music from other cultures.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are similar to those found in most schools. These standards represent a sound level of achievement for the majority of pupils. The standards identified in the previous inspection have been maintained. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are fully involved in all activities and make satisfactory progress in the lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. At the end of Year 2, pupils move around the hall confidently, changing speed and direction. They show satisfactory control of their bodies and successfully combine movements to make a short sequence. On the large apparatus pupils are confident climbing, jumping and swinging. Pupils do not always listen with sufficient care to instructions and fail to carry out the directed task on the apparatus. Other pupils confidently make up small sequences on the apparatus and give due attention to a starting and finishing position. In games pupils have satisfactory skills stopping and striking a ball. They control the ball when dribbling around an obstacle course. Pupils have a simple understanding that exercise is good for them.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. It was not possible to see gymnastics in Years 3 to 6. In games by the end of Year 6 pupils work well with a partner passing and stopping a ball. A few pupils are able to maintain a rally with their partner keeping the ball in the air for a considerable length of time. In a small competitive situation pupils appreciate the need for rules if a game is to be fair. In Years 4 and 5, pupils have made up their own games and think about different ways to make them more interesting. When dodging to receive a ball they understand the need to use all the space and indicate where they want to receive a pass. Pupils have a more detailed appreciation of the effects of exercise on the body. For example, they know it makes their heart beat faster and this is good for the body. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 go swimming for one term each year. This limited amount of time, with a long gap between sessions, means standards and achievement although

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

satisfactory are not as good as they could be. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 48 - March 2001 135. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers include warming up activities and remind pupils about safety issues. Overall management is satisfactory; although when games are taken indoors limited space leads to pupils getting frustrated with the activities. Teachers make effective use of pupils’ demonstrations and this leads to pupils learning from each other. Teachers include sufficient activity and most activities are carried out at a brisk pace. This is less effective in games lessons when long queues mean time is wasted as pupils wait for their turn. Teachers plan for pupils to get out the large apparatus in gymnastics and this enhances their social skills as they learn to help each other carrying large equipment. Teachers demonstrate specific skills but more advice could be given to pupils as they

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

practise so that they know how to improve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Management of the subject is satisfactory. Currently the school lacks detailed guidelines and so it is difficult for teachers to plan tasks that build on pupils’ previous skills. There are no assessment systems in place and this is identified as an area for development. The co-ordinator has no opportunity to check on what is happening in lessons and this means it is difficult to identify areas needing extra attention. Several members of staff give generously of their time to provide clubs after school. The movement and drama group is currently celebrating the locality’s mining heritage in a dance performance. Parents are involved with the football team that plays matches against other schools.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. Standards at seven and eleven years have fallen since the last inspection and do not meet the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Many pupils do not achieve as well as they could. This is due mainly to weaknesses in the organisation of the curriculum. Statutory requirements are not met. There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about aspects of human experience. Their abilities to consider moral and ethical issues are soundly developed. However, insufficient attention is given to enabling the pupils to understand the concept of religious belief and to learn about other major world faiths as well as Christianity. As a result, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of this part of the statutory curriculum is unsatisfactory. Standards also reflect the low profile given to religious education as the school has concentrated on raising standards in English and mathematics.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. By the end of the infants, most pupils are aware of their different roles at home and as part of the school community. They are just beginning to realise another’s point of view and to show respect for feelings and for the world around them. Through listening to stories from the Bible, infant pupils learn about the importance of Jesus to Christians. By the age of seven, they know the Christmas story well. They are beginning to link Easter with springtime and the birth of new life. Stories from the Old Testament give some access to Judaic/Christian tradition, but this aspect is not fully developed. Pupils are not aware of the customs, celebrations, or key features of another religion. Their knowledge of places of worship is also very limited.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. Pupils in the juniors reflect sensitively on their life experiences. For instance, they recount special moments when they were fearful or sad. Older pupils consider the concept of trust, and to whom they would turn to in a desperate situation. Pupils in Year 6 are beginning to gain some understanding of Islam. They appreciate that the Qur’an is a sacred book and provides guidance for Moslems. In discussion, their knowledge of world religions is limited and confused. Very few are able to identify key features in two non-Christian world faiths as required or to compare festivals, holy books, or places of worship in Christian and other traditions. Stonebroom Primary and Nursery School - 49 - March 2001 140. In the lessons seen, the quality of teaching varied from unsatisfactory to very good and was satisfactory overall. All teachers are sensitive to the pupils’ personal needs and build secure and supportive relationships, which give pupils confidence to reflect.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

They organise discussion sessions well. Pupils are encouraged to express their own point of view and to empathise with others. Some teachers are insecure in their knowledge and understanding of some aspects of the subject. This leads to some lack of clarity and focus in lessons so that pupils do not always learn as well as they might. Tasks are not matched well to the pupils’ needs, for instance, a Bible text was too difficult for pupils to understand and they did not have enough background information to put the learning into context. In the very good lesson the curriculum co- ordinator’s enthusiasm, subject knowledge and high expectations set clear objectives, which enabled the pupils to make very good progress.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. Very little work is recorded in books and opportunities for pupils to use their writing skills in this subject are not well developed. Resources in terms of artefacts are inadequate and educational visits are infrequent and do not support learning effectively.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. In the past, management of the subject has been unsatisfactory as insufficient checks were made to ensure full coverage of the agreed syllabus. Currently, the new co- ordinator has had limited time to review the provision. The school is not selective enough in its use of national guidance and needs to prioritise its topics so that an appropriate curriculum based on the locally agreed syllabus, matched to the specific needs of each age group, is taught in sufficient depth. Assessment systems are not yet used effectively to provide information on which to plan future work.

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