Horwich Parish CofE Primary School

HORWICH PARISH C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs. M. Fitzpatrick

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HORWICH PARISH C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 8 th March 2001

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HORWICH PARISH C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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HORWICH PARISH C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 3 - March 2001

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Street Horwich Bolton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. D. Pritchard

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 rd . March 1997 Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 4 - March 2001

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Aspect responsibilities

24326 M Fitzpatrick Registered inspector History What sort of school is it? School’s results and achievements How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9843 S E Drake Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values, personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 31175 A Alison Team inspector Geography The Foundation Stage How well are pupils taught?

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Aspect responsibilities

22831 C G Lewis Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Physical Education 18370 J K Johnson Team inspector English Design and Technology Equal opportunities Special educational needs 7938 T Handforth Team inspector Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 2911 E Steed Team Inspector Science Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 5 - March 2001 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle STOCKPORT SK8 1BB

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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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Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 6 - March 2001

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 30

Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 7 - March 2001

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL The school is larger than the average sized primary school with 391 pupils and an approximate balance of boys and girls. There is no nursery in the school; children join the reception class in the year in which they are five. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (eight per cent) is below the national average. There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs, nine per cent, is below the national average. The majority of these pupils are assessed at Stages 2 and 3 of special need and their needs are mainly for additional literacy support. The percentage of pupils with statements of special educational needs is similar to the national average. Of these pupils, one needs support for dyspraxia, another for moderate learning difficulties and a third for Down’s Syndrome. Taken overall, the attainment of pupils on entry to the school is about

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS Horwich Parish is a successful and very effective school. Standards are good and pupils achieve well. Under the very good leadership of the headteacher, all teachers are very good at promoting the school’s aims for high standards and to extend and deepen children’s understanding of themselves, other people and their environment. Together, the headteacher and staff provide a very happy, secure environment in which learning can, and does, thrive. The good standards, good teaching and the very good personal development of pupils support the judgement that the school gives very good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • It achieves high standards in mathematics and science by the time pupils are eleven. • It promotes good standards in reading for all pupils. • It is very well led and managed. • The teaching is good. • The pupils have very good attitudes to learning; they behave very well and they achieve well. • It makes very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • It makes very good provision for pupils who have special educational needs. • Relationships at all levels in the school are very good and contribute strongly to the harmonious atmosphere. • It provides high levels of care and guidance for pupils. • Financial planning is very good.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • The school could provide more opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for and to direct their own learning. • The administrative procedures for the health and safety of pupils. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The school has made good improvement since it was last inspected in March 1997. The key issues for improvement identified at that time have been addressed, some very successfully. Assessment procedures are now very good; the monitoring of teaching is now well established and has led to improvements in the quality of teaching through shared good practice and professional development. Information to parents is now of a very good quality and the monitoring of provision for pupils with special educational needs is now very good. There have been some improvements to pupils’ learning and they have more opportunities to learn independently than before, though there is still scope for further development. There has been improvement in standards in some subjects; art, information and communication technology at both key stages and history at the end of Key Stage 2, are now above the

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

national expectation. The role of subject co-ordinators has been developed and there is now an established programme for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. As a result of these improvements, the school now has a good understanding of its strengths and what it needs to do to improve. Consequently, the school is in a strong position to continue its improvement and raise standards even further. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 8 - March 2001 STANDARDS The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

1998 1999 2000 2000 well above average A

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science have risen in line with the national trend in the past four years. In each of the core subjects the school has maintained a test score above the national average in that time. The drop in performance in the most recent national tests is a product of the high proportion of Year 6 pupils who had special educational needs. Compared with similar schools, pupils did at least as well in mathematics and science and were just below the average test score in English. In Key Stage 1, the pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests was well above the national average in reading and above the average for similar schools. In writing, their performance was the same as the national average, but below that of similar schools. Their performance in mathematics was below the national average and well below the average for similar schools. These

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

results also reflect the significant proportion of pupils who had special educational needs in the Year 2 group who sat the tests. In other subjects, pupils achieve above the expectation for their age in art, because teachers promote good progression in skills throughout the school. In information and communication technology, pupils also achieve above the expectation for their age because of regular teaching and the frequent opportunities they have to use computers. In history, pupils who are aged 11 have better than expected enquiry skills and a broad knowledge of the eras they study. In all other subjects of the curriculum, pupils achieve well and reach the level expected for their age. They have good recall of what they learn because of their interest and good listening during lessons. Children in the reception class make good progress and are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals in all

