Meath Green Junior School

HORLEY

Reporting inspector: Mrs Pat King - 7853

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HORLEY

Dates of inspection: 12-15 February, 2001

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HORLEY

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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HORLEY

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. Meath Green - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Greenfields Road, Horley, Surrey Postcode: RH6 8HW

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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: Mr Kevin Carr

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 24-28 February, 1997 Meath Green - 4

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Team members

Mrs Pat King – 7853 Registered inspector Mr Robert Love – 9030 Lay inspector Mr Gordon Tompsett - 30717 Team inspector

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Team members

NES Education Services Limited, Linden House, Woodland Way, Gosfield, Essex CO9 1TH

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Meath Green - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 12

1 The leadership of the headteacher, governors and senior staff is very good. 2 Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the national expectation in English and mathematics. 3 The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching observed being very good or excellent. 4 Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very good social skills. 5 The provision for special educational needs is good.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 17

1 Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in the lower school; 2 The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing; 3 Some pupils’ knowledge of what they need to do to improve their work

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Meath Green Junior is a school of above average size, with 357 boys and girls on roll between the ages of seven and eleven. The school serves a socially mixed area. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is six per cent, which is below the national average. There is only one pupil with English as an additional language, which is higher than in most schools. 80 pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is in line with the national average. Approximately 39 of these pupils are in need of significant support with their learning. Eleven pupils have a statement of special educational need and this is above the national average. Attainment on entry is just above average in English and above average in mathematics based on the percentage of pupils who reached the expected level for their age or above in the national tests for seven-year-olds. The inspection of this school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

included a detailed inspection for pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Meath Green is a school with many good features. Standards have risen in line with the national trend over the last four years in English, mathematics and science. Pupils make good progress during their time in the school. They reach standards overall that are above the national expectation. The leadership of the headteacher, governors and senior staff is very successful in establishing a very strong school ethos that promotes in pupils an enthusiastic approach to learning. Teaching is mainly good, with much that is very good or excellent. The school offers good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The leadership of the headteacher, governors and senior staff is very good. • Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the national expectation in English and mathematics. • The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching observed being very good or excellent. • Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very good social skills. • The provision for special educational needs is good.

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What could be improved

• Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in the lower school; • The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing; • Some pupils’ knowledge of what they need to do to improve their work.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Meath Green - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good improvements in addressing the key areas for development in the last inspection report in 1997. The school development plan now has clear whole-school priorities for improvement and includes costs, persons responsible for undertaking planned actions and monitoring and evaluation procedures. It is a useful document for guiding curriculum co-ordinators and governors in their decision-making when planning and evaluating school developments. The provision for information and communication technology has been improved. Pupils now have access to an appropriate range of experiences and teachers are more confident and competent in the use of computers because of the training that they have received. In addition to the key issues listed in the last inspection report, the headteacher and governors have made good improvements in financial planning and the school currently has an appropriate contingency fund. Expenditure is linked

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

closely to priorities in the school development plan and the effects of expenditure are evaluated regularly to ensure that money is spent effectively for the pupils’ benefit. Standards have risen in line with national trends in English, mathematics and science in the national test results at the end of Year 6. The quality of teaching has shown considerable improvement. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during this inspection and the amount of good or better teaching has increased significantly. Music provision has improved. All classes have regular music lessons and specialist teaching is having a positive impact on the quality of learning in this subject.

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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

1998 1999 2000 2000 Very high Well above A*

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STANDARDS

English C A B C average Above average Average A B C Mathematics B A A C Below average D

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STANDARDS

In 2000 in the national tests in English, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level was above average and the percentage gaining a higher level was high when compared to all schools nationally. When compared to similar schools in that year, the school’s performance in English was average. From lessons observed and work scrutinised during the inspection, pupils’ attainment is above the national expectation. Pupils make good progress in English from their standards on entry to the school and the highest attaining pupils make very good progress in writing. However, on some occasions pupils could make Meath Green - 8 more progress in the lower school. In mathematics in the Year 2000, the school’s performance when compared to similar schools was above average at the expected level for the pupils’ age and average at the higher Level 5. Pupils’ attainment at the time of the inspection was above the national expectation and their needs were met appropriately within

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STANDARDS

the mathematics sets. They use their literacy and numeracy skills very well to support their learning across the curriculum. In science pupils’ attainment in the national tests in the Year 2000 was in the highest five per cent nationally when compared to all schools and well above average in relation to similar schools. Within lessons seen, pupils had very good subject knowledge and used subject-specific vocabulary very well. They presented evidence very carefully, using a suitable range of recording methods. Their investigative skills were mainly in line with what is expected for their age but they do not always build on these skills as much as they could do as they move through the school. The school has set appropriately challenging targets for pupils to achieve in the national tests in English and mathematics in the last two years. These targets have been exceeded. Those for 2001 are based on

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STANDARDS

assessment of pupils’ past performance in optional national tests at the end of Year 4. Whilst they are lower than in the previous two years, they reflect anticipated good progress for these pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are very keen to learn and apply themselves very conscientiously to their work. They take pride in their achievements and are confident to share their ideas with their peers.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is very good in assembly, in the playground and in lessons. They understand the need for school rules and abide by them, with the result that the school is a very orderly community.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships between pupils are very good. Pupils show respect for each other and undertake responsibilities very maturely.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is above average and pupils are punctual.

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aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Meath Green - 9 Most lesson observations were made of literacy and numeracy but science, history, music and religious education were also included. The quality of teaching was good in a little more than half of lessons observed. In almost a quarter of all lessons the quality of teaching was very good or excellent. In all other lessons the teaching was at least satisfactory. The quality of teaching is consistently of good or better quality in Years 5 and 6. In Years 3 and 4 it is more variable, with some teaching that is satisfactory. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good. Teachers teach the basic skills systematically and pupils make good progress in their knowledge and understanding in these lessons. One of the strengths in the

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aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

teaching throughout the school is the very good management of pupils, which results in pupils having very good attitudes to learning and acquiring skills, knowledge and understanding at a good rate. Teachers generally provide work that interests and motivates pupils so that they are keen to learn. In the majority of lessons teachers challenge pupils of all abilities to make good progress but in some lessons teacher expectations are not as high. Teachers share their expertise well for the benefit of the pupils and this has a very positive impact in music lessons. Some teachers set very clear learning targets for pupils so that they know what they have to do to improve their work but this approach is not yet consistent across the school. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good when they are withdrawn for literacy and numeracy. The special needs co-ordinator and class teachers

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aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

assess pupils’ needs regularly and accurately, plan specific, good quality individual education plans for them and address their individual needs appropriately. These pupils respond well to the additional support that they are given, work hard and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is good in range and quality and meets statuary requirements. The experiences offered to the pupils are interesting and relevant. In particular, good use is made of visits and visitors to enrich pupils’ learning. The range of extra- curricular activities is very good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. It promotes good progress overall for these pupils. Pupils with special educational needs share the curricular experiences of all pupils and take a full part in the social life of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language. The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The promotion of pupils’ moral and social development is very good and the provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a good level of care for the pupils. Health and safety and child protection procedures are good. Meath Green - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides a clear sense of direction to planning and school developments. She involves the governing body and all staff in working closely as a team. She ensures that all those who work in or with the school have a commitment to promoting high standards and a community in which individuals are valued and respected.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities very well. They monitor the work of the school closely and keep themselves very well informed so that they can plan and evaluate school priorities for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has good strategies in place for monitoring teaching, learning and standards within the school. The information gained is used effectively to set whole-school areas for development but the targets for action are not always detailed specifically enough to ensure that the appropriate year groups are targeted.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school’s financial planning is good and expenditure is matched carefully to agreed priorities for school improvement. The governors apply the principles of best value well when making financial decisions

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The leadership and management are good. • The quality of teaching is good. • Pupils are expected to work hard in lessons and they make good progress. • Pupils’ behaviour is good. • Pupils show respect for each other. • Homework is set regularly and marked by teachers so that pupils feel that their efforts are valued. • Parents receive a good range of information about the life and work of the school. • Pupils are not given the right amount of homework. • Parents are not given sufficient information about the progress that their children are making. • The school does not work closely enough with parents. • There are not enough activities provided for pupils outside of lessons. Meath Green - 11 The inspection findings endorse the parents’ positive views of the school but offer very little support for parents in those areas that they would like to see improved. The amount of homework given is in line with the government’s recommendations. The homework policy is

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

explained clearly to parents and parents are invited to inform the school if homework is taking longer than anticipated. The information that the school provides for parents about their children's progress is in line with what is provided by most junior schools. Two consultation evenings take place each year to enable parents to discuss their children’s work and one open evening is held when parents have the opportunity to look at work displayed. A meeting is also organised in September when all year group teachers explain what is happening in the curriculum and outline school activities for the year ahead. The school is committed to working closely with parents and this is evident in the range of links that are made. A good home-school contact book is used throughout the school and reflects the policy for homework. It also contains a diary of events, the home/school agreement and details of team points gained. The quality and range of information for parents in the prospectus and

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

governors’ annual report for parents are very good. The school promotes the work of the Home School Association, which is effective in raising money and organising social functions. The range of activities that take place out of lessons is very good for pupils in Years 4 to 6 but limited for pupils in Year 3. Meath Green - 12

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The leadership of the headteacher, governors and senior staff is very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 The headteacher’s leadership is very effective in promoting a very strong school ethos that has a very positive impact on the life and work of the school. This is evident in the very caring community that exists in which pupils’ moral and social development is very good. It has a positive impact on the pupils’ conscientious and enthusiastic approach to their work and on the very good relationships that pervade the school. The headteacher provides a clear sense of direction to the planning and promotion of school developments, which involves the governing body and all staff in working closely as a team. All those who work in or with the school have a commitment to promoting high standards and a community in which individuals are valued and respected.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 The governors keep themselves very well informed about the life and work of the school through regular meetings, visits, and links with classes and curriculum co-ordinators. They are involved appropriately in discussions about priorities for school development and monitor standards closely through the performance committee when they scrutinise national test results and Local Education Authority data about pupils’ progress. Their financial planning and management are good and are linked to school development planning, although mainly within one financial year. They give good emphasis to evaluating the effects of expenditure on pupils’ learning through regular planned discussions of the finance committee.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3 The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning are good overall and have had an impact on improving the quality of teaching since the last inspection. The headteacher observes all teachers in the classroom regularly and has a very clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses in teaching. This information has been used to support the professional development of individual teachers. The co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science have undertaken a good range of monitoring and evaluation activities such as scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work and observation of teaching. As a result of this involvement, the English and mathematics co-ordinators have helped to ensure the successful implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The English co-ordinator has also improved the school’s approach to pupils' involvement in planning and structuring their narrative writing. As a consequence of evidence obtained across the school,

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

co-ordinators in the core subjects are well placed to identify aspects for improvement in the next school development plan more precisely in terms of which year groups are to be targeted. The school makes good use of the expertise of advisers from the Local Education Authority and this has had a positive impact on teachers’ confidence and competence in information and communication technology and therefore on the quality and range of experiences offered to the pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4 The governors, headteacher and subject co-ordinators analyse the national test results to identify gender issues, trends over time and strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ attainment. They have used this information effectively to plan broad areas for improvement, such as pupils’ writing. Analysis of the results from the optional national tests undertaken at the end of Year 4 is used to set targets for pupils to achieve in the national tests at the end of the key stage. These targets have been suitably challenging and have shown a steady rise over the last few years. Teachers in Year 6 are aware of the targets set for the pupils and use the information very well when setting and marking pupils’ work to promote good progress.

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

Meath Green - 13 national expectation in English and mathematics.

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

5 In 2000 in the national tests in English the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level was above average and the percentage gaining a higher level was high when compared to all schools nationally. When compared to similar schools in that year, the school’s performance in English was average. Lessons observed and work scrutinised during the inspection indicate that pupils’ attainment is above the national expectation. Pupils make good progress in English from their standards on entry to the school and the highest attaining pupils make very good progress in writing. However, on some occasions pupils could make more progress in the lower school. In mathematics in the Year 2000, the school’s performance when compared to similar schools was above average at the expected level for the pupils’ age and average at the higher Level 5. Pupils’ attainment at the time of the inspection was above the national expectation.

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

6 In mathematics pupils are placed in ability sets and this helps teachers to match the work appropriately to the needs of pupils who consequently make good, and sometimes very good, progress. Pupils work at a good pace and their ability to calculate mentally is good in Year 6. In the middle set pupils are able to count quickly in steps of 0.2 forwards and backwards from 0 to five. In the upper set pupils can calculate percentages mentally, such as 20 per cent of 500 and then 40 per cent by doubling. Pupils are good at explaining their thinking and their strategies for problem-solving because they have good knowledge of mathematical language and understanding of the calculations involved. In the lowest set pupils are able to explain how to double 98 as doubling 100 and subtracting 2x2. Pupils are keen to solve problems and have good strategies for doing so. This is evident when they are asked to extract information from tables and charts. Pupils are confident and show above

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

average understanding of mean and mode of data and of the range of distribution when working with the results of their mental tests displayed in the form of graphs.

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

7 In English pupils’ speaking and listening skills are very good throughout the school. They listen very attentively in whole-school assemblies, in introductions to lessons and in paired or group work. They use their speaking skills to extend their understanding by explaining their ideas and responding to the teachers’ questions across the curriculum. By Year 6, pupils of all abilities are beginning to present a balanced argument, for example about wearing school uniform. The higher attaining pupils are able to summarise an argument. They have a well-developed vocabulary and can suggest alternative words, such as 'guidelines' instead of 'information'. Pupils read with good accuracy and fluency and use these skills in a range of contexts. In one lesson observed, they were able to read a complex text on vivisection and find appropriate connecting words to take a discussion forward. A particular strength of pupils’ work in English is their ability to write in a range of styles to

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

achieve a specific purpose. Pupils make good progress overall in writing from their standards on entry to the school and the highest attaining pupils make very good progress. Pupils in Year 6 can select words very skilfully to create particular effects. One pupil when describing the sea wrote, ‘The sea is a famished panda, immense and black, He shins up the cliff, With binding eyes and trenchant claws.' Another when writing a description as part of a story wrote: ‘Her dark, greyish hair contrasted sharply with the crisp white walls of the classroom; her wrinkled face was reflected onto the polished, wooden walls.'

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Standards at the end of the key stage in the lessons observed were above the

Pupils use vocabulary well, spell accurately and use a wide range of punctuation. They plan Meath Green - 14 their story writing to an agreed format, including identifying the problem and describing the setting, plot and resolution. This approach gives their stories a good structure. They use their writing skills very well across the curriculum, for example when writing about erosion as part of a geographical visit or to record their observations in science.

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The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching

8 Most lesson observations were made of literacy and numeracy but science, history, music and religious education were also included. The quality of teaching was good in a little more than half of lessons observed. In almost a quarter of all lessons the quality of teaching was very good or excellent. In all other lessons the teaching was at least satisfactory. This shows considerable improvement since the last inspection in 1997 when there was some unsatisfactory teaching. The amount of good or better teaching has also increased significantly. The quality of teaching is consistently of good or better quality in Years 5 and 6. In Years 3 and 4 it is more variable, with some teaching that is satisfactory

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The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching

9 A very strong feature of all teaching is the teachers’ very good management of pupils. This results in a very calm atmosphere for learning in which pupils show sustained concentration and application to the tasks set. Teachers value all pupils’ contributions both in discussions and written work and as a result pupils are confident and willing to learn from their mistakes. These positive attitudes which the teachers promote are a very significant factor in the progress that pupils make.

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The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching

10 Teachers generally question pupils carefully to check their understanding as the lesson moves forward. They also ensure that through direct questioning they involve pupils who are less confident in expressing their ideas. Where teaching is good or better, the teachers match questions very carefully to pupils’ prior learning and thereby provide a high level of challenge for all pupils. For example, in a lesson on presenting a balanced argument, some pupils were asked to summarise main points and others to extract one argument for or against an issue. These teachers select work carefully to motivate and interest pupils, such as in one lesson pupils were asked within ability groups to use a thesaurus or dictionary to find words to learn as part of their weekly spelling activity, which made the work more relevant. By making links across the curriculum, teachers provide pupils with interesting ways to use their literacy and numeracy skills. This was evident in a history lesson when

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The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching

pupils were writing a newspaper account of the discovery of Carter’s discovery of Tutankamun’s tomb and developing their journalistic style as well as their historical knowledge. In numeracy, they were using the class’s test results in other subjects as part of analysis of data.

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The quality of teaching is most often good, with almost a quarter of teaching

11 Across all year groups teachers share their expertise when planning the week’s work together and this helps to ensure that all pupils have access to a similar curriculum. However, pupils benefit significantly when teachers share their expertise within lessons. Two very good examples of this were seen during the inspection. On one occasion in a history lesson three teachers grouped all Year 5 pupils together and used information and communication technology very effectively to teach the pupils how to extract essential information from a text using key words. Another was a singing lesson for the whole school, which involved four teachers. A knowledgeable specialist teacher led the session but the pupils gained from the enthusiasm and involvement of all the teachers present. Meath Green - 15

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

12 There is a very strong ethos in the school of caring for others and being part of a community. This is evident in the way that teachers value the pupils and make their needs the highest priority. Lesson times, playtimes and assemblies are used very well to promote pupils’ moral and social development. Pupils play together very successfully, taking turns and showing enjoyment in the company of others in the playground. Older pupils care for younger ones. School rules, rewards and sanctions are made clear to pupils so that they have a good understanding of them. The pupils know what is expected of them and behave very well.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

13 Pupils show a keenness to come to school. A group of pupils said that teachers are very approachable when help is needed. In all classes pupils settle quickly to work, concentrate well and work very hard to complete the tasks. Relationships are very good between pupils and between teachers and pupils. This is evident in the confident way that pupils respond to questions in lessons and in the sensitive manner in which they work together in literacy to improve each other’s work. They are given good opportunities for reflection and for giving their opinions and views, for example when discussing a complex moral issue relating to vivisection and use of the countryside for leisure pursuits. They listen attentively to and respect the views of others. Pupils take a pride in their achievements and they show this in their keenness to explain their mental strategies and approaches to solving problems in mathematics and to read aloud their poems and stories to their peers and to

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

visitors. When given the opportunity to work collaboratively within groups, pupils are able to share their ideas and learning to benefit themselves and others. In the upper part of the school they progress to selecting a group leader and assigning roles. This was seen when pupils were working as a group to measure themselves in science and to make some generalisations from the data.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

14 Pupils accept responsibility very well for the completion and presentation of their work and for duties within the life of the school. At some time during the year all pupils have special tasks as classroom monitors, which they take seriously. Pupils in all classes have the opportunity to represent their class on the School Council. The current group of School Council representatives is aware of its responsibilities and recognises some of its achievements on behalf of the school, in particular the additional playground equipment requested and obtained. Pupils in Year 6 have a wide range of responsibilities, which they generally undertake very conscientiously. They have to take turns to tidy the hall at the end of lunch sessions and some act as house captains or become ‘ buddies’ for the youngest pupils and support them in the playground and during indoor playtimes. Pupils have very good opportunities for extending their social development through a wide range of visits to

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

places of educational interest and activities outside of lessons.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

The provision for special educational needs is good.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

15 The school provides a good level of support for pupils with special educational needs. Those pupils who are on Stage 2 or above on the school’s register and require significant support in their learning are mainly withdrawn into small groups for numeracy and literacy to work with teachers or learning support assistants. In addition to this, pupils with statements of special needs have regular support in the classrooms from learning support assistants.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

16 The ethos of the school promotes self-confidence and high self-esteem and this is Meath Green - 16 reflected in the attitudes of pupils with special educational needs. They are valued by all adults and involved fully in the life of the school. Several pupils received commendations for effort and progress in the celebration assembly, one pupil represents his class on the school council and other pupils undertake their out-of-class responsibilities alongside all the other Year 6 pupils.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

17 The quality of teaching within withdrawal groups is good. One special educational needs teacher plans very closely with the class teachers to ensure that the pupils follow the same programme of work in literacy and numeracy as the other pupils in the year group but at their own level. This was evident when pupils were working on the complex task of presenting a balanced argument on the issue of school uniform. The other teacher relates the work closely to the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies but does not follow the same sequence of work as the classes in the year group. Whilst this approach makes links with the work of the classroom more difficult to achieve, all pupils have access to the same curriculum over time. The teachers and learning support assistants match the work carefully to the pupils’ needs and pupils make good progress. They are well motivated and interested and keen to succeed. Relationships between pupils are very good and pupils work together

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

co-operatively. For example in a numeracy lesson the pupils were confident when working within a group to count forwards and backwards in steps of 25 and keen to explain their methods of working. The learning support assistants who provide the additional literacy support have good knowledge and understanding of the programme and are very enthusiastic in their delivery.

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

18 The support that pupils receive in the classrooms from the teachers and learning support assistants is good overall. In a literacy lesson the teacher was aware of the needs of a pupil with a hearing impairment during the whole-class introduction and placed him where he could see the responses made by his peers. Regular assessments are undertaken of pupils with special educational needs and reviews are held each term, involving the special needs co-ordinator, class teacher and learning support assistants. The individual education plans that are drawn up as result of these reviews are of good quality and are available to all members of staff who work with the pupils. The majority of teachers and learning support assistants use these plans effectively to prepare work that is appropriate for the needs of the pupils across the curriculum, particularly in relation to pupils with a statement of special

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Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, a mature sense of responsibility and very

educational need. The liaison between the teacher and the learning support assistant and their shared understanding of how to translate the individual education plan targets into specific tasks in a range of subjects are often good or very good. In a few instances pupils’ needs are not met fully because the understanding of how to match the work to individuals' needs is not secure enough. The special needs co-ordinator is effective in teaching groups of pupils and in working closely with parents at open evenings and at the annual reviews for pupils with a statement of special educational need. She carries out the necessary administration to ensure that the Code of Practice is met. She has not yet monitored and evaluated the work of teachers and teaching assistants within classrooms to identify where support or training is needed. Meath Green - 17

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Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in the lower school;

19 In line with statutory requirements targets are set at the beginning of Year 5 for pupils to achieve in the national tests at the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics. These are used to help teachers in Years 5 and 6 in planning to challenge pupils to make good progress and in the assessment of what they have achieved. However, targets are not yet in place for the end of Year 5 to assist these teachers in targeting work even more precisely on pupils’ individual needs and this approach to target setting has not yet been introduced into Years 3 and 4 where progress is more often satisfactory.

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Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in the lower school;

20 The majority of teachers have high expectations of pupils and this is evident in the good or better teaching. These teachers match the work well to pupils’ prior learning through very good use of questioning, activities that are well planned and structured and focused marking. Where teaching is satisfactory and this is mainly in the lower part of the school, teachers’ expectations are not as high. This is because on some occasions teachers make insufficient use of assessment when planning lessons to build on pupils’ previous learning appropriately. Teachers often give different worksheets to pupils of different ability. However, because teachers are not clear enough in their objectives for lessons for the different ability levels there is not always enough challenge for some pupils or in some aspects of the work. In a literacy lesson the highest attaining pupils’ use of adjectives was limited by the nature of

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Some teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in the lower school;

the worksheet given. In a science lesson seen, pupils were acquiring satisfactory knowledge of how sound travels but were not given sufficient opportunity to consider a range of materials when investigating.

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The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing;

21 Pupils in Years 3 and 4 write fluently and their spelling is often accurate. They show an interest in using words to create effect and many use a good range of vocabulary. They are able to use the school’s planning procedures to give their story a good structure. Within literacy lessons pupils show a good understanding and knowledge of punctuation and use it accurately in formal exercises. In their independent writing, they include a wide range of punctuation, such as speech marks, but their use of basic punctuation is often inconsistent. Teachers mark pupils’ work very thoroughly but do not always make clear to pupils precisely which aspects of punctuation they need to improve. As a consequence, pupils do not always make enough progress in this aspect of their writing. Senior members of staff have observed lessons across the school in literacy and have addressed as a priority the need for

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The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing;

improvement in pupils’ ability to plan and structure their writing. This has had an impact on pupils’ work, which is evident throughout the school. However, the need to improve punctuation relates mainly to the lower school and areas for improvement are not yet clear enough in the school development plan.

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The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing;

Some pupils’ knowledge of what they need to do to improve their work.

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The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing;

22 The school has a number of effective procedures for informing the pupils about what they do well. For example, teachers use praise appropriately and pupils receive commendations for work in the celebration of achievement assembly. Parents and pupils are involved in setting and monitoring broad targets at open evenings. However, the translation of these main targets into small steps for improvement is more variable. In literacy all pupils have targets related to the level in which they are working within the Meath Green - 18 National Curriculum. These are written in adult language and pupils’ understanding of these is inconsistent and depends on how frequently they are addressed within lessons. In Years 5 and 6 when marking pupils’ work, teacher state very clearly specific aspects that pupils need to improve and focus on these until they have been achieved. For example, ‘Try to use more adventurous vocabulary to make your work more interesting.’ ‘ Think about your style.

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The younger pupils’ use of punctuation in independent writing;

Use eyewitness reports’. These teachers make frequent assessments of pupils’ written work, which are shared with pupils so that they know what their targets are for improvement. Pupils in these year groups can often explain what they are currently emphasising in their work across the curriculum and often make good progress in meeting their targets. In other year groups, marking is generally regular and thorough. However, it does not often include written comments that focus on targets set for pupils or on specific aspects to be improved. In some classes throughout the school teachers prepare learning targets for pupils with special educational needs based on their individual education plans and these are shared with the pupils and their parents. The school has some good procedures in place for involving pupils in setting targets and assessing their own progress but the approach to this is not yet consistent enough across the school to achieve the maximum benefit for all pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23 To build on the good improvements in the quality of teaching and in the standards achieved since the last inspection, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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raise some teachers’ expectations in the lower part of the school by:

• extending target-setting for pupils in terms of levels that they can be expected to achieve in the National Curriculum at the end of all year groups; (Para. 19, 20)

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raise some teachers’ expectations in the lower part of the school by:

• clarifying the skills and knowledge expected in each year group in each subject.(Para. 20)

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writing by:

• making more effective use of the information gained from monitoring and evaluation to set precise actions for improvement within year groups; (Para. 3)

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writing by:

• putting in place procedures for ensuring that pupils know what they need to do to achieve greater accuracy in a range of writing. (Para. 21)

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progress and in understanding what they need to do to improve their work by:

• putting in place whole-school systems for involving pupils in setting and monitoring their learning targets in English and mathematics. (Para. 22) Meath Green - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 25 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 8 16 60 16 0.0 0.0 0.0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y3-Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 357 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 21 FTE means full-time equivalent. Special educational needs Nursery Y3 – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 11 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 80

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.7 School data 0.2 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Meath Green - 21

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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 Year Boys Girls Total

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Number of pupils at Boys 42 (40) 49 (38) 53 (42) NC level 4 and above Girls 33 (40) 29 (39) 34 (45) Total 75 (80) 78 (77) 87 (87)

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 84 (86) 88 (82) 98 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Number of pupils at Boys 40 (33) 46 (29) 50 (37) NC level 4 and above Girls 30 (38) 26 (35) 34 (41) Total 70 (71) 72 (64) 84 (78)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 79 (77) 81 (69) 94 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Meath Green - 22

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 1 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 1 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 352 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 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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Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14.50 Financial year 1999/2000

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Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.60

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Y6

Average class size 29.75 £ Total income 621,709 Education support staff: Y3– Y6 Total expenditure 626,112 Total number of education support staff 12.00 Expenditure per pupil 1,779

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Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 177.0 Balance brought forward from previous year 32,455

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Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 28,052

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 50 4 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 32 61 2 1 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 62 13 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 23 55 20 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 51 38 9 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 59 39 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 24 57 15 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 41 54 2 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 49 7 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 48 13 1 5

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