Fleet Wood Lane School

FLEET WOOD LANE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5th – 8 th March 2001

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FLEET WOOD LANE 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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FLEET WOOD LANE 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. Fleet Wood Lane School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wood Lane Fleet Spalding Lincolnshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 th January 1997 Fleet Wood Lane School

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr G Storer Registered inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Physical education Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements What should the school do to improve further?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs G Smith 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? Mrs M Palmer Team inspector English Music Religious education Special educational needs How well are pupils taught?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr J Foster Team inspector The Foundation Stage Science Geography History Information and communication technology How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd. 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Fleet Wood Lane School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Fleet Wood Lane School is situated in a rural setting, some distance from Fleet Hargate. The school serves the local community and families from smaller outlying villages and farms. With 155 pupils on the school roll, this school is smaller than other primary schools nationally. There is unemployment in the area and some families experience hardship. Less than 1 per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. This is well below the national average, but is not representative of circumstances in the community: hot school meals are not available in this authority and so most parents do not register their eligibility. Pupils' attainments on entry to the reception class are about average, although a number of pupils face difficulties in their learning. There are 13 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs and one pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need. This is about average for a school of this size. The inspection of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

this school included a detailed inspection of its provision for pupils with special educational needs. Less than 1 per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language. This is lower than in most schools nationally.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. Pupils make satisfactory progress to the age of 11; most pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is close to the national standard. The quality of teaching is good overall. There are examples of good and very good teaching throughout the school. The headteacher provides very good leadership. She receives sound support from the governing body and together they have improved aspects of leadership and management. They have a clear view of the way ahead and are committed to school improvement. The school manages its budget effectively and provides sound value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher provides very effective leadership that is taking the school forward rapidly. • Governors and staff are very clear about priorities for development and they share a strong commitment to improving the quality of education that the school provides. • Children in the Foundation Stage 1 get a good start to their education. • There are frequent examples of good and very good teaching throughout the school. • Pupils have good attitudes to school. Most behave well and work hard. • Procedures for promoting pupils’ personal and social development are very effective. Pupils form very good relationships with their teachers and with each other that improve the quality of their learning. • The school works in very effective partnership with parents: the information provided for parents is particularly good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in music and design and technology. • The teaching of skills in science, art, geography. • Teachers’ use of assessment information in planning work for pupils of differing abilities. • The school’s accommodation: current facilities are inadequate for school lunches, for aspects of children’s physical development in the Foundation Stage, for the teaching of physical education, music and drama, and for provision for pupils with special educational needs. 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 achieved a good level of improvement since the previous inspection. The headteacher and governors provide more effective leadership and management. The school’s procedures for checking on the quality of teaching and learning are more rigorous than they were and this improves the quality of planning for school improvement. Teachers are planning more consistently to meet National Curriculum requirements and they cover the curriculum more thoroughly. There are co-ordinators for all subjects and planning for subject development is more effective. However, not all co-ordinators have yet had the opportunity to observe teaching and this restricts their role as subject managers. The school has more resources for teaching information and communication technology. These are helping teachers to improve the rate at which pupils

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class year. It is a distinct stage, preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal and social development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. Fleet Wood Lane School progress. The school’s health and safety policy is reviewed annually and there have been improvements to toilet facilities. There is now a clear policy for the use of homework that ensures that most homework is relevant and contributes to pupils’ learning. The school has very successfully introduced a programme of personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils attain high standards: their behaviour is good, relationships between pupils and staff are very good and learning is more effective. The provision for pupils

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

with special educational needs has improved: parents are more fully involved in all stages and individual education plans give better guidance to teachers, care assistants and parents. The school administrator takes greater responsibility for managing and controlling the school budget and so provides more accurate and up-to-date information for the headteacher and governing body. The school works in closer collaboration with neighbouring schools; this provides additional opportunities for in-service training for teachers and for curriculum development. The school has improved its links with parents by providing better information. This allows parents to be more involved in their children’s education. The school prospectus and the governors’ annual report now contain all of the information that they should.

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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 top 5% nationally A* English A B A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A A* C C average below average C D Science A A D D well below average E

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STANDARDS

When pupils enter the reception class, their attainments are about average and by the end of the Foundation Stage, most attain standards normally expected of five-year-olds. In the 2000 tests, results for seven-year- olds were above the national average in writing, average in mathematics, but below average in reading. Nevertheless, pupils are learning well and making sound progress. In comparison with similar schools, the 2000 results were above average in writing and broadly average in reading and mathematics, although fewer pupils attained the above average level in reading than in mathematics. At age 11, the 2000 results were well above average in English, average in mathematics, but below average in science. These results were well above those in similar schools in English and generally on a par with similar schools in mathematics and in science, although in science the proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 was below the national

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STANDARDS

average and this reduces the school’s overall result in science. The results in 2000 indicate that good standards are being maintained in English and that standards in mathematics and science are satisfactory. Evidence from the work of pupils presently in Years 2 and 6 suggests that pupils continue to make satisfactory gains in English, mathematics and science. Most pupils are on course to attain or exceed the nationally expected standard by the time they leave the school. Standards are unlikely to be quite as high in English as in recent years. This is because of the unusually high proportion of boys (77 per cent) in the current Year 6. This does not indicate a weakness in the school’s provision for boys: boys perform less well than in English nationally than they do in mathematics and science. Improvements in the school's results are broadly in line with the national trend. Standards in religious education are in line with those set out in

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STANDARDS

the local authority’s guidance. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in most other subjects except design and technology and music, where standards are lower than they should by the time pupils leave the school. Fleet Wood Lane School

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good: pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school; most work hard and make a real effort to improve.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good: Pupils’ behave well in lessons and there is little evidence of bullying or of any other unpleasant behaviour in the playground.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good: pupils treat each other with respect and this contributes to the very pleasant and harmonious atmosphere in and around school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory: pupils' attendance is improving steadily and is close to the national average.

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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

Good Good Good 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

The quality of teaching is good. There is good and very good teaching throughout the school. During the inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 93 per cent of lessons. Over half of the teaching was good or very good, though this was more evident in the reception, infant and upper junior classes. Three lessons in junior classes (12 per cent) were unsatisfactory. The teaching of the basic skills in English and mathematics is good. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and of their capacity to cope with challenging work. As a result, most pupils are attentive, join in well and persevere with their work. A consistent strength of teaching is teachers’ effective management of their pupils. Teachers ensure that pupils are interested, concentrate well and become increasingly independent. This improves the quality of their learning. There are, however, occasional weaknesses in teachers' planning. Where teaching was

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

unsatisfactory, teachers set tasks at too low a level or failed to meet the needs of pupils of differing abilities. In these lessons, the pace of pupils learning was too slow and they made little progress. In the reception class, regular assessments help to provide learning experiences for the children that are matched to their particular needs. However, in infant and junior classes, teachers’ planning for pupils of all levels of attainment is often on the basis of broad target levels of attainment and not on what pupils know, understand and can do. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is effective. These pupils make sound progress and achieve satisfactory standards in their work in both key stages. Work for higher attaining pupils is set at a sufficiently challenging level to allow them to attain above average standards in English and mathematics, but this does not always extend to science or to other subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory: educational visits, visitors, special events and activities outside of school time extend the basic curriculum and add to the quality of pupils' learning, particularly in junior classes.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good: the organisation of the school's work with pupils with special educational needs has improved and they make satisfactory progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall: provision for social development is a particular strength, although pupils' learning about people from different cultures is an area of relative weakness.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a caring school in which pupils’ well being is a priority. Fleet Wood Lane School The school's arrangements for promoting regular attendance and for ensuring good behaviour work well. Procedures for child protection are secure. The school provides very good information for parents. In return, the school receives good support from parents and many parents make a worthwhile contribution to their children's learning at home and at school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good: the headteacher’s very good leadership, combined with effective support from senior staff, results in a strong sense of purpose and a good level of teamwork amongst the staff.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Sound: governors are increasingly conscientious in overseeing the school's curriculum, staffing, financial planning and matters relating to health and safety. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school improvement plan is very effective in its evaluation of the school’s performance and in identifying areas for further development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good: the governing body uses the school's budget and other grants effectively and in the best interests of the pupils.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Teaching is good. • Their children like school. • Parents are comfortable in approaching staff with questions or problems. • The school expects pupils to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is well led and managed. • Pupils’ behaviour is good. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • Their children are making good progress. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The work that their children are expected to do at home. • The school works closely with parents. • Parents are kept well informed about how their children are getting on.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

There were 86 questionnaires (55 per cent) returned and 13 parents attended the meeting for parents. Parents’ responses overwhelmingly supported the school and the quality of education provided for their children. A small number of parents expressed concerns. The inspection endorses the positive views, but finds little evidence to support their concerns. There are some small inconsistencies in teachers’ use of homework. However, homework generally relates well to the work pupils are doing and so contributes appropriately to their attainment. The pupils’ annual progress reports contain a good evaluation of their learning. They give parents clear information about pupils' strengths and weaknesses. The school has worked hard to improve its partnership with parents. Information for parents is particularly good. The range and quality of activities that take place outside of lessons are satisfactory. They cover sporting, cultural and

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

social activities for pupils, though mainly for pupils in junior classes. This is similar to the provision in other schools of this size. Fleet Wood Lane School

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children enter the reception classes, most are attaining standards that are average for children of this age. By the time that they reach the end of the Foundation Stage, most reach the nationally identified early learning goals 2 for their age. Children's attainments are broadly average in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Children achieve above average standards in their personal and social development. In relation to their average attainment on entry, children in the reception classes make satisfactory gains in all areas of learning and make good progress in their personal development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the 2000 tests, results for seven-year-olds were above the national average in writing, average in mathematics, but below average in reading. Nevertheless, pupils are learning well and making sound progress. In comparison with similar schools, the 2000 results were above average in writing and broadly average in reading and mathematics, although fewer pupils attained the above average level 3 in reading than in mathematics. The work of pupils currently in Year 2 is consistent with this picture of satisfactory attainment and progress and standards in reading and mathematics are rising steadily. Fewer pupils than in previous years are on course to attain standards that are below national expectations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The most recent test results for 11-year-olds were well above the national average in English, average in mathematics, but below average in science. Taken together, results in core subjects were in line with the national average overall. These results were also in line with those in similar schools, being well above similar schools in English and generally on a par with similar schools in mathematics and in science. However, in science, the proportion of pupils attaining the higher than average Level 5 3 was below schools nationally and this reduces the school’s result in science. Pupils gain satisfactory levels of scientific knowledge and understanding, but their investigative and experimental skills are below average and this reduces their overall levels of attainment. The results in 2000 indicate that good standards are being maintained in English and that standards in mathematics and science are satisfactory. Evidence from the work of pupils presently in Year 6 suggests

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

that pupils continue to make satisfactory gains in English, mathematics and science and that standards in mathematics and science are rising steadily. The proportion of pupils on course to attain or exceed the national average is higher than last year in mathematics and science and about the same as last year in English. However, standards are unlikely to be quite as high in English as in recent years: fewer pupils are on course to achieve the higher Level 5. This is because of the unusually high proportion of boys (77 per cent) in the current Year 6. This does not indicate a weakness in the school’s provision for boys: boys perform less well in English nationally than they do in mathematics and science. The school's results are improving at the same rate as results nationally.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Standards in religious education are in line with those set out in the local authority’s guidance for pupils at the end of both key stages. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 Early learning goals – these are expected standards for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with the six areas of learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 The nationally expected level is Level 2 for a pupil aged seven and Level 4 for a pupil aged 11. If a pupil is attaining Level 3 at the age of 7 or Level 5 at the age of 11, he or she is reaching standards above those expected for a child of his or her age. Fleet Wood Lane School most other subjects except design and technology and music, where standards are lower than they should by the time pupils leave the school. Recent improvements to the curriculum in design and technology mean that pupils throughout the school are now making good progress. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are getting a thorough grounding in knowledge, understanding and skills and are on course to meet national expectations by the time that they leave the school. However, these improved arrangements have not been in place for long enough to raise standards at the end of Key Stage 2. In music, pupils achieve satisfactory standards in their singing, but there are not enough opportunities for

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils to play musical instruments, compose, listen to and appraise music.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. There are no significant differences in the attainments of pupils of different gender, ethnicity or background. The number of pupils with special educational needs is below average for a school of this size. Despite sound levels of achievement, some face quite profound difficulties that result in below average standards by the time they leave school and this affects overall standards as reflected by test results. Nevertheless, pupils with special educational needs make sound progress in most subject areas. Where a pupil has a statement of special educational need, the good support, closely focused on the individual, results in at least satisfactory progress across a wide range of areas. All pupils make good progress in their personal and social development. This progress is an important factor that allows most pupils to adopt helpful patterns of behaviour and response and enables teachers to establish calm interactive conditions in which profitable learning can take place.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Pupils of all ages enjoy coming to school and have very positive attitudes to their life and work in school. They are keen to take part in the wide range of activities available and approach their work with a genuine commitment and desire to learn. They settle quickly and usually manage to keep working right up to the end of lesson. They take care with their work and are eager to talk about what they have achieved. Pupils listen carefully to their teacher and enjoy contributing to class discussions. For example, during a lesson on safety at home, pupils were completely engrossed in identifying the hidden dangers that can lurk within the garden. They quickly recognised many potential hazards and a forest of hands shot up whenever their teacher posed a question. Pupils wait their turn and usually manage not to interrupt each other. If they do so, however, then it is most likely to be because their enthusiasm has temporarily got the better of them. Pupils persevere with

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

things they find difficult and are proud of what they have done. For example, at the end of a swimming lesson, one pupil came up to the teacher and excitedly exclaimed ‘I think I half did it!’ This will to achieve fills pupils with a sense of enthusiasm and a determination to do their best.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupils behave well in and around the school. They are friendly and out-going and get along well with staff and with each other. Pupils of all years mix freely and they are well mannered and polite. Members of the teaching and non-teaching staff lead by example and address the pupils with the respect and consideration they deserve. Pupils respond similarly and their very positive approach to learning helps to make this school a calm and pleasant place to be. The behaviour of pupils at lunchtime and playtimes is good. There is a very pleasant atmosphere in the playground. Pupils play energetically and happily in mixed age and gender groups. They use equipment safely and sensibly. The good links between teaching and lunchtime staff and the availability of play equipment that appeals to boys and girls are key features in maintaining the good playground atmosphere. There is no sign of any bullying, racism or other antisocial behaviour. There have been no

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Throughout the school, there is a strong sense of community and pupils are proud to belong to Fleet Wood Lane School. Relationships between pupils and with members of Fleet Wood Lane School staff are very good and this helps everyone to cope with the many and varied day-to-day inconveniences that arise as a result of the severe lack of space. For example, in order to accommodate the steadily rising number of pupils, the school hall is now used as a full- time additional classroom. Because of this, there is now no dining room. Although pupils may have spent the entire morning within their classroom, they now have to eat their lunch within the same four walls. Pupils are sensible and mature about this and lunchtime is a very calm and sociable time of day. Indeed, such constraints are used most constructively. Pupils in Year 6 share their classroom with the reception children and this arrangement brings significant social benefits to both year groups. The older pupils enjoy

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

helping and the younger children like the feeling of having someone special to look after them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ personal development is very good. They undertake a wide range of day and residential trips and these visits successfully foster an emerging sense of independence and a growing awareness of the wider world. Within each class, pupils undertake a wide range of tasks, from returning the registers to the office to helping to tidy away equipment. Pupils of all ages use their initiative and are quick to help each other if someone is unsure of what to do. During assembly, for example, some of the younger pupils were asked to think about how they could help their mother if she was feeling ill. They made sensible suggestions such as ‘give her a cuddle and send her to bed’. When required to do so, pupils work well on their own or in small groups. For example, during a physical education lesson, pupils were required to use a map and compass to locate and record code numbers that had been laid out within the school playing field. Working in teams, they

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

swapped suggestions and worked very constructively in order to solve the various problems they encountered in their quest. The school places emphasis on putting pupils in situations where they can succeed. This enables pupils with special educational needs to maintain a positive self-image and keenness to learn. Teachers and support staff are consistently patient and firm with pupils whose behaviour causes concern. In most situations they demonstrate satisfactory levels of self-control.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The level of attendance is satisfactory. It has been very close to the national average for several years and this continues to be the case. There are few unauthorised absences and pupils usually arrive in good time for the start of the school day. Registration takes place very promptly and timekeeping during the school day is good. This helps pupils to make the most of their time at school and underpins their very positive attitudes to learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. The overall quality of teaching is good and contributes strongly to pupils' very positive attitudes to learning and the standards that they reach. During the inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 93 per cent of lessons. In 45 per cent of lessons, teaching was good and in 10 per cent it was very good. Seven per cent of lessons were unsatisfactory. Teaching in the reception class (Foundation Stage) is a strength and gives children a really good start in school. Teaching in the Foundation Stage was consistently good and almost a third was very good. Teaching of pupils in Years 1 and 2 (Key Stage 1) is good overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed in the Foundation Stage or Key Stage 1. Teaching is satisfactory for pupils in Years 3 – 6 (Key Stage 2), but it is more variable. In Year 6 teaching was consistently good, promoting the oldest pupils’ learning well. However, teaching was unsatisfactory in three lessons in this key stage.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. The reception class teacher has a clear understanding of how young children learn. She plans sessions very thoroughly, identifying what children are to learn and how progress is to be made towards the achievement of the early learning goals. She places strong emphasis on the promotion of children's self-esteem and social skills, by consistent encouragement and careful choice of stories. Planning gives suitable emphasis to the Fleet Wood Lane School development of children's basic communication, language and literacy skills and their mathematical development. There are procedures for assessing children’s progress and these enable the teacher to match tasks well to their stage of understanding. The classroom is very well organised. Thoughtfully presented activities and resources capture children's interest, promote their enjoyment of school and stimulate their involvement in all areas of learning. The role of the support assistant is very carefully planned. She supports

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the work of the class teacher very effectively and contributes significantly to children's learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. Throughout the school, teachers have a good knowledge of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and, as a result, the teaching of basic literacy and numeracy skills is good. Teachers plan well-structured literacy and numeracy lessons and ensure that pupils are clear about the purpose of their learning. This promotes a purposeful approach to tasks and activities. Pupils have regular opportunities to read and write. As a result, pupils read for pleasure and write at length and with increasing independence. However, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ handwriting and presentation are not consistently high. Consequently, pupils do not always reinforce their handwriting skills in their class work. At the beginning of mathematics lessons, teachers use a regular quick-fire question and answer session successfully to engage pupils’ interest and to promote pupils’ rapid recall of number facts and accurate mental calculation. This adds significantly to the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

development of pupils’ numeracy skills. Teachers use information and communication technology satisfactorily to support learning, for example as a source of information in history. However, ready access to the resources of the information technology suite is limited, as this is now used as a full-time classroom.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. Very positive relationships between teachers and pupils, often enlivened with a touch of humour, form the basis for good quality teaching and learning. Throughout the school, teachers prepare thoroughly for lessons. Lively, well-paced introductions and stimulating resources engage pupils quickly in their learning. For example, in a personal and social education session with younger pupils, the teacher used a picture to promote pupils’ discussion about safety at home. Teachers manage pupils well and successfully promote their willingness to participate in lessons. They make sure that pupils understand what they are to do and they recognise and reward their efforts. They usually share clear lesson aims with pupils, motivating them effectively and interesting them immediately in their tasks. In response, pupils' are willing to become actively involved and work hard. For example, Year 6 pupils developed their research skills well through a good range of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

challenging activities using the Mary Rose as a source of historical evidence. Plans also incorporate adequate time for a whole class discussion at the end of the lesson. This is used effectively to sum up and reinforce what pupils have learned, celebrate pupils’ achievements and lay the foundation for new learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Occasionally, although planning is satisfactory, teachers do not use the available time effectively. When lesson introductions are too long, there is less time for pupils to engage actively with their tasks and their learning is limited. Also, although satisfactory procedures are in place for teachers to assess pupils' progress, they do not always use the information gained from assessment as the basis for future lesson planning. As a result, in a minority of lessons, teachers set tasks that are insufficiently challenging and this again inhibits pupils’ progress. These weaknesses contributed to the unsatisfactory teaching in some junior classes.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teachers employ a good range of teaching styles. There is a good balance between direct teaching of the whole class and working with groups and individuals. Teachers readily respond to pupils’ efforts with encouragement. They show the value they place on pupils’ work by carefully mounting and displaying it throughout the school. They mark work regularly and thoroughly, so that in most cases pupils know how they have done and also Fleet Wood Lane School what they need to do to improve. Homework is satisfactorily used to extend and complement the work pupils do in school. Most notably, from their earliest days in school, teachers encourage pupils to take home a range of books and this contributes positively to pupils' progress in reading.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers and support staff work well to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are well supported. Classroom assistants are well briefed and every effort is made to enable all pupils to participate fully in lessons. Clear, precise explanations ensure that potential learning difficulties are minimised and carefully targeted questioning allows an assessment of pupils’ understanding to be made. Most pupils’ individual education plans are sufficiently clear and specific to guide teachers in matching tasks appropriately to pupils’ needs. The pupil with a statement of special educational need is well supported by his class teacher and full-time support assistant. With the full support of all members of the school community, they are committed to ensuring that he plays an active part in school life both inside and outside the classroom. He uses a laptop computer for written work and has access to almost all of the school curriculum. The school has not formally

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

identified any gifted and talented pupils, but teachers set suitably challenging work for more able pupils in English and mathematics and this enables them to attain suitably high standards in their work. However, this quality of planning for pupils of differing ability does not consistently extend to other subjects of the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

18. The school provides a satisfactory curriculum for its pupils, incorporating all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. However, there are weaknesses in some areas of the curriculum. The school does not have suitable accommodation for gymnastics and dance lessons and, as a result, these two elements of the physical education curriculum are not adequately covered. In addition, current planning does not give enough emphasis to the experimental and investigative aspects in science and the development of pupils’ skills in music and geography skills is unsatisfactory.

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PUPILS?

19. The time given to each subject is broadly in line with that in most schools. In physical education, time is allocated well in order to give pupils the opportunities to learn to swim. There is good provision for pupils' personal and social education. This reflects the school’s aims and values and is carefully planned. From the Foundation Stage onwards, pupils have regular lessons devoted to this area of their development. Additionally, as part of their work in science, pupils learn about a healthy diet and lifestyle and about the dangers of drugs misuse and the religious education curriculum effectively promotes aspects of moral and social development. There is, however, no policy for sex education. The National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy have been successfully introduced. This has improved the teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics and both are used effectively to extend pupils' learning in other subjects. In history, for example, pupils

p.14

PUPILS?

write about life in Tudor times and in science they record their findings in the form of graphs.

p.14

PUPILS?

20. The school gives considerable priority to pupils with special educational needs and makes good curricular provision for them. All aspects of this provision are consistent with the recommendations of the special educational needs Code of Practice 4 . This is an improvement since the time of the previous inspection. Teachers and support assistants work together well to ensure that work is set at appropriate levels to enable pupils to

p.14

PUPILS?

4 Code of Practice – this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Fleet Wood Lane School engage with it, either in class or occasionally in small groups outside the classroom. Teachers and the special needs co-ordinator identify targets for individual education plans; these are usually specific and are regularly updated. The co-ordinator monitors these plans satisfactorily and ensures that all reviews are carried out regularly. With the exception of swimming, the pupil with a statement participates fully in lessons, as do all other pupils on the special needs register.

p.14

PUPILS?

21. There are policies and schemes of work for all subjects, though some have only been recently introduced and others are highlighted in the school development plan for review. The school is introducing new national guidelines that put overall curriculum planning on a firm footing. However, in most subjects, these new arrangements have yet to be fully integrated with existing planning and this causes some difficulties. For example, topics in art will have to be reorganised to ensure that teachers introduce skills in a more logical order and so improve the progress that pupils make. The staff have devised an effective programme of work to ensure that all pupils are taught all aspects of the National Curriculum within each two-year period and to reduce repetition in mixed age classes. This follows from the Foundation Stage and leads smoothly into the curriculum in both key stages. The weekly plan is drawn from the long-term programme and the half-termly

p.15

PUPILS?

plans. Teachers undertake weekly planning as a group, identifying what is to be taught. This works successfully, ensuring that work progresses systematically from year to year, especially where there are whole-school topics, as in history, with its many cross-curricular links and related activities.

p.15

PUPILS?

22. Visits and visitors are used effectively to enhance pupils’ learning. The rector of the local church leads assemblies regularly and footballers from the Peterborough United Football Club's ‘Football in the Community’ scheme, teach pupils the skills of the game. Visits are made to such places as Lincoln, to see the cathedral and the castle, and to Kingswood in Staffordshire for a residential visit. Last year pupils from Key Stage 2 visited the Millennium Dome in London. These stimulating and enjoyable experiences bring the curriculum to life and improve the quality of pupils’ learning.

p.15

PUPILS?

23. The range of extra-curricular activities is satisfactory. Pupils, particularly from Year 3 upwards, are given opportunities to partake in musical and sporting activities. There is a recorder group, led by the administrative assistant, and there are football and netball activities. There is a thriving computer club and a first-aid club. In response to the parents' questionnaire over 40 per cent of parents indicated that they felt that the range of out-of- school activities was inadequate. Inspection findings, however, do not support this view.

p.15

PUPILS?

24. The school’s links with the community and with neighbouring school’s are better than they were at the time of the last inspection. Pupils are involved in village activities. They performed for the Millennium celebrations and they present Christmas plays and celebrate Harvest Festival in the local church. They collect seeds and have made a patchwork quilt to be sent to Romania. Strong links have been developed with the local playgroup. Children from the playgroup are welcomed into school before they start their formal education. The school also has good links with other primary schools and with the local secondary school; pupils in Year 6 visit the school to facilitate a smooth transfer. Pupils and staff benefit from these links as they provide good opportunities for staff and curriculum development and for the sharing of resources.

p.15

PUPILS?

25. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. These aspects of pupils’ personal development are carefully fostered through both the formal curriculum and numerous other opportunities that are provided during the school day. Although individual teachers are often alert to situations that contribute to pupils’ personal development, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural content of lessons is not usually Fleet Wood Lane School planned beforehand and there is still no whole-school policy to guide teachers’ practice in this area.

p.15

PUPILS?

26. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. The school places a high value on its pupils as individuals and upon their work and achievement. Assemblies, religious education and personal, social and health education lessons give pupils regular and well- planned opportunities to reflect on their own experiences and to compare their circumstances with others who may be less fortunate. For example, pupils have recently made a patchwork quilt for a Romanian family and, at the time of the inspection, were collecting seed packets in order to boost the forthcoming harvest in Romania. During the daily acts of collective worship, pupils are encouraged to think about why things are as they are and to develop their own system of beliefs and values. For example, pupils were fascinated to learn the meaning of their Christian name and to hear that the height of a tossed pancake was originally intended to represent the height of the summer sun. The

p.16

PUPILS?

inspection took place during Lent and pupils were amazed to learn about Jesus surviving in the desert for 40 days and nights, without sustenance. There are as yet, however, limited opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual understanding through, for example, art, dance and music. Some of these shortcomings are a direct consequence of the constraints imposed by the existing accommodation.

p.16

PUPILS?

27. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good. The school has recently introduced a behaviour policy that is helping to standardise teachers’ high expectations and bring greater consistency to the whole-school reward and sanction system. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of the difference between right and wrong and the importance of considering the needs of others forms an integral part of everyday school life. The school code is displayed throughout the school and there is a strong emphasis on the teaching of values such as fairness and respect for others. This moral code is regularly reinforced during the school day. For example, during an assembly, pupils were asked to think about the best way in which they could help their friend if they were being bullied. Sensitive handling of such issues results in pupils learning to express and share their feelings openly and honestly without fear of ridicule.

p.16

PUPILS?

28. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Right from their induction into reception, each child is made to feel both individual and an integral part of the school community. The school provides a good range of experiences to promote pupils’ social development. All who work in school are good models of social behaviour because they show respect for and relate well with others. The benefits of working together and supporting one another are strongly promoted, for example, through the week’s assemblies on the theme of friendship. Pupils also learn to co-operate and work together effectively by taking part in special events and residential visits. They develop an understanding of citizenship by raising money for charitable appeals. This school has a positive and friendly atmosphere that makes a major contribution to pupils’ growing self-confidence and to their awareness of the needs of others.

p.16

PUPILS?

29. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Links with the local community are good and the school is playing an increasing role in local traditions. Recent examples include the Fleet 2000 fun day and the village flower festival. Pupils regularly visit the local church and have had the chance to sample life as it was for the Victorians. They have also visited Peterborough to learn about the Second World War. Music does not feature prominently enough in pupils’ cultural development because there are too few opportunities for pupils to listen to the works of famous composers. Through religious education, pupils are developing an awareness of the major world faiths. However, there is not enough emphasis on encouraging pupils to appreciate the richness and diversity of other cultures. For example, non-European cultures are rarely represented in work in art or music, which restricts pupils’ overall cultural development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. All members of the school’s staff work hard to promote the welfare, health and safety of its pupils. They provide a welcoming and positive environment and parents are confident that their children are well looked after during the school day. Members of staff know pupils very well. Good teamwork ensures that pupils’ day-to-day needs are met in full and that the time they spend at school is safe, happy and enjoyable. All members of staff are familiar with child protection and health and safety procedures. The school’s arrangements are good and comply fully with current legislation and with local authority guidelines.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The school is keen to recognise and celebrate pupils’ academic success. Teachers consistently praise pupils’ improvements and achievements. Pupils value the stars and stickers they receive and are proud to have their efforts acknowledged in the Good Work assembly. The school has worked hard in the last year to put in place a programme for monitoring pupils’ academic performance throughout their time in school. Arrangements are now good. Procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ attainment and progress have been developed in all subjects. However, teachers’ use of assessment data is currently unsatisfactory. The new record-keeping system has not yet had time to make the use of assessment information an integral part of the school’s annual and termly planning process. The school carries out the local authority’s baseline assessment when children join the school, national tests in Years 2 and 6 and additional optional tests in Years 3, 4

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and 5. Annual reading tests and assessments of pupils’ writing also provide evidence of pupils’ standards. Information gained in English, mathematics and science is beginning to be used effectively to track pupils’ progress, in target setting for individual pupils and to determine where additional support should be directed, particularly in literacy. However, regular assessment and record keeping in the other subjects is very recent and its impact cannot yet be determined. This means that, despite their good informal knowledge of their pupils, teachers cannot base their curriculum planning fully enough on what they understand about pupils’ attainment and achievements or on an understanding of relative strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. In particular, in subjects such as science, geography, design and technology, art and music, teachers have not yet built up sufficient information about individual pupils’ skills. In consequence, they are not able to make

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

specific plans for what individuals or groups within the class need to learn next.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. Within the last year the school has identified the need to improve the use of assessment as a guide to planning in the medium and shorter term. Planning sheets are designed to incorporate an assessment of pupils’ performance, so that the next steps of pupils’ learning can be identified. There is evidence that amendments to planning are made in response to this information. However, pupils’ work is usually planned on the basis of broad National Curriculum target levels and not on the basis of what pupils know, understand and can do. This means that there are times when work is either too easy or too difficult for particular pupils and this reduces the progress they make. There has also been a recent focus on marking, particularly in English and mathematics, where teachers use it well to reinforce pupils’ learning and inform day-to-day planning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The school’s approach to the assessment of pupils with special educational needs complies fully with the recommendations of the Code of Practice. There is close liaison between the school and outside agencies. In particular, the educational psychologist and occupational therapist make regular visits to the school. The Support Service teacher from the local education authority also works with pupils in school each week. She supports the special needs co-ordinator in assessing pupils’ individual needs and giving teachers useful suggestions for helping them in lessons. All pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs have an individual education plan. In most cases these record clearly what these pupils need to concentrate on in order to improve. Teachers use them well. Fleet Wood Lane School They are regularly reviewed and updated and contribute well to pupils’ good progress. The

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

special needs co-ordinator maintains up-to-date records of these plans and review meetings. However, the results of assessment are not organised so as to enable individual pupils’ achievements and progress to be readily determined.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. Teachers monitor pupils’ personal development informally and this is largely based upon class teachers’ close knowledge of pupils’ individual circumstances. Relationships are very good and teachers are sensitive to pupils’ ‘ups and downs’. The high quality personal support helps to ensure that pupils enjoy their time at school and maintain a positive frame of mind. Pupils use their time at school productively and caring teachers constantly encourage pupils to work hard and to do their best. These factors have a positive influence on the progress that pupils make and on the standard of their work.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school’s procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are effective. The standard of teaching is good and, by providing lessons that are interesting and well organised, teachers lay the foundation for calm and orderly learning behaviour. Teachers communicate their high expectations clearly so that pupils understand the boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Within each classroom, the teacher has her own system of rewards; these vary from the award of a leaf for the Tree of Nice Deeds in Years 4 and 5 to the accumulation of privilege time in Year 6. These schemes work well within the classes for which they were devised, but difficulties sometimes occur when teachers work with other classes and are less familiar with behaviour management strategies that work well for that particular group of pupils. Consequently, over the last year, the school has introduced a new whole-school code and behaviour policy. These are helping to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

standardise teachers’ expectations and improve the way in which behaviour is managed. Teachers and parents indicate that the overall standard of behaviour has improved.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Procedures for promoting attendance are satisfactory. Teachers complete registers carefully and accurately. The school secretary reviews registers regularly and reports to the headteacher or, if necessary, to the education welfare officer if the attendance of any pupil gives cause for concern. Unauthorised absences are rare and the school is conscientious in following up any unexplained absences.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. This school places great emphasis on working closely with parents. The quality of its partnership with parents has improved since the previous inspection. Staff do everything they reasonably can to ensure that parents are kept closely informed about day-to-day events within the school as well as about the progress made by their children. This school has become increasingly popular over the last four years and parents hold it in high regard. For example, virtually all the parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire agree that their children like coming to school. They are also confident that the standard of teaching is high and that their children are encouraged to achieve their very best.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. Nine of out of ten parents feel that they are kept well informed and the inspection team supports their view. The quality of information provided for parents has improved and is now very good. The school prospectus provides a really good insight into what it would be like to be a pupil at this school. Pupils’ annual reports contain lots of useful information about what they can do as well as detailed comments about their academic progress. In addition, each term, class teachers provide parents with written details of the work that pupils will cover in all subjects. There is a formal opportunity each term when parents can discuss their child’s progress with their class teacher and teachers are always willing to speak with parents at the end of the school day. As well as meetings that deal with specific issues, such as literacy and numeracy hours, the school has recently introduced a welcome evening during the autumn term. A number of parents have concerns about the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Fleet Wood Lane School amount of homework set and almost half of those responding to the questionnaire feel that the school does not offer a sufficiently wide range of activities outside lessons. The inspection does not support these concerns and finds that existing arrangements compare satisfactorily with other schools.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The school makes every effort to ensure that parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved and informed of their children's progress from the time of the school’s initial concern. The special needs co-ordinator has produced a particularly helpful document designed to allay parents’ concerns, entitled ‘ Your Questions Answered’. This clearly written document is a source of very useful information for parents about the procedures involved in special needs identification and support.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Links with parents are good and enable parents to make a worthwhile contribution to their children’s learning at home and at school. Parents offer valuable support in a number of ways. Most avoid booking holidays during the term and ensure that their children attend regularly. The parent teacher association is very active and it organises an interesting range of fund-raising and social events. These include an autumn craft fair and a summer fair. Parents raise a significant amount of money and a recent donation has helped to provide learning resources for the new classroom. In addition, some parents regularly provide voluntary help during the school day, for example hearing pupils read or providing ‘an extra pair of hands’ during practical activities such as design and technology. Several parents accompany the weekly swimming trip and they can be relied upon to help week in, week out. The impact of their support is very positive. The increased number of adults

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

means that the pupils can be taught in smaller groups. By narrowing the ability range in each group, it becomes possible for staff to match the instruction very closely to the ability and level of confidence of the pupils. This has a direct impact on the progress they make.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. There have been many recent improvements to the quality of leadership and management in the school. The very good leadership of the headteacher ensures that the school has clear aims and objectives and that the staff work effectively towards achieving them. Since her appointment in January 2000, she has instigated many positive changes. She is aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the school and these are reflected in the priorities identified in the school development plan. There are now co-ordinators for all the subjects of the National Curriculum, though some are temporary appointments. As a result, the part played in developing the school by the co-ordinators is not fully developed. They lead their subjects in a satisfactory manner, but the monitoring of subjects, other than English, mathematics and science, is at an early stage of development and has yet to have an impact on raising standards. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have quickly

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

developed an effective working relationship. The deputy has undertaken extra responsibilities and provides sound support for the headteacher and staff.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The governing body gives sound support and is increasingly effective in meeting its responsibility for overseeing the work of the school. The governors visit the school regularly, other than for their meetings, and feel that staff understand their role and value their support. In the past, the governors have had limited involvement in planning for school improvement. They now receive detailed information about the needs of the school and are fully involved in the decision-making process. In the past year, the governing body has introduced an effective committee structure. This is giving individual governors a greater understanding of strengths and weaknesses in key areas of the school’s work and how the weaknesses can be addressed. This is reflected in the way they work alongside the headteacher and staff when formulating the school development plan. Development planning is considerably better than it was. The current plan is a detailed and thorough

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

document with clearly identified priorities for improvement to 2003. The school has made Fleet Wood Lane School good progress in addressing the issues raised at the previous inspection, though much of this has been since the appointment of the present headteacher. Governors review the school’s health and safety policy annually and conduct an annual health and safety inspection. There are co-ordinators for all National Curriculum subjects and planning includes all of the requirements of the National Curriculum. The school’s prospectus and governing body’s annual report to parents contain all of the information that they should.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The management and organisation of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. This, too, is an area of improvement. The school's new policy is clearly written and meets the requirements of the special educational needs Code of Practice. Pupils' individual education plans are kept up to date and increasing focus is given to ensuring that targets are specific, manageable and achievable. The governing body maintains an active interest in this aspect of the school’s work. The nominated special need’s governor visits school regularly and keeps the governors informed by presenting a report on special educational needs at each governing body meeting.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The numbers of teaching and support staff are appropriate to the needs of the school. There is a good mix of experience among the teachers, including two who are newly qualified. The governing body has introduced suitable arrangements for monitoring and managing the performance of staff. There is an appropriate policy replacing the previous appraisal system. Appropriate objectives have been set for each member of staff and these are to be reviewed annually. The procedures for the induction of newly qualified and newly appointed teachers are good. The two newly qualified teachers receive good support, not only from their mentor, but also from all members of staff. This has helped them to settle into the school and to develop and improve the quality of their teaching. The classroom assistants work closely with the teachers and support pupils well in their learning. Teaching and non-teaching staff are effectively deployed and ensure that pupils

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

with special needs are well supported. This makes a positive contribution to pupils' learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. There are good procedures for setting and maintaining the budget. The headteacher formulates the initial budget with the administrative assistant, based on previous spending patterns. This is then presented to the finance committee for their comments and input before final ratification by the governing body. The day-to-day finances are very well organised and controlled by the administrative assistant. There are clearly laid down procedures for ordering, checking and paying for services and goods and these are followed meticulously. Apart from the school's budget share, there are few other funds available, but those such as the standards fund are planned for and used efficiently. The funds available to the school for special educational needs are used effectively to support the pupils for whom they are allocated and the school's priorities for special educational needs. When purchasing goods and services, the governing body effectively employs the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

principles of best value. The headteacher and administrative assistant make good use of computer technology and this enables governors to make decisions on the basis of accurate and up-to-date information.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The accommodation is well maintained and members of staff work hard to create a bright and interesting learning environment. The school is becoming increasingly popular, however, and there has been a 30 per cent rise in the number of pupils on roll since the previous inspection. The school has outgrown the available accommodation and there is simply not enough space available. In order to cope with the increased number of pupils, the school hall has recently been converted into a classroom. As a result, there is now nowhere for in-door physical education, no hall for assembly and no dining room. The school is unable to fulfil National Curriculum requirements for gymnastics and dance. There is also nowhere for musical performances and moving the instrument trolley around the school is very difficult. There is no outdoor play area for reception children and the only Fleet Wood Lane School space available for the school library is too cramped for any tables and chairs. Inasmuch

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

as it is physically impossible for the whole school to assemble in one place, there is also nowhere for small group work. During the inspection, one group of children and their teacher had no alternative but to conduct their lesson sitting on the floor, in a corridor. In order to get from one side of the school to the other, it is necessary to walk through either the headteacher’s office, a classroom or the staff room. There is nowhere quiet where members of staff can work. Teachers and pupils alike work around these difficulties cheerfully and make the very best use of the limited accommodation and facilities. There is, however, an urgent need for additional space. The lack of suitable accommodation is adversely affecting the working conditions of teachers and other staff, day-to-day quality of life within the school and the standards pupils are able to achieve in physical education and in other subjects.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school has adequate resources for most areas of the curriculum and teachers make efficient use of the available books and equipment. The school has a wide range of reading and reference books. There is also a good range of programmable equipment, such as floor robots, and a good number of computers. Internet and Intranet connections are in place. The school makes constructive use of the strengthening links with the local technology college and older pupils are able to use the computer facilities there on a regular basis. There is, however, a shortage of tuned percussion instruments and a limited range of music that pupils can listen to. There is also an unsatisfactory range of large climbing apparatus and gymnastic equipment, but this is a direct result of there being no suitable accommodation for lessons of this type. Teachers make good use of the surrounding area as an additional resource for pupils’ learning. They use the school

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

grounds effectively in teaching physical education and science. Within subjects such as geography, history and technology, teachers plan effective visits to nearby towns such as Lincoln, Hunstanton and Sandringham. Pupils also visit local places of interest, such as Denver windmill, bread bakeries and shops. Pupils undertake residential trips to Kingswood Centre for an outdoor activity week and Frieston Environmental Centre. These trips improve pupils’ awareness of the wider world, increase pupils’ interest and enjoyment in learning and make a good contribution to their personal development and to the standard of their work.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. In view of the quality of education provided, the standards achieved and the effectiveness with which resources are used, the school gives sound value for money. Fleet Wood Lane School

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

49. In order to extend the school’s current achievements, the governors, headteacher and staff should jointly:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise standards of attainment in music and in design and technology by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- giving pupils more regular opportunities to play musical instruments, compose, listen to and appraise music;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- providing more tuned percussion instruments and a wider range of recorded music for pupils to listen to;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- ensuring that pupils gain and build on the skills of investigating, designing, making and evaluating products as they move through the school; (paragraphs: 4, 47, 90-91, 109, 111 and 113)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the teaching of skills in science, art and geography by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- giving pupils more opportunity to carry out scientific investigations;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- ensuring that art projects are chosen in a way that introduces and develops pupils’ skills more systematically;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- giving more emphasis to teaching fieldwork skills in geography and where possible plan field trips, educational visits and other practical activities that reinforce pupils’ learning;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- extending assessment procedures to include the regular assessment of pupils’ skills in all subjects; . (paragraphs: 3, 18, 21, 83, 89, 94 and 96)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) improve teachers’ planning by ensuring that they use assessment information to match tasks more closely to what pupils of differing abilities need to learn next; (paragraphs: 15, 17, 31-32, 69, 75, 85, 89, 97, 103, 112 and 119)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) extend and improve the school’s accommodation so that it provides more suitable facilities for:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- school lunches; - secure out-door play for children in the Foundation Stage; - indoor physical education, dance, drama and music for all pupils; - additional space for special educational needs and other small group work; - pupils’ access to library and information and communication technology resources. (paragraphs: 8, 13, 46-47, 60, 70, 108 and 113-114)

p.22

OTHER ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

i) agreeing and implementing a policy for sex education (paragraph 19)

p.22

OTHER ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

ii) improving pupils’ understanding of the richness and diversity of other cultures (paragraphs: 29 and 122) Fleet Wood Lane School

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 28

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.23

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.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 155

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 1

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 13

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 16

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

p.23

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Fleet Wood Lane School

p.23

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 18 12 30

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 17 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 12 11

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 83 (90) 97 (100) 87 (75) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 15 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 9 9

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 80 (95) 80 (85) 83 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 83 (85)

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.24

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 16 7 23

p.24

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 14 11 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 6 6

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 87 (88) 74 (94) 87 (94) 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 12 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 6 5 6

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 78 (81) 73 (81) 78 (81) 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. Fleet Wood Lane School

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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 1 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) 7.1 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 290,714

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Expenditure per pupil 1,926

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 141 Balance brought forward from previous year 2,518

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 2,498

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Fleet Wood Lane School

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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. 36 55 6 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 27 65 6 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 21 50 20 3 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 53 9 2 0

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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. 64 31 0 2 3

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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. 57 38 4 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 26 57 15 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 45 47 3 2 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 36 56 5 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 10 43 29 13 5 Fleet Wood Lane School

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50. The arrangements for children in the Foundation Stage are good. Children start school at the beginning of the year in which they are five and spend three full terms in the reception class. Children enter the school with normal levels of attainment for children of their age. The good teaching they receive enables them to make good progress and by the time they start in Year 1, most will achieve the early learning goals in all areas of their learning and many will exceed them. The children are confident speakers and have developed good working patterns because of the high expectations of their teacher and the classroom assistant. Children have well-established routines and follow them confidently. They know, for example, the importance of washing their hands when they go for dinner or when they have used the toilet. Children share equipment well when they are working in their activity sessions. The relationships between the children and between the adults and children in

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

the reception class are very good. There is a very warm and caring atmosphere in the reception classroom that improves the progress the children make.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51. The quality of planning for children in the Foundation Stage is good. The teacher and the classroom assistant work closely together in planning a good range of activities that they use effectively to develop the children's learning. They incorporate the National Literacy Strategy and National Numeracy Strategy into their planning and include effective methods for supporting the learning of the few children in the class identified as having special educational needs. Since her appointment in January 2001, the teacher has established a new policy for teaching and learning in the early years in conjunction with advisory staff from the local education authority. This is now fully in place. Linked to the policy are clear guidelines for assessing and recording the progress the children make and this information is incorporated into the planning for future development of their learning. The effective use

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

of assessment information is improving the overall quality of planning and this increases the progress that children make. The classroom provides a good environment for learning. It is bright and stimulating and has well organised areas for each of the areas of learning. There are adequate resources to support most areas of children's learning, though their physical development is curtailed because of the lack of a secure outside play area and suitable large equipment. Priorities in the school development plan include plans for this lack of facilities to be rectified in the near future.

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Personal, social and emotional development

52. Most children are on course to achieve the early learning goals by the time that they leave the reception class and some will surpass them. When they start school most children are quite confident and display a degree of independence. The teacher and classroom assistant build on this successfully: both relate very well to the children and this develops their self-esteem and confidence. This is evident when the children are sharing their feelings in a personal development lesson. They talk willingly about the things which make them happy and explain why this is so. One child, for example, explained how he liked to go riding horses with his mother. At the end of this particular lesson the children made choices about songs they wished to sing. All joined in enthusiastically and one child readily stood and sang on his own to the rest of the group. When the children are given a free choice of activities they play well together and help each other when, for example, they play

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Personal, social and emotional development

in the ‘Vet's Surgery’. They take turns to have each piece of equipment and ‘examine’ their patients carefully. They take great care when the bandage their ’patients’ to make them well. The children take good care of their toys and equipment. They play in the sand and water sensibly and talk to each other about what they are making. When they have finished with a toy or piece of equipment they put it away sensibly. Fleet Wood Lane School 53. Teaching in this area of children’s learning is good. The teacher and classroom assistant plan a good range of activities: there is a special time every day that is devoted to children’s personal development and this helps the children make good progress. The positive relationships that exist in the class are a major factor in the progress the children make. Staff value children’s efforts and use praise and encouragement effectively to build their self-esteem and to make them secure in their learning and in their relationships with others.

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Communication, language and literacy

54. There are many worthwhile opportunities for children to improve their communication, language and literacy skills. The teacher plans daily literacy lessons and this is effective in ensuring that children make good progress in this area. This daily lesson incorporates a range of activities designed to give the children a good start in their literacy development. Included in the lessons are activities for developing reading, writing and speaking and listening skills. The children read the big book with their teacher and talk about the characters and what is happening in the story. The more able children in the class can write short sentences when, for example, they make ‘peephole’ booklets. The children are actively encouraged to talk and explain their work to the teacher when they work as a class, within groups or as individuals. In their role-play, the children discuss the ways in which they can treat their patients when they act as vets. They are encouraged to use a wide

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Communication, language and literacy

range of vocabulary to develop their understanding of language and, as a result, the children have well-developed speaking and listening skills.

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Communication, language and literacy

55. The quality of teaching is good. The teacher and classroom assistant are knowledgeable about the children in their care and about how children of this age learn. They create high quality plans to give the children challenging tasks in order to develop their learning fully. In one lesson, for example, the teacher was explaining to the children how the letter sounds they know are used to make up the words they read. The children were challenged to spell three letter words from the sounds they heard. Most managed this successfully.

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Mathematical development

56. By the end of the Foundation Stage, most pupils will achieve the early learning goals in their mathematical development. The high quality teaching they receive is a major factor in the good progress they make in this area of their learning. The teacher poses challenging questions to the children and they respond well. When they are asked to add numbers together most children do so accurately. The more able children in the class add numbers mentally to 6 + 6 when they play a game with dice. They record their findings in the correct way on the whiteboard. All children know their numbers to at least 10 and write them accurately. The higher attaining children know numbers and can count to 50 and beyond. When they work in groups, organised according to their ability, the more able children add two-digit numbers to single-digit numbers successfully. They hold the number 20 in their head, for example, and add a further 5 to make 25. The lower attaining group, working with

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Mathematical development

the classroom assistant, undertakes similar work in counting on to consolidate their understanding of the relationships of numbers.

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Mathematical development

57. The teacher has successfully incorporated the National Numeracy Strategy into her planning for this area of learning and this has had a positive effect on the standards reached by the children. The daily mental sessions have given them a love of number and they are very confident in using number in their work. This is successfully extended to play activities when the children use water and sand to develop their understanding of simple volume and capacity.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

58. Throughout their time in the reception class the children make good progress in this area of Fleet Wood Lane School learning. They are given a wide range of opportunities to build on their early knowledge and to learn about new things so that most will achieve the early learning goals. They have studied the life cycle of a frog and talk animatedly about what they have learned. They recognise that the frog starts as spawn and that it goes through the stage of tadpole when it grows legs before it becomes a frog. Linked to this, they know about the stages of their own development to their present age. They plant cress seeds and watch them grow into plants. They explain what they did and how the cress has developed and changed over a period of time. Children use the computers in the class confidently. They correctly name the mouse, keyboard and printer and use the mouse to draw line pictures of animals. They

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

correctly identify the icon to use in order to print out their finished work and more able children do this independently.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

59. The teacher plans these opportunities carefully to maintain progress in children's learning. Children use all of their senses to explore the world around them and the good range of first-hand experiences provides effective starting points for future work in subjects such as science, history, geography and information and communication technology.

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Physical development

60. In this area of learning the children make satisfactory progress overall. They make good progress in developing finer movements. The children move about the classroom confidently and handle equipment such as scissors and pencils carefully. They cut out shapes and stick them in their books with a good degree of accuracy. The teacher gives the children as many opportunities as possible to partake in physical activities in the playground whenever the weather permits. The children enjoy these opportunities and readily take an active part in them. However, the lack of a hall, a suitable outdoor play area or a range of large equipment and climbing, balancing, riding, steering and other physical activities restricts their development overall. The school is well aware of this shortcoming and the school development plan identifies this as a priority area to be remedied in the very near future.

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Creative development

61. The children make good progress in this area of learning and most will achieve the early learning goals by the time they leave the reception class. The good progress is the result of the good quality teaching they receive. They are given many opportunities to experiment with materials and are taught the skills they need effectively. For example, when they use powder paint, the teacher shows them how to mix it carefully and create lighter and darker shades by adding white or black to their original colour. They have regular opportunities to work with playdough and this work is often linked to other areas of development. In a numeracy lesson, for example, the children made their own numbers or made addition sums using small pieces of the playdough. There are frequent opportunities for the children to make music. They sing enthusiastically and all have their favourite song they like to sing. In one lesson observed, one boy sang a solo to the rest of the class. They

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Creative development

create simple melodic patterns and recognise difference in pitch and volume when the teacher sings to them. Fleet Wood Lane School

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ENGLISH

62. In 2000, the results of the National Curriculum tests for seven year olds were below the national average in reading and above in writing. When compared with the results in similar schools, results were close to the average in reading and above average in writing. In reading, although the number of pupils attaining the expected level or above was close to the national average, the number reaching a higher level was well below. These reading results represent a dip in standards against an improving trend in recent years. In writing, the number of pupils reaching a higher level was above the national average and the trend of improving standards was maintained. Inspection evidence indicates an improvement in reading this year. The proportion of current Year 2 pupils on course to attain or exceed the expected level by the age of seven is close to the national average. In writing, standards are in line with the national average and the majority of pupils are again on course to attain

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ENGLISH

the expected level. However, the proportion on course to reach higher levels is not as great as last year.

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ENGLISH

63. English results in the 2000 tests were well above the national average for 11-year-olds. These results were well above average in comparison with similar schools. Moreover, a very high proportion of pupils (43 per cent) attained above average scores. There has been a steady trend of improvement in results in English in recent years. Evidence gained during the inspection indicates that pupils in the current Year 6 are making good progress in their learning. The majority of pupils are on course to attain the nationally expected level by the time they leave the school. However, results in 2001 are unlikely to be as high as they were in 2000. This does not indicate a drop in standards. There is an unusually high proportion of boys in the current Year 6. As a result, fewer pupils are working at above average standards and more are working below the nationally expected level than in the previous Year 6. This does not indicate a weakness in the school’s provision for boys:

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ENGLISH

boys perform less well than in English nationally than they do in mathematics and science. It is these differences in the make-up of the year group that will reduce the schools overall test scores in English, not a reduction in the quality of teaching and learning.

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ENGLISH

64. These findings do not fully reflect those of the last inspections, when attainment throughout the school was above national expectations and most pupils made sound progress. However, despite fluctuations brought about by the differences in year groups, the overall trend over the last four years has been one of steadily improving standards. Almost all pupils are making satisfactory progress over time. During the inspection, pupils made good progress in learning in the course of lessons. This indicates that the quality of teaching and learning are continuing to improve. In both key stages, there are no notable differences in the progress of pupils of different gender, background or ethnicity. Class teachers and support assistants work closely together to ensure that pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in literacy sessions. Language-based learning targets in individual education plans are usually clear and specific, support is well focused and

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ENGLISH

65. Throughout the school, pupils demonstrate speaking and listening skills at nationally expected standards. Younger pupils communicate their ideas in simple and clear terms, as when they suggested possible story endings based on their shared text. Teachers consistently grasp opportunities to extend pupils’ vocabulary and successfully promote their interest in new words. For example, pupils in Years 2 and 3 eagerly suggested a good range of adjectives to describe a monster. Similarly, pupils in Years 3 and 4 were keen to extend their knowledge of words that change according to gender, such as ‘hunter’ and ‘huntress’. By Year 6, pupils confidently express their opinions and explain their points of view, as when they discussed elements of persuasive letters. Throughout the school pupils gain confidence and frequently read out their work to the rest of the class. However, their opportunities for addressing large groups or regularly participating in dramatic

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ENGLISH

Fleet Wood Lane School productions are limited by the lack of a school hall. Pupils in all year groups listen carefully. They demonstrate their attention by answering questions thoughtfully and responding aptly to instructions. Pupils actively use their speaking and listening skills to support their learning in all subjects. In a physical education lesson, for example, pupils worked closely together, thoroughly discussing the problems they were set, in order to follow a challenging orienteering course.

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ENGLISH

66. Most pupils are reading at levels expected for their age, with a minority of pupils in all year groups reading at higher levels. Pupils of all ages enjoy being read to and are encouraged to take books home regularly. Most of the pupils interviewed are keen readers and many are members of the local library. Teachers promote their skills well in shared and guided reading sessions. Nevertheless, when reading independently, many pupils do not systematically use their knowledge of sounds and other clues in the text to help them with unfamiliar words. They understand the structure of books. They talk readily about the characters and key events of their current reading books and occasionally refer to the text to support their views. However, many are reticent when predicting what might happen next and only the more able compare books with others they have read or offer opinions about its author. Pupils approach a good range of both fiction and non-fiction with interest

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ENGLISH

and understanding. They become increasingly adept at using contents, index pages and skimming and scanning to find information. By the time they leave the school, pupils also competently use the Internet as a source of information.

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ENGLISH

67. In writing, the great majority of pupils throughout the school work at standards expected for their age. In all year groups a minority attain higher standards. From the outset, pupils are encouraged to see themselves as writers. Teachers plan a wide range of writing opportunities and consistently praise pupils’ efforts. In consequence, pupils gain confidence and make good progress in expressing their ideas. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 begin to write in sequenced sentences. Their work includes reports, instructions and increasingly well-structured stories. Pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 gain experience in planning their writing, as a means of organising and developing their ideas and opinions. By Year 6, they successfully draft and redraft and make a start on evaluating their own and others’ work. Pupils write confidently for a range of purposes and in a variety of formats including poetry, play scripts, myths, letters, book reviews and biographies. Most readily express

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ENGLISH

their ideas at length and increasingly use complex sentences and paragraphs. However, they often pay inadequate attention to punctuation and spelling. Throughout the school, pupils practice their handwriting regularly and carefully present work for display. However, teacher’s expectations of everyday handwriting are not consistently high. As a result, pupils’ work does not always reflect the handwriting standards of which they are capable. As part of their work in information and communication technology (ICT), pupils are introduced to word processing programs. These activities soundly reinforce their literacy skills. For example, Year 6 pupils studied and produced a display about an excerpt from Ian Serraillier’s ‘The Silver Sword’. Pupils have regular opportunities to practice and extend their writing skills in a range of subjects. For example, as part of their work on the Tudors pupils wrote poetry as well as accounts of significant characters, such as the monarchs.

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ENGLISH

Pupils also write about their investigations in science, as when pupils in Years 3 and 4 accurately described different types of rocks they were studying.

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ENGLISH

68. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers’ have secure subject knowledge. They are very clear about what they want the pupils to learn and this is often shared with pupils at the beginning of the lesson. As a result, pupils are interested and approach their work purposefully. Teachers use well-targeted questions to stimulate pupils’ thinking, check their understanding and reinforce their learning. In the most successful lessons, teachers make sharply focused teaching points and set tasks at sufficiently challenging levels to extend all pupils’ learning. Throughout the school teachers have very good relationships with pupils. They are consistently supportive and successfully boost pupils' self-esteem. Fleet Wood Lane School This promotes pupils’ positive attitudes to work and eager involvement in lessons. Pupils behave well. They follow their teachers' instructions and settle readily to work, both

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ENGLISH

independently and in a range of co-operative activities. Teachers work closely with support assistants, who make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning. Notably, small groups of pupils working with a classroom assistant in very well structured additional literacy support session make very good progress in their knowledge of specific letter sounds and spellings.

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ENGLISH

69. Teachers regularly check pupils' work and use marking well to reinforce points made in lessons, indicate how pupils can improve and guide day-to-day planning. The school has also introduced a system of individual literacy targets. Pupils understand their personal targets, but are not yet consistently working towards them. Assessment procedures are in place and new pupils' records have been introduced and are currently being evaluated. However, information gained from assessments is not yet used fully to plan the next stage of pupils’ learning. Consequently, tasks do not always match the needs of all pupils. For example, more able pupils are occasionally set tasks that are not substantially more demanding than the work that other pupils are doing. This limits pupils' opportunities to extend their learning. The school has begun to analyse the results of statutory and non- statutory tests and the results are being used effectively in target setting and to focus

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ENGLISH

support on identified groups and individuals. Teachers regularly set reading and spelling homework. Pupils are well supported at home and these activities reinforce pupils' learning.

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ENGLISH

70. The literacy co-ordinator manages the subject well. She has recently reviewed the policy and is committed to improving standards throughout the school. The National Literacy Strategy is well established and supports planning effectively throughout the school. The headteacher and co-ordinator monitor the subject conscientiously and this has had a positive impact on teaching and learning. The literacy governor is regularly in school demonstrating active interest and support. There is a broad range of good quality reading books, which are used well to stimulate pupils’ interest and promote learning. However, because of the limitations of space, pupils are unable to use the library for independent study. Also, most pupils have limited access to the Internet for research as the information technology suite is now being used as a classroom.

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MATHEMATICS

71. The results of the 2000 National Curriculum tests for 7 and 11-year-olds indicated that standards in mathematics were in line with the national average and equal to schools with similar characteristics. In both key stages, the proportion of pupils attaining the above average levels was greater than in schools nationally, but between a quarter and a third of pupils failed to achieve the nationally expected standard. Over the past four years results for 7 and 11-year-olds have varied considerably. This comes about because of differences in the size and make-up previous year groups; the performance of one or two pupils has a considerable effect on the school’s overall percentage scores. Despite these year-on-year variations, the trend over the last four years has been one of improving standards in both infant and junior classes. Inspection findings reflect the school’s national test results and

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MATHEMATICS

indicate that standards are continuing to rise. The majority of pupils are on course to attain or exceed the nationally expected standards for 7 and 11-year-olds and the proportion of pupils attaining below nationally expected levels is set to fall. The school’s targets for the raising of standards of attainment by the end of Year 6 are realistic and the school is on course to meet or exceed them.

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MATHEMATICS

72. These improvements are a result of the measures that the school has taken. The successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has led to a greater emphasis Fleet Wood Lane School on ‘mental maths’ to improve pupils’ speed and accuracy of calculation. There are also more opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills and understanding in other subjects such as information and communication technology, geography or physical education. The identification of ‘booster’ groups targets additional teacher support to lower attaining pupils and so helps more pupils to attain the nationally expected standard. Better monitoring of the subject and the improvements these measures have brought about add to the overall quality of teaching and learning and ensure that pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs receive effective support. They are included fully in all activities, make good progress and reach satisfactory levels of

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MATHEMATICS

attainment in relation to their levels of ability.

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MATHEMATICS

73. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 correctly write and sequence numbers to 100, with higher attaining pupils understanding place value up to 1,000. Almost all count sets accurately and they are confident in counting in twos, fives or tens. They recognise patterns and relationship in number squares and use this understanding to solve simple problems. Older and higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are beginning to collect simple data and can represent it in a variety of ways including block graphs and bar charts. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good knowledge of number facts to 20. They are accurate in their computations and efficiently use a variety of mental methods to make simple calculations. They identify the correct steps required to solve problems, have a good knowledge of mathematical terms and are familiar with the measuring of time and length. They use the language of simple fractions, such as half and quarter, when comparing quantities or dimensions and use

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MATHEMATICS

decimal notation, for example, in relation to money. Most know the properties of two and some three dimensional shapes, such as rectangles, hexagons, cuboids, pyramids and cones, and higher attaining pupils classify shapes according to these properties.

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MATHEMATICS

74. Pupils in junior classes become increasingly numerate. Pupils in Year 3 begin to interpret simple graphs. In Year 4, they arrange fractions and decimal numbers in order of size. In Year 5, pupils calculate the area and perimeter of two-dimensional shapes. They know the properties of the angles of a triangle and more able pupils know and use the formula for calculating the area of a triangle. They measure accurately using metric units and have sufficient understanding of place value to convert accurately, for example, from millimetres to metres. By the end of Year 6, they solve complex problems with higher attaining pupils devising original approaches, which they explain with obvious enjoyment and enthusiasm. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of number operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They understand and use different strategies effectively to make calculating easier and to solve a variety of problems. For example,

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MATHEMATICS

average and higher attaining pupils know their times tables well and use their understanding to calculate square and triangular numbers. They use both mental and written calculations and many are both speedy and accurate. Pupils successfully use fractions and percentages and are becoming increasingly confident with larger numbers. They know what each digit in a decimal fraction represents and round up numbers with two decimal places to the nearest whole number. Pupils construct shapes and figures using co-ordinates, with higher attainers achieving this in all four quadrants. Most recognise angles and use a protractor to measure and draw acute and obtuse angles. They record data using frequency tables and accurately construct a variety of graphs and charts. Higher attaining pupils analyse data, such as that on a temperature conversion graph, in order to make assumptions and predictions.

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MATHEMATICS

75. The teaching and learning of mathematics is satisfactory and is becoming more consistent. Throughout the school, lessons are suitably structured to make satisfactory use of time and of support staff who work with pupils with special educational needs. Mental agility work forms a lively part in most lessons, improving pupils’ confidence and the speed and accuracy of their thinking. In the most effective lessons, for example in upper junior classes, teaching is lively and the pace of learning is brisk. This makes demands on Fleet Wood Lane School pupils by making them think and keeping them involved. Tasks are challenging, but effective support ensures that pupils can succeed and make progress. Teachers plan tasks at different levels to meet the needs of pupils of differing levels of attainment. However, the arrangements for the regular assessment and recording of pupils' attainments in mathematics are only just coming fully into place. Consequently, some

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MATHEMATICS

tasks are set according to broad target levels of attainment and not on the basis of what pupils know, understand and can do. In some lessons, this results in a mismatch between the activities that are planned and what individuals or groups of pupils need to learn next. Where tasks are either too easy or too difficult for some pupils, the quality of their learning is reduced. There is evidence that some teachers, for example, in upper Key Stage 2 use on-going assessments to modify plans and to match tasks even more closely to the needs of identified pupils. This very good practice has a positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and improves the progress that they make in lessons, but is not consistently in place throughout the school.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Teachers manage their pupils effectively. Throughout the school, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour are high and have a positive impact on pupils’ progress. As a result, the quality of pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Pupils enjoy the lessons and work hard. Teachers use praise effectively to reward successes, effort and attentiveness, to build pupils’ confidence and to encourage them to rise to the challenges presented. Teachers expect pupils to concentrate in lessons and this increases the quality and quantity of work produced. Pupils use the time well; their work rate is good and this improves their learning. Most teachers use the last part of lessons effectively to reinforce and consolidate pupils’ learning.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Improvements in standards result in part from the school’s successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and are quickly developing an understanding of new approaches to the teaching of mathematics. They use these effectively to produce increasingly efficient learning. There are some opportunities for pupils to apply their developing numeracy skills in mathematics lessons and other subjects. This was seen to particularly good effect in Year 5 in physical education, when pupils used their understanding of angles, turns and directions during a lesson on orienteering.

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MATHEMATICS

78. The subject co-ordinator leads and manages the development of mathematics effectively. She has provided good support for staff during training and throughout the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. The co-ordinator monitors planning and the outcomes of teaching regularly. This means that weaknesses at individual and at whole school level are identified and that appropriate steps are taken to address them. There is, however, scope to extend this monitoring to include the observing of teaching. The quality of curriculum leadership makes an important contribution to the raising of standards in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

79. The 2000 teacher assessment for seven-year-olds indicates that the proportion of pupils that attained or exceeded the nationally expected standard in that year was below the national average, although the percentage reaching the higher than average level was well above national averages. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils in infant classes are making satisfactory progress and attaining the standards normally expected of pupils of this age. The proportion of pupils on course to attain the nationally expected standard in the current Year 2 is set to rise, although the proportion working at above average levels is less than in the preceding year. This results from differences in the make-up of the particular year groups.

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SCIENCE

80. In the national tests for 11-year-olds in 2000, pupils' performance was below the national Fleet Wood Lane School average. This followed two years when pupils had attained well above average levels. The main reason for this change was the make-up of this particular group of children and the small number of children in the year group; the performance of one or two pupils has a considerable effect on the school’s overall percentage scores, making year-on-year comparisons unreliable. Despite these year-on-year variations, the trend over the last four years has been one of improving standards. The schools most recent results are broadly equal to those in similar schools. However, whilst the percentage of pupils attaining or exceeding the expected level was close to the national average, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level was below average. Inspection evidence indicates that standards

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SCIENCE

are continuing to rise. Almost all pupils in the current Year 6 are on course to attain or exceed the nationally expected standard.

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SCIENCE

81. Pupils in Key Stage 1 know the types of materials that may be used as flooring and discuss sensibly the benefits of each type. They point out that carpet is not suitable for a kitchen as it may become dirty very quickly and that a living area needs harder wearing carpet than a bedroom. They understand diets and accurately identify those foods which are beneficial to them and which form the basis of a healthy diet. They undertake surveys of the type of food people eat and record their findings on bar charts. The youngest pupils search the school enthusiastically when looking for a range of materials. They identify old and new bricks from the patterns on them and explain how the bricks are made.

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SCIENCE

82. Pupils in Year 6 know materials that are and are not magnetic. They know about the poles in a magnet and that unlike poles attract and like poles repel. They predict which materials will be attracted by the magnet and test their predictions. However, they are not given the opportunity to choose apparatus or to plan how they can undertake an experiment to test their predictions. This is teacher-directed work. Many pupils in this lesson predict that most metals will be attracted and are surprised when this is not the case. Pupils in Year 5 describe how to conduct an experiment into the evaporation rate of water. They identify some aspects needed for a test to be fair, but have limited knowledge of how this can be carried out. They know the properties of water; for example that when water is heated it evaporates and becomes a gas or when it is cooled it will become solid in the form of ice.

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SCIENCE

At the lower end of Key Stage 2, pupils accurately identify similarities and differences in materials. They describe them as hard or soft, shiny or dull and they explain how some properties change in manufacture. They know, for example, that clay hardens and becomes pottery when it is baked in a kiln.

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SCIENCE

83. Although pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning overall, they do not have enough opportunities to plan their own experiments and undertake scientific investigations. This reduces the rate at which pupils gain the skills of scientific enquiry and their progress in this area of science is unsatisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs receive effective support and make progress equal to other pupils in the class.

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SCIENCE

84. The quality of teaching in the subject overall is satisfactory with one lesson out of the five observed being good and another unsatisfactory. The higher quality teaching moves at a fast pace and gives a good challenge to the pupils. The teacher is secure in her knowledge of the subject and uses this effectively to promote learning. In the unsatisfactory lesson, pupils make limited progress in their learning, mainly because of the slow pace to the lesson and the inappropriate length of time spent on some activities. Teachers use work in science satisfactorily to reinforce pupils’ numeracy and literacy skills. For example, pupils create bar charts and graphs from data collected. They record their findings in written form and are encouraged to talk about their ideas and what they see and do.

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SCIENCE

85. The subject is effectively managed. The co-ordinator has had responsibility for the subject on an interim basis since January 2000. Since taking over, she has updated the previous policy and the scheme of work adapted for the school's use. The arrangements for Fleet Wood Lane School assessing pupils’ progress are at an early stage of development. The procedures are good but, as yet, there is insufficient information available for teachers to use when planning work for pupils of differing abilities. There is an adequate range of resources and these are supplemented by borrowing others from the local secondary school.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. Pupils throughout the school attain satisfactory standards in their work in art and design. The youngest pupils work effectively with paints, mixing to achieve particular colours and experimenting by adding drops of water to dilute the paint and make it a paler shade. In infant classes, pupils' work covers a satisfactory range of two- and three-dimensional projects that incorporate the use of various media, including pastels, chalk, pencil, paper, fabric and card. Throughout the school, pupils produce close observational work, often in support of topic work. This includes Tudor portraits in crayon and pastel in Years 2 and 3, detailed representations of Tudor costumes in Years 4 and 5 and pencil sketches of Tudor ships in Year 6. Pupils are introduced to the work of famous artists, for example Hans Holbein. By Year 6, pupils are effectively selecting and combining different media to produce the effects they require, for example to produce large-scale representations of the

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ART AND DESIGN

Millennium Dome using paint, pencil and collage techniques. Year 6 portfolios also contain examples of fabric dying, landscape painting and computer generated artwork to enhance their poetry.

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ART AND DESIGN

87. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers encourage pupils' efforts and value their achievements. This is clearly demonstrated by the carefully mounted artwork, which is well displayed around the school. Teachers manage their classrooms well: lessons are well organised and resources are appropriately prepared in advance. Teachers’ successfully stimulate pupils’ interest by the careful linking of art to other areas of the curriculum; much of pupils’ current artwork links with their history topic on the Tudors. The quality of teaching is good in some lessons in junior classes: teachers have good subject knowledge, enthusiasm and high expectations of pupils' involvement and performance. In these classes, pupils work purposefully and produce high quality three-dimensional faces based on Tudor characters or original and imaginative containers for their dreams. Teachers respond directly and positively to pupils' work in the course of lessons. Pupils

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ART AND DESIGN

with special educational needs are fully included in art activities. Teachers and classroom assistants give sensitive support that enables pupils to succeed, make sound progress and adds to their self-esteem and personal development.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. Pupils have good attitudes to art. Pupils enjoy art and are keen to use the art-based computer programs that have been recently introduced in all phases of the school. They concentrate well and this gives rise to a generally calm, working atmosphere in which pupils work together co-operatively, use resources sensibly and readily share equipment. Pupils are proud of their work and talk about it readily, using appropriate subject vocabulary such as ‘depth’, ’tone’, ’portrait’ and ‘lifelike’.

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ART AND DESIGN

89. The overall quality of pupils’ learning is satisfactory. However, although teachers have sufficient subject knowledge and understanding to teach art effectively, there is a lack of guidance in subject documentation to ensure that teachers develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding progressively as they move through the school. There is also no formal link between planning and assessment. The school has recently introduced procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in art. However, these have not been in place for long enough to produce the information that teachers need to plan topics on the basis of a clear understanding of what pupils have achieved and what they need to learn next.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Fleet Wood Lane School 90. Timetable arrangements for the week of the inspection meant that only one lesson of design and technology could be inspected. This lesson, along with teachers planning and pupils’ completed work in folders and on display in the school indicates that pupils in infant and lower junior classes are on course to attain standards in line with expectations for their age by the time that they leave the school. The work produced by pupils in upper junior classes is below the expected standard for their age.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. Until recently, there has been no planned development of the design and technology curriculum. Existing guidelines did not ensure that teachers gave sufficient emphasis to all elements of the curriculum. Investigation, designing and evaluation were not always included in projects and this has resulted in weaknesses in these areas. The school has now begun to address these weaknesses and standards are rising. The revision of the content of the curriculum and the introduction of improved planning guidelines have moved the school forwards and are central to the raising of standards. Teachers choose topics that allow pupils to learn, use and develop skills in a logical order. This improves the quality of pupils’ learning and promotes good progress. Planning for topics is more thorough and includes balanced coverage of all elements. As a result, younger pupils are making good progress. They are investigating the properties of different materials, producing simple, but

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

appropriate design drawings and learning how to use different tools and techniques for making things. The ‘puppet’ project illustrates this: pupils’ finished puppets are original, finished to a good standard and many bear a striking resemblance to their design drawings.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. The work of older pupils now has many good features. For example, the Year 6 ‘bread’ project begins with a very effective investigation of different breads. This is a genuinely new experience for many pupils that gives rise to high levels of interest and involvement and so promotes effective learning. The teacher’s planning indicates that making and evaluating bread will also be part of the project. However, improvements to the planning and content of the curriculum have not been in place for long enough for older pupils to attain nationally expected standards by the time that they leave the school. For example, the designs produced by pupils in Year 6 as part of the ‘hats’ topic are little more than simple sketches. They give some impression of what the finished product will look like, but give no indication of exact measurements and dimensions, tools and materials to be used, techniques for making or step by step instructions.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. There is insufficient evidence against which to make judgements about the overall quality of teaching or about pupils’ attitudes to design and technology. In the one lesson that was inspected, teaching, learning and pupils’ attitudes were good. The teacher had planned and prepared the lesson thoroughly. This allowed a complex lesson to proceed smoothly. The lesson was very appealing to the pupils; ‘hands on’ and interactive. As a result, pupils were very enthusiastic and interested, maintained concentration and effort throughout the lesson and so made good progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

94. It was not possible to observe the teaching of geography during the inspection because of the way in which the school timetables the subject in alternate terms. There is insufficient evidence against which to make judgements about the overall quality of teaching or about pupils’ attitudes to geography. The analysis of pupils' work and teachers' planning and discussions with staff and pupils indicate that pupils’ knowledge and understanding are similar to those expected nationally by the time they leave the school. However, pupils’ geographical skills are below national expectations.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. Younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 undertake simple mapping skills. They draw maps of their journeys to school and indicate on them some of the things they pass. They make simple Fleet Wood Lane School keys to explain what they have drawn on their maps. They begin to identify places on maps by the use of simple co-ordinates to indicate the square in which they are situated.

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GEOGRAPHY

96. In Key Stage 2, teachers plan to extend the skills pupils have acquired in the infant classes, though insufficient attention is given to develop these skills in depth. Pupils display limited knowledge and experience of undertaking surveys, planning questionnaires or carrying out geographical investigations. However, by the time they are 11 years old, pupils identify places on maps by using six-figure map references. They know that the vertical and horizontal lines on a map run from north to south and from east to west. They give clear keys to show features on maps they draw. When studying the local area, pupils make visits to a local workshop and to other places within the village, such as the church. Pupils in Year 6 talk confidently about their work and explain about the visit they made to the Millennium Dome in London. They clearly identify the route they took and talk animatedly about what they saw. The older pupils have sound knowledge of the countries in Europe

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GEOGRAPHY

and identify some of the capital cities. From a world map they identify lines of latitude and longitude, explaining that they are imaginary lines around the earth. They know that the Equator separates the earth into northern and southern hemispheres.

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GEOGRAPHY

97. The subject co-ordinator leads the subject effectively. There is an appropriate policy in place and the school has recently adopted the national guidelines for the subject. This is linked into the two-year programme devised by the staff to ensure appropriate knowledge and skills are taught systematically. This is in its earliest stages and has yet to have significant impact on standards, especially in the area of skills development. Currently, however, teachers have limited information from assessment to help them plan for this aspect of pupils’ work. Newly devised assessment arrangements are in place to remedy this situation, but have yet to have any impact on standards. Resources in the school are adequate; these are suitably enhanced by visits, through the close links to the local secondary school and by the use of loan material from the local education authority.

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HISTORY

98. Standards achieved by pupils are in line with those expected nationally. Pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in their learning of history. This is consistent with the findings of the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

99. Pupils in infant classes learn about important people from the past. Pupils in Year 1 know about Florence Nightingale and the role she played in the Crimean War. They relate to the good work she did as a nurse in caring for the war victims. In Year 2, pupils carry out simple research about the Tudors. They discuss the ways in which Henry VIII changed his wives and know that some were beheaded whilst he divorced others. They give reasons for why Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves only lasted for a short time. They know that Henry and Anne did not know each other before they married and understand that the lack of a common language was instrumental in the breakdown of the marriage

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HISTORY

100. In Key Stage 2 pupils build on the skills they acquire in Years 1 and 2. They produce detailed and accurate time-lines to show events within the Tudor period. They begin to make comparisons between the lives of the rich and the poor. Pupils know, for example, that the rich wore finely decorated clothes and lived in mansions, whilst the poor had little food, ragged clothes and lived in slums. Pupils towards the end of the key stage undertake more detailed investigations. Pupils use computer encyclopaedias and the Internet to gain information about how the ‘Mary Rose’ sank and was subsequently raised from the Solent. Through this they see what life was like in a Tudor ship and realise that artefacts from the past give a valuable insight into what life was like then. This work also gives pupils the opportunity to use and apply their literacy skills. They use reference books effectively in

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HISTORY

Fleet Wood Lane School their research. They use the index to identify the appropriate page and, when they have read the detail, make notes that lead to the writing of reports in the style of newspaper articles.

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HISTORY

101. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some good features. Where the better teaching occurs, pupils benefit from the high level planning which incorporates challenging activities for different levels of ability. In a Year 6 class, for example, the teacher planned for groups of pupils to undertake research in different ways; from books, using videos, on the computer and through questioning. This proved to be a good learning experience for the pupils; the task was ‘open ended’ allowing all to succeed and enabling higher attaining pupils to gain a great deal from the exercise. Most teachers have sound control over their classes and manage behaviour well. They have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and response and successfully establish good working habits in their pupils. Teachers support pupils' learning effectively by providing stimulating and interesting resources and by moving

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HISTORY

about the classrooms discussing work with different groups of pupils and giving them advice on how to improve the quality of their work.

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HISTORY

102. Pupils in both key stages show interest in their work. They are attentive to their teachers and work hard on set tasks. They show pride in their simple discoveries and willingly talk about them. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 are enthusiastic about their learning and readily share their ideas with others. When working on computers, for example, the older pupils help each other with skills in handling the computers to gain information. They encourage each other to look at different pages on the web site to further their knowledge about Tudor life. Much of the enthusiasm generated is the result of the enthusiasm shown by the teacher, both for history and for information and communications technology.

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HISTORY

103. The school's policy of undertaking whole-school topics has benefits to the pupils' learning and the development of historical skills. The subject manager leads the subject effectively and the whole staff undertakes weekly planning for the subject. This supports a systematic development of knowledge and skills. There are newly developed systems for assessing the progress that pupils have made. These are satisfactory, but have not been in use for long enough to provide the necessary information to guide teachers’ planning effectively. Visits are used well to reinforce learning. For example, the pupils have visited the city of Lincoln, where they were able to visit the castle and the cathedral in order to gain insights into people’s lives during other periods in history.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

104. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are broadly in line with those expected nationally. The strength of the subject is where pupils use ICT for word processing, for information handling and for retrieving information using the Internet, Intranet and CD-ROMs. The pupils' skills in the control and monitoring elements are satisfactory, although less well developed. The school’s improved resources are enabling pupils to make better progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

105. Teachers encourage pupils to use computers in their work from the early stages. In infant classes, pupils use computer programs to gain information. They use an encyclopaedia program effectively to track through pages in order to find out more about a particular subject. When they start on 'water' as a topic for research, for example, they use the mouse to click on the 'sea' icon. This in turn leads to 'oceans' and to 'marine animals'. The pupils handle the mouse confidently and accurately. They drag pages and move easily between pages on the CD-ROM. By the end of Year 2, pupils enter information and use the computer to produce simple graphs and charts. Fleet Wood Lane School 106. The pupils in junior classes have well-developed skills when using the computer to present or display their work. They draft and re-draft their writing on the computers, using cut and paste, alignment and spellcheck functions confidently to improve their work. They

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

experiment with a range of fonts and sizes in order to give the most attractive presentation. They use a range of colours in their finished work, which is further enhanced by pictures, downloaded and cut and pasted into their work. The overall result is very effective. The older pupils use the Internet efficiently to transmit messages to each other within the classroom and to the world beyond the school. Pupils use the computer to reorganise a time line during a history lesson or to record their findings on a spreadsheet following an investigation in design and technology. These well-planned opportunities increase pupils’ confidence and competence in using computers to help them with other aspects of their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

107. Pupils are very keen to work on computers and this enthusiasm results in clear progress in their learning. They concentrate for a good length of time and persevere when they encounter difficulties. They co-operate and help each other to learn. Much of the enthusiasm stems from teachers’ enthusiasm for using computers as an aid to learning. Most teachers are confident in using the computers in this way. The Year 6 teacher, for example, has very good levels of knowledge and understanding. She uses this very effectively in her teaching, by including the use of computers in as many lessons as possible across the curriculum. This gives pupils the chance to use the skills that they have learned and so adds to the progress that they make. Pupils with special educational needs take part in all ICT activities. Using the computer to present written work reinforces pupils’ literacy skills and builds their confidence and self-esteem. The pupil with a

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

statement of special educational need uses a laptop computer competently in most lessons and this adds to the progress that he makes in other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

108. The subject is managed effectively. The co-ordinator has good knowledge and understanding of the subject and uses this successfully to identify areas of weakness and to plan for further developments. The improvement of modelling, control and simulation aspects are all included in the long-term planning for the subject with further staff training alongside this. Since her appointment, a computer suite has been established within the Year 6 classroom and this has been of considerable benefit to the learning of this group of pupils. The school’s accommodation difficulties prevent regular access for other year groups, although teaching times are carefully planned to allow lessons to take place each week. However, there is a computer club aimed at pupils in Years 3 and 4 in order that they may have similar access to the school's computer network as Year 6 pupils have in their classroom. The club is well attended with all computers being fully utilised and this

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

goes some way to addressing the schools’ genuine difficulties in this area.

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MUSIC

109. Attainment in music is below national expectations. Pupils have regular opportunities to sing and they make satisfactory progress in this area of learning. Teachers and support staff are committed to ensuring that pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in musical activities. This enables them to make as much progress as other pupils. A new programme of work has recently been introduced. This is based on national guidance and incorporates opportunities for pupils to play musical instruments, compose, listen to and appraise music. However, this scheme has not been in place long enough to make an impact on pupils’ standards.

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MUSIC

110. In music lessons, hymn practices and assemblies, pupils in Years 1 and 2 sing enthusiastically from memory. They know a range of action songs and hymns and evidently enjoy singing. They listen attentively and develop a growing ability to control their Fleet Wood Lane School voices and sing with confidence and understanding. They have a satisfactory understanding of rhythm and are able to clap a steady beat. In a well-structured lesson focusing on long and short sounds, pupils made good progress in learning to hold percussion instruments correctly and arrange their sounds to accompany Hickory Dickory Dock.

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MUSIC

111. The older pupils sing in tune with control and expression. They have a good sense of rhythm and their repertoire includes two-part songs. However, they have had too few opportunities to create and develop their musical ideas and their experience of using tuned and untuned instruments is limited. Year 6 pupils demonstrated low standards when using percussion instruments to create and combine sounds to convey a mood or feeling. Pupils have recently had opportunities to respond to pieces of classical music. However, they have had insufficient experience of such activities and their appraisal skills do not meet national expectations.

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MUSIC

112. The teaching of music is unsatisfactory overall. Teachers' planning does not give balanced and thorough coverage of all elements of the National Curriculum in music. However, both strengths and weaknesses were observed in the lessons seen. The teachers demonstrated secure subject knowledge and had clear aims for their lessons. But, as records of pupils’ musical abilities have not been built up, all pupils were given similar tasks with no reference to their individual skills or experience. This limited the progress of more able pupils. In a lesson with pupils in Years 1 and 2, the teacher maintained high expectations of pupils' involvement. As a result, throughout the lesson pupils eagerly practised and improved their performance of particular musical phrases. Teachers maintain very good relationships with their pupils. They consistently praise pupils’ efforts, which promotes confidence, enjoyment of music and willingness to participate in musical

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MUSIC

activities. However, in a Year 6 lesson, when pupils were set undemanding tasks, pupils became restless and made little progress in their learning.

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MUSIC

113. There are plans in place for a recently appointed teacher to become music co-ordinator. She has clear and specific aims to update the policy and develop and improve the subject. She has identified the need to ensure that pupils build up musical skills as they move through the school. Staff training to support this forms part of the school development plan. Resources are unsatisfactory. Notably, there are not enough tuned percussion instruments and a narrow range of recorded music for pupils to listen to. The school’s accommodation does not provide adequate facilities for musical activities. The lack of a hall makes rehearsing and performing musical pieces very difficult. Similarly there are no spaces available for group work or for instrumental tuition. There is very little space to store resources and the teacher in the outdoor classroom has difficulties in transporting the instruments from the main school building. Pupils have opportunities to learn recorder or

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MUSIC

guitar in the newly established out of school groups. Also, participation in occasional musical productions and annual carol and harvest festival services adds to pupils’ interest and awareness of music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114. Pupils throughout the school reach the expected standards in the aspects of the physical education curriculum that were seen during the inspection. Inspection evidence and teachers’ planning for physical education indicate that most elements of the National Curriculum receive appropriate attention. However, the school is not currently able to provide gymnastics and dance activities to the standards set out in national guidelines. This is because rising pupils numbers mean that the small school hall is in full time use as a classroom and there is no other space for indoor gymnastics and dance lessons. Some outdoor teaching takes place in summer time, but this is not enough for pupils to attain Fleet Wood Lane School nationally expected standards in these aspects of physical education. The school compensates for these shortcomings in the physical education curriculum by providing additional swimming and a well-planned programme of outdoor and adventurous activities

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

that make good use of the school’s grounds. Most pupils of all levels of attainment in both key stages make satisfactory progress in the areas covered. Pupils with physical and learning difficulties receive good support that enables them to take a full part in physical education lessons and experience success in activities such as orienteering.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

115. Most pupils in the infant classes respond to their teachers’ instructions quickly. They work safely individually, in pairs and in small groups. Pupils in Year 1 begin to learn to swim. At this early age, many are still non-swimmers or are just beginning to swim a few simple strokes. However, they are gaining confidence rapidly and laying the foundations for good levels of attainment in future years. Older pupils use small games equipment purposefully. They develop skills that are required to play simple games, such as throwing and catching a ball, and use them to good effect in simple games. They develop their hand and eye co- ordination appropriately so that they begin to throw and catch a ball with increasing accuracy. They practise carefully and so improve levels of consistency and accuracy.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

116. Pupils in the junior classes continue their swimming and many attain standards above those normally expected of pupils at the end of Year 6. They learn the skills of orienteering: pupils in Year 5 show impressive teamwork and accuracy as they read the map, solve problems and find, identify and record the checkpoints. Standards in this element are also above average for pupils of this age. The school extends the physical education programme effectively by organising coaching visits by representatives of a local professional football club and the county cricket club. These events help motivate pupils and expose them to high quality coaching. Pupils in junior classes also have the opportunity to take part in sporting activities outside lessons. This allows some pupils to extend their skills in sports such as soccer and to participate in local competitive events.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

117. The teaching of physical education is sound. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory. It identifies appropriate objectives. When these are shared with pupils, for example in effective games lessons in Year 2, they give a clear focus to teaching and learning that improves pupils’ progress. Most teachers have secure subject knowledge. They give clear explanations and monitor pupils’ response carefully. This ensures that all pupils are able to work confidently and to make appropriate progress. Teachers’ awareness of pupils is good and results in good individual and group coaching that helps pupils improve aspects of their technique. This worked to good effect in the Year 5 orienteering lesson. Teachers manage their pupils effectively. Most have successfully established positive patterns of behaviour and response and they use an appropriate balance of praise and challenge. This allows the lesson to flow and effectively maintains the pace of pupils’ learning. When isolated

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

incidents of inappropriate behaviour occur, as in a Year 3 and 4 orienteering lesson, teachers use the school’s discipline policy consistently and to good effect.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. Pupils have good attitudes to their work in physical education. They are attentive to their teachers and follow instructions promptly and accurately. Older pupils are responsive to coaching and rise to the challenge to improve. They persevere in the face of difficulty, for example maintaining a good work rate to complete all three courses during a challenging orienteering lesson. Most pupils work sensibly in pairs or groups, giving each other constructive help to succeed. This is particularly impressive when pupils work with and support those with special educational needs, enabling them to be fully involved and make good progress, as in a Years 3 and 4 orienteering lesson.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. The quality of pupils’ learning is satisfactory. This results from pupils’ positive response and from the range and variety of experiences that the school provides. Planning identifies suitable objectives for most lessons. However, these are based on broad general targets Fleet Wood Lane School and not on what pupils know, understand and can do. The school has recently introduced procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment in physical education. However, these have not been in place for long enough to produce the information that teachers need to plan topics on the basis of a clear understanding of what pupils have achieved and what they need to learn next in the various elements of the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

120. Pupils’ achieve standards that are broadly in line with the requirements set out in the local authority’s guidance. These findings reflect those of the last inspection. However, not all areas of the religious education curriculum are consistently addressed in depth and pupils’ learning is not always sufficiently well promoted. Consequently, a minority of pupils have limited recall of aspects of other world faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

121. By the age of seven, pupils know major festivals of the Christian calendar, such as Christmas and Easter, and are beginning to understand the significance of celebrations such as Harvest Festival. They know that Jesus was a teacher and remember stories he told, such as the Good Samaritan. By 11, pupils know that the Bible is a special book for Christians and are familiar with some readings, such as the Letters of St. Paul. They also learn about the lives of other saints and famous Christian figures such as Mother Teresa.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

122. As they move through the school, pupils are introduced to other world faiths. For example, they hear about aspects of daily life, worship and celebration in Hinduism and Judaism. However, these are addressed in little depth. Follow up work is often limited to illustrations and pupils’ knowledge and understanding are not well reinforced or progressively extended. Throughout the school, pupils are regularly introduced to moral themes, such as ‘friendship’ and ‘helping others’, which are often illustrated by Bible stories. Thus, the subject makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ moral and social development. Pupils with special educational needs are encouraged to participate and make progress in line with others in their class.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the subject. Teachers are usually clear about what they want their pupils to learn, lessons are purposeful and pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning. However, in one lesson the aims were too broad. As a result, teaching points lacked clarity and focus and pupils made insufficient progress in the course of the lesson. Classes are well managed and pupils approach topics with interest. Teachers use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and knowledge. Pupils demonstrate careful listening by both answering and asking further questions thoughtfully. They readily make suggestions and respect each other’s views. This contributes positively to the quality of relationships within the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. The subject co-ordinator is committed to raising standards within the subject. The policy has been rewritten and a new scheme of work introduced, based on the new local and national guidance. Resources are adequate to support teaching. However, there are few stimulating objects for pupils to handle and learn from in order to bring the subject to life and capture pupils’ interest. Pupils visit few places of worship, although those visits that do take place are worthwhile and contribute effectively to pupils' learning. For example, the younger pupils visited the parish church to learn about baptism from the local vicar. The vicar is a regular visitor in school, leading assembly and giving valuable support in the Year 6 religious education lesson. This raises pupils’ interest and improves the quality of their learning.

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