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. They achieve particularly well in language and literacy. The school set and achieved realistic targets in the national tests in 2000. The targets for 2001 are more ambitious, reflecting the higher levels of attainment already achieved by pupils currently in Year 6.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES Aspect Comment

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy coming to school. They talk enthusiastically about their work and their teachers.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils consistently behave very well in lessons, assemblies, when out of school on visits and in the playground. They are considerate of visitors and relish helping their teachers.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Personal development and relationships Very good quality relationships pervade the school, making it a pleasant place in which to learn. Pupils have a strongly developed sense of responsibility towards others and are very quick to offer help to those who need it.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Attendance Very good levels of attendance, well above the national average. Punctuality is also very good at the start of school and for all lessons. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 9 - March 2001 All of these aspects of pupils’ development are very good, creating a happy purposeful atmosphere where good quality learning can take place.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality of teaching in all lessons was at least satisfactory, in over 70 per cent of lessons it was good and in 20 per cent it was very good. The teaching of English is good overall in the school, with very good teaching seen at both key stages. Planning for learning is always well matched to pupils’ needs and they are suitably challenged. Mathematics teaching is good overall in the school and, again, there are examples of very good teaching at both key stages. Teachers place good emphasis on mental agility and ensure that pupils have a good knowledge of number through rigorous whole class teaching, which provides good levels of challenge. In science, teachers place good emphasis on pupils learning from practical investigations. Because of this, pupils have a good understanding of scientific ideas and good recall of their learning. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught, with the school being

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

particularly effective in teaching and developing reading skills. Pupils are given many opportunities in their learning to apply and use their literacy and numeracy skills. Children in the Foundation Stage are well taught for all subjects, with a particular strength being the teaching of literacy and language. Activities are well planned and children’s progress effectively assessed, so that they are constantly challenged to move on. As a result, children make good progress in all areas of learning.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL Aspect Comment

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is very well planned, with good links formed between subjects at both key stages and in the Foundation Stage. The school’s very good extra-curricular programme and the links with the community greatly enhance the breadth and quality of pupils’ learning.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The quality of provision is very good. Pupils’ needs are effectively assessed and very good support is provided by classroom assistants who work closely with teachers to ensure that the pupils make good progress.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision in each of the four areas is very good. The school has a very good ethos in which all pupils are seen as individuals and are valued. They are given frequent opportunities to reflect upon their own and others’ achievements and needs. As a result, they come to a very good understanding of themselves and their role in the community.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the school cares for its pupils Overall, the school takes very good care of its pupils. The teachers’ knowledge of pupils in and out of school helps the pupils grow in confidence and make the best of opportunities. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance and positive behaviour are very effective. While teachers carry out health and safety checks and report any requirements, the school needs to carry out and record formal risk assessments.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has developed a very good partnership with parents. The school provides very good quality information for parents, is open to their suggestions and positively encourages them to support their Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 10 - March 2001 children’s learning. As a result, the vast majority of parents find the school approachable and supportive.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Through his example and high expectations, the headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. In all of his work to improve the school the headteacher is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and the members of the senior management team.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have a very good knowledge of the school and are very effective in supporting its strategic development. Governors need to review administrative procedures for risk assessment and ensure that this is recorded. All other statutory requirements are met.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school analyses test results to see where improvements are needed and seeks parents’ views about changes and improvements in its practices. Overall, the school has a very clear understanding of its performance.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The strategic use of resources The school bases all spending decisions on raising standards. The governors are careful to ensure that the school gets good value in what it does and what it buys.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school is well staffed with a good range of experience and expertise amongst the teachers. There is a generous number of special needs and classroom assistants who are very skilled. While the accommodation is adequate to meet most curriculum needs, the absence of a playing field, together with a cramped site, does pose some restrictions on the sports activities that the school is able to offer. Resources are sufficient to meet the needs of the curriculum.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • That the teaching is good. • That the school is well led. • That their children work hard and make good progress. • That their children like school. • That the school helps their children become mature. • A few parents would like more information about how their children are progressing. • Some parents don’t agree that the school provides an interesting range of activities out of school.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The inspection team agrees completely with parents about their positive views of the school. The team also found that the school provides very good information to parents, that annual reports on pupils’ progress are very good. The school’s normal provision for extra-curricular and out-of-school activities is very good and much better than is found in most schools. Some activities have been suspended for the spring term because of arrangements for teachers to improve their information and communication technology skills. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 11 - March 2001

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children currently in the reception class have good skills in all areas of learning. They are making good progress and are on course to achieve the expected standards in the Early Learning Goals by the time they are ready to start Year 1. They attain above average standards for their age in language and literacy. In the rest of the school, attainment on entry to Year 1 is about what is expected of five year olds and this judgement is supported by the school’s baseline and other assessment information on pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. In the National Curriculum tests for seven year-olds in 2000, the pupils’ test score in reading was well above the national average and above average in comparison with similar schools (those having the same percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals). In writing, in the same tests, the pupils’ test score was about the same as that of all schools and slightly below the average of similar schools (0.1 of a point). In both of these tests, girls’ performance was better than that of boys. Performance at the higher level was well above the national average in reading and below the national average in writing. Standards of attainment in English have risen steadily in the past three years and, overall, remain above the national average. Part of this sustained performance is allied to the successful implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and to the strong emphasis that the school places on developing reading

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The school’s results and achievements

skills. For pupils currently in Year 2, standards in reading are good. Pupils are confident and enthusiastic about books and are eager to read aloud. They have good understanding and the more fluent readers read with good expression, for example, when they read dialogue. Pupils achieve high standards in speaking and listening. By the time they are seven, they contribute to class discussion confidently and listen carefully to the ideas of others. They make good use of the technical language they learn in the different subjects, showing that they have listened well and understood the meaning of new words. The majority of pupils achieve standards in writing that are expected of seven year olds, but few pupils reach the higher level. By the time they are seven, pupils write in properly ordered sentences, with higher attaining pupils extending their sentences by adding more detail of description.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The results in the National Curriculum tests for eleven year olds in English show that the pupils’ test score was the same as the national average and was below the average score of similar schools. These results represent a drop in performance from 1999, when the school’s performance was well above the national average in the subject. However, compared with the performance of the same pupils when they were seven, the results represent satisfactory progress since then. The fall in results in the 2000 tests is a reflection of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Twenty per cent of pupils in the Year 6 group who sat the tests were on the register for special educational needs. For the first time, since the last inspection, the performance of girls and boys was different, with the girls doing better than the boys. The school has responded to the fall in results with a thorough analysis of test results

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The school’s results and achievements

and is now setting targets in writing for pupils in all classes. Standards seen during the inspection show that this is having a strong impact and there is a clear improvement in the quality of pupils’ writing. In the current Year 6, the majority are at the expected standard, with a number of pupils writing at the higher level and producing work which is well structured and effectively written. Standards of reading are good and pupils extend the range of their reading, with some of the more fluent Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 12 - March 2001 readers enjoying classic tales and more demanding stories. All pupils read with understanding and have a useful number of strategies to help them make sense of new words. Standards in listening and speaking are high, reflecting the value for learning that is shared by pupils and teachers. Pupils are confident and clear in their responses, often developing ideas and suggestions. They listen very closely and,

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The school’s results and achievements

because of this, always know what they are expected to do and have good recall of their learning. Handwriting is well formed and the presentation of work is of a good standard, reflecting the pride that pupils take in what they do. Spelling is mostly accurate and sentences are grammatically correct.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In the National Curriculum tests for seven year olds in 2000, the school’s performance in mathematics was just below the national average and well below average for similar schools. When measured against their attainment on entry to Year 1, the pupils in this year group had made satisfactory progress in the subject. There was no significant difference in the performance of girls and boys in the tests. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher level was the same as the national average. Results have been steady since the time of the last inspection. Pupils currently nearing the end of Year 2 are working at the expected level for their age. Most Year 2 pupils are able to give addition and subtraction facts to 20; for example, they can calculate the change from 20p if 8p is spent. They know tables to 10 and understand multiplication.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Pupils’ performance in the National Curriculum tests in mathematics for 11 year olds in 2000 was above the national average and the same as the performance of pupils in similar schools. The performance of girls was better than that of boys. Since the time of the last inspection standards have risen and pupils’ performance has remained above the national average throughout that period. When measured against their performance in national tests when they were seven, the pupils had made good progress in the subject. Most pupils in the current Year 6 classes are achieving standards at or above the level expected for their age and there is a small group of pupils who are receiving teaching at level 6, which is two levels above that expected of 11 year olds. Pupils in Year 6 have good mental agility with number, they understand the function of brackets and accurately calculate the area of regular shapes. The high standards that pupils achieve are the result of the brisk and

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The school’s results and achievements

6. The teacher assessments in 2000 showed that standards achieved in science by seven year olds was at the expected level for their age. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher level was below average and below that found in similar schools. Pupils currently in Year 2 have a good understanding of how to carry out investigations. They use their earlier learning to help them make predictions about what will happen, when, for example, they decide the properties of a range of materials. Pupils know what it is that humans, animals and plants require to live and to stay healthy.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Pupils’ performance in science, in the National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds in 2000, was well above the average of all schools and the same as the average in similar schools. At the higher level, pupils’ performance was well above that of all schools and above that of similar schools. The results represented very good progress for the pupils from their assessed standards when they were seven. There was no difference in the performance of girls and boys. Standards in the subject have risen at the same rate as in most other schools and have been consistently above the national average since the time of the last inspection. Standards in the current Year 6 are above the level expected of 11 year olds. Investigative work forms a strong element of their learning and they have a structured approach to scientific enquiry. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 13 - March 2001 They know how to make predictions and to set up an investigation, for instance, into

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The school’s results and achievements

how to separate insoluble materials from water. When their predictions are incorrect they are able to offer sensible reasons for why this might be so. They record their findings neatly and accurately. Despite the good progress that pupils are making in the subject, more opportunity to extend their investigations and to select their own materials would improve the pupils’ learning and allow them to make even better progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Standards achieved by pupils in information and communication technology are above the level expected for their age by the time they are seven and eleven. Year 1 pupils operate the mouse effectively; they select an object then drag and drop it to the chosen position and add a title to their work. By the time they are seven, pupils can load, save and retrieve their work; they use the shift key to change between capital and lower case letters. Pupils in Year 6 use a multi-media program to produce presentations involving text, pictures and animated effects. By the time they are eleven, pupils have a good experience of a range of programs which support their learning in different subjects. All pupils in the school use the Internet to send messages to other classes or to research topics. Pupils achieve well in the subject because they are enthusiastic, the curriculum is well planned and their teachers have

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The school’s results and achievements

secure knowledge of the programs they teach.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs achieve well in relation to the targets set for them. Stages of learning are planned clearly for each pupil and progress is regularly monitored and reviewed. Pupils show good attitudes to work. In all lessons seen, teachers plan carefully to provide work that ensures pupils find success and make good progress. Results in the National Curriculum tests show that pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to other pupils over time and that they sometimes reach higher than expected standards.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In other subjects at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils learn at the expected rate. In art, they reach standards above those expected for their age because they are taught skills using different materials and are given good opportunities to practise and refine these. In all other subjects they reach the expected standard by the time they are seven. In history, they know about life in the past and about famous people such as Guy Fawkes. In geography, they have an understanding of place and can describe the buildings in their locality. In design and technology, they learn and refine the skills of measuring and cutting and know a range of ways to join materials. They have a good musical vocabulary, create their own tunes and perform with other pupils on percussion instruments. In physical education, they develop good control of passing and receiving the ball and, by the time they are seven, many pupils can do this while

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The school’s results and achievements

11. At Key Stage 2, pupils achieve the expected standard in all subjects, except in art and history, where they achieve above the expected level for 11 year olds. They have good skills in printing, using a range of techniques, in observational drawing and in painting, sometimes adopting the style of famous artists. They also have a better than expected knowledge of the work of famous artists from this and other centuries. In history, they have good knowledge of events of the past and know how to research and present information about events in the past. In geography, they understand how man affects the environment and make comparisons between their own locality and others in Britain and overseas. Their work in design and technology shows a growing understanding of how mechanisms work and this is reflected in their pop-up pictures and working models. Pupils in Year 6 make their own versions of reed instruments for

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The school’s results and achievements

music lessons and compose their own tunes using major and minor scales. By the Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 14 - March 2001 time pupils are in Year 6, they have a good range of games skills and devise and perform dance sequences with imagination and good control.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Literacy is well promoted in the school. Teachers place strong emphasis on developing and using reading skills and pupils are expected to use these for independent reading at set times each day and to find information for the topics they study. Teachers plan opportunities for pupils to consolidate their writing skills in history, geography and in science and, in some cases, they expect pupils to redraft their work to improve its quality.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils are encouraged to use their numeracy skills in other subjects. In science lessons, they are expected to measure and count in order to make accurate recordings of what they see. In geography, they use appropriate language to describe location and draw graphs. In history, they calculate how much it might cost to build a Tudor manor house today.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. The school has sustained good standards in the core subjects since the last inspection and, at Key Stage 2, they are rising at the same rate as standards in most schools. The rise in standards is the result of the improvements in teaching, of the successful implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and of the monitoring procedures which have given the school a clear picture of where good practice exists, as well as what needs to be improved. There has been very good improvement in assessment procedures since the last inspection and teachers make very good use of these when planning what pupils should learn. The school met its targets in the national tests in 2000 and is well on course to achieve its realistic targets in the tests in 2001.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. At the time of the previous inspection, pupils’ attitudes towards school and their standards of behaviour were judged to be good and their relationships were very good. All these aspects of their development are now very good and this helps to create within the school a happy, purposeful atmosphere where good quality learning can take place.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils enjoy coming to school, as is witnessed by their very good levels of attendance and punctuality, which are well above the national average for primary schools. Furthermore, they talk enthusiastically about their work and their teachers. They enter the classrooms full of anticipation for the next lesson, settle very swiftly and immediately pay good attention to the teacher, responding particularly well to quick- fire activities, such as those at the beginning of numeracy lessons. They are generally happy to volunteer answers, sustain their concentration well so that, for instance, they can swiftly follow on from each other when invited to continue the reading of a poem. They are interested in the deeper meaning of things, with Year 5 pupils, for instance, realising that ‘The Highwayman’ is a love poem and sighing sadly at the death of the landlord’s daughter. Many pupils take part in the wide range of

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

extra-curricular activities that the school offers and achieve good success in, for instance, sports and music.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils consistently behave very well in lessons, in assemblies, when out of school using the local environment as a resource and in the playground. From the earliest age, they move around the difficult site sensibly and quietly. They are pleasant and polite, automatically holding doors open or fetching chairs, and they relish helping their teachers with any tasks. They carry out their jobs responsibly and are very Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 15 - March 2001 trustworthy, even when, for example, recording their house points. Pupils of all ages treat resources with care, which makes a very good contribution to their learning, since teachers often need to share books between classrooms. Pupils play together well, taking reasonable account of others’ needs on the cramped playgrounds and they are happy to include all those who wish to join in their games. Both pupils and parents say that there are very few instances of bullying and that these are swiftly and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

effectively dealt with. The school has had no need to exclude any pupil for many years. However, there are a few who find it difficult to behave well all the time and whose constant attention-seeking behaviour has a negative impact on their ability to learn. This is true of only a very small minority, whose antics the other pupils, on the whole, very sensibly ignore.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Very good quality relationships pervade the school, making it a pleasant place in which to work. Pupils have a strongly developed sense of responsibility towards others, co-operate well with teachers and each other and are very quick to offer help to those who are finding life difficult. Older pupils responsibly and carefully help with younger ones at lunchtimes, making sure that they move safely through to the dining hall. They show respect for others’ values and beliefs and develop a mature capacity to place themselves in others’ shoes. Pupils throughout the school showed real imagination and empathy with the needs of a blind person when creating ‘feely’ collages in a recent fund-raising effort for the Royal National Institute for the Blind. Pupils are curious and observant and quick to show their appreciation for others’ achievements. Year 1 pupils burst into spontaneous applause at their teachers’

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

successful use of a mangle during a history lesson on wash-day long ago and were equally thrilled by learning how to find, drag and drop ‘Clipart’ icons. Older pupils were delighted by the success of the five-a-side football team and, in a very good personal and social education lesson, Year 3 pupils gave thoughtful responses, such as, “She always notices if someone is feeling sad,” or, “He’s getting much better at his maths,” when asked to think of something positive to say about the pupil sitting next to them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Overall, the school is highly successful in achieving its aims ‘to extend and deepen children’s understanding of themselves, other people and their environment, to arouse curiosity and foster a desire to learn.’

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching in the school is good. During the inspection, all teaching seen was at least satisfactory and in over 70 per cent lessons it was good or very good. The quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy was good, with some very good teaching seen in each subject. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection, with the good quality being maintained and unsatisfactory teaching being eliminated. This is a result of the school’s focus on improving teaching through a planned programme of monitoring, which has highlighted the strengths in teaching, upon which the school is building. The provision of effective and appropriate professional development for teachers and the very good assessment procedures that the school now uses have also contributed to the good standard of teaching.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. In the last report, the quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage was judged to be consistently good and, often, very good. Since then, teachers have had to adapt to the Early Learning Goals and to implement the appropriate sections of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Teaching is still developing in the light of these changes and, whilst the quality of teaching overall is good, maintaining the standard of the previous report, no very good teaching was observed and one third of lessons were judged to be satisfactory. Nevertheless, as a result of good planning, well Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 16 - March 2001 chosen resources, effective use of support assistants and voluntary helpers and high expectations of what the children can do, children achieve well, and particularly well in communication, language and literacy.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. At Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is predominantly good with very good teaching seen in literacy, numeracy, science and history. In response to this very good teaching, pupils are eager to please their teachers and work very hard throughout lessons, making good progress as a result. At Key Stage 2, teaching is also good. Again, there are examples of very good teaching in literacy, numeracy and science. At both key stages, pupils respond with enthusiasm to the well-planned and interesting activities that are provided.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good in most subjects and is effectively used to plan lessons that are well structured and suitably challenging. In a very good literacy lesson on extended writing in Year 2, pupils made very good progress because they were challenged by the teacher’s skilful questions to find alternative words that would make their writing more interesting. Planning for science, as in a Year 3 lesson, is very good and the wide range of resources prepared for the lesson ensured that pupils had plenty of opportunity to explore ideas about materials when they sorted them into magnetic and non-magnetic sets. As a result, the pupils learn at a very good rate and their learning is strongly consolidated by the experiences that the teacher provides.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. In all lessons, and particularly in literacy and numeracy, teachers make good use of time. In literacy and numeracy, lessons begin with a brisk review of learning and an explanation of what will be learned in the lesson. Whole class teaching is constructed around good explanation and lively questioning, with teachers aware of the need to keep the pace brisk and the pupils involved. In the best lessons, teachers return to the objectives throughout the lesson, reminding pupils what it is they are learning and checking that they are making progress towards this. This was well demonstrated in a Year 5 science lesson, where the teacher engaged the pupils in discussion during their investigations to check that they were aware that they were testing initial ideas and that these may require some modification. As a result of the teacher’s skilful interventions, pupils were moving forward at a brisk pace and learning was very good.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

In almost all lessons seen, time is well distributed between whole class instruction and individual learning, with time given at the end to check learning and see if the objectives have been met. Pupils enjoy this format. They work well within the routines and are given a good overview of their learning in the summary at the end of the lesson.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The school has a generous number of classroom assistants to support learning. Teachers work very well with the support assistants to make the very best use of their time in the classroom. They plan carefully for those pupils who will be given support in deciding what work they will do with the support assistant. The very good professional relationships that exist between support staff and teachers comes from a clear understanding of each other’s role and the importance of their input to the learning process. Support assistants form very good relationships with the pupils they help and have a good understanding of the pupils’ needs. Because of this, the quality of support they give is very good and pupils who are supported make good, and often, very good progress.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good and, in many cases, excellent. They provide a very good foundation for learning, giving pupils the confidence to offer answers and to make suggestions, knowing that their contribution Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 17 - March 2001 will be valued and used by the teacher. Pupils readily accept the importance that teachers place on learning and work hard to please them by listening closely in lessons and giving support to their classmates when they need it. These very good relationships are reflected in the very good attitudes and behaviour of pupils.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers use a range of interesting activities and methods to engage and motivate pupils. For example, a Year 1 class concentrated very hard on the puppet “Princess Muddleup” to make sure that she knows her letter sounds and can correctly pronounce such words as ‘slug’ and ‘snug’ when reading them from a card. The children are fully convinced that they are helping her because of the stress the teacher lays on this. As a result of this engaging activity, the children make better than expected progress with their knowledge of letter sounds and blends. Similarly, in a history lesson about wash-day in the past, the two Year 1 teachers fully engaged the interest of their combined classes. Their use of artefacts to stimulate pupils’ thinking and their sharp questions allowed the pupils to quickly assess how hard the tasks were in the past. They do this so effectively that one girl spontaneously comments,

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

“I’m glad I weren’t a lady in that day!” Allowing pupils to demonstrate the use of the artefacts maintains their interest and consolidates their very good learning.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers make use of very good assessment procedures to plan work for their classes. Because of their good knowledge of each pupil’s learning targets they set tasks that are appropriate in all literacy and numeracy lessons. In these lessons, pupils are seen settling to work very quickly and independently and not a moment is wasted because the work is set at the right level and pupils understand fully what they need to do. The work set occupies the time allowed and there are no examples of pupils finishing early because the work is not sufficiently challenging. The assessment procedures are well used by teachers to set targets for pupils and to track their progress throughout each term.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Pupils who have special educational needs are taught well. They receive sensitive and encouraging support in the classroom and benefit from individual and small group work when withdrawn. For example, the ‘early intervention’ strategy is having a positive impact upon the progress of a Year 1 group who receive extra teaching on letter sounds. An individual pupil was seen to make good progress with number work because the special needs assistant skilfully used her knowledge and understanding of the pupil’s needs to manage his learning. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress overall.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. Teachers set homework for pupils which is appropriate to their age. For example, younger children spend most time on reading, learning numbers and tables. As pupils grow older, they are set more independent tasks, such as researching topics or carrying out surveys, in order to prepare them for the next phase of education. Homework provision is good and pupils are given feedback so that they know that it is important and valued by teachers.

p.17

PUPILS?

31. The quality and range of opportunities for learning are very good in both key stages and in the reception class. Planning for the curriculum is based on national schemes of work, which the school has adapted to meet the needs of its pupils. Long and medium term planning for subjects is good. Planning for English and mathematics follows the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies, contains good detail in weekly and daily plans and makes a significant contribution to the quality of teaching in the Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 18 - March 2001 subjects. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage prepares the children well for the start of the National Curriculum. They are taught some elements of literacy and numeracy when it is appropriate in the Foundation Stage. Since the time of the last inspection, the school has made good improvement to curriculum provision. Resources and planning for information and communication technology have

p.17

PUPILS?

improved. There are now planned opportunities for composing in music at both key stages and the quality of individual educational plans for pupils with special educational needs has improved so that special needs provision is now judged to be very good. All statutory requirements for the curriculum are met.

p.18

PUPILS?

32. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good. The PSHE curriculum is planned to match topics to pupils’ age and interests; it deals with issues appropriate to these by giving pupils the opportunity to reflect on their own and others’ experiences and to learn from them. Teachers provide regular opportunities for this and the well-planned assemblies reinforce many aspects of what is learnt in the classroom. The school makes suitable provision for sex and drugs education within this programme.

p.18

PUPILS?

33. Pupils with special educational needs follow the same curriculum as other pupils through tasks that are well adapted to their needs. Their curriculum is matched to the targets in their individual education plans. The quality and level of support given to pupils with special educational needs is very good, as is the monitoring of their progress. The provision of additional support for high attaining pupils in mathematics in Year 6 demonstrates the school’s commitment to meeting the needs of all pupils. Through this support, from a specialist mathematics teacher, the school ensures that the pupils are challenged at a level well in excess of the expected level for eleven year olds. The clear policies and positive, ‘family’ atmosphere in the school promotes the effective inclusion of all pupils into every aspect of school life. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 19 - March 2001 34. The school is effective in fostering pupils’ intellectual and physical development and

p.18

PUPILS?

prepares its pupils well for transfer to the secondary phase of education. Very good links have been established with the local secondary school. There are regular visits from teaching staff and opportunities for pupils and their parents to visit the secondary school. Strong links have also been established with the secondary school’s special educational needs co-ordinator. To help bridge the gap between primary and secondary school, Year 6 pupils begin the “Bubbles Science Project” in the summer term and complete it in Year 7 at the secondary school.

p.19

PUPILS?

35. The school’s programme of extra-curricular activities is extensive and of a very good quality. The headteacher and all staff give freely of their time outside of lessons to run clubs that extend the pupils’ learning. For example, the choir’s contribution to Christmas activities in the community and the football coaching sessions for Year 4 pupils sponsored by Bolton Wanderers Football Club provide pupils with good opportunities for developing their social skills. Visitors to the school together with the school’s strong links with local industry, enrich the educational provision. For instance, a Japanese teacher contributed to design and technology and also shared her experience of an earthquake. The links with local industry provide regular activities for each year group, including reception pupils visiting Pizza Hut, Year 3 pupils visiting ASDA, Year 6 pupils having rugby coaching from Wigan Rugby Club. These links and

p.19

PUPILS?

visits, together with others detailed elsewhere in the report, are greatly enjoyed and appreciated and add yet another dimension to pupils’ learning.

p.19

PUPILS?

36. The overall provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. The school has a very good ethos in which all pupils are seen as individuals and positively valued. The requirements for a daily act of worship, focussing on a broadly Christian foundation, are met. The themes, which incorporate pupils’ contributions through singing, role play and answering teachers’ questions, promote a very good spiritual awareness, and are further enriched in curricular areas, for example, in art, music and religious education, which is the subject of a separate inspection report.

p.19

PUPILS?

37. A very strong sense of morality underpins the aims and ethos of the school. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. They are well aware of the responsibility they have for their actions and show a concern for the well being of others. These are part of the rules, which all classes have, and in the rewards and sanctions used. Opportunities are provided in many subjects to explore moral issues, for example, when considering the contrast between the lives of richer and poorer people in Victorian Britain. There is a very good understanding of the meaning of loyalty and of caring for the environment. The good standards of cleanliness and maintenance of the school building and playgrounds, together with the efforts of the teachers and staff in providing good quality displays, set pupils a good example.

p.19

PUPILS?

38. Pupils develop very good social skills as they move through the school. All staff members provide good role models for pupils, who, in turn, both recognise the high expectations made on them in terms of behaviour and respond in a positive manner. Their understanding of citizenship is well developed by fund raising for charities and by events associated with the church Harvest Festival. Group and team activities, both within lessons and as part of the school’s extensive extra-curricular programmes, also promote individual personal and social development very well.

p.19

PUPILS?

39. The quality of provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Most pupils share a common cultural background and are given opportunities to appreciate their local heritage through neighbourhood walks undertaken as part of geography, or the many historical and musical visits undertaken. Geography allows consideration of Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 20 - March 2001 alternative lifestyles and cultures, whilst history allows pupils to examine the changing nature of their own culture, as well as that of earlier societies, such as the Ancient Greeks. There is also a good provision for the development of awareness of ethnic diversity in society, through, for example, the outlines of Islam or Hinduism presented in religious education. The rector of the parish church is normally a regular visitor to the school and pupils also regularly visit the adjacent church.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Overall, the school takes very good care of its pupils. Staff actively identify the individual strengths and needs of the pupils and then provide them with good levels of support. Teachers take an interest in pupils’ thoughts and their life outside school. Being known in this way helps pupils to grow in confidence and, therefore, make the best use of the opportunities that the school offers to them. Since the time of the previous inspection, the school’s systems for assessing and recording pupils’ academic and personal progress have been greatly improved so that teachers, parents and pupils now have a clear idea of what pupils need to do next in order to improve their work.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school’s procedures for encouraging good attendance, behaviour and discipline are very effective and so well incorporated into everyday life that they are barely visible. Attendance is recorded systematically and individuals causing any concern are closely monitored, with useful support, when necessary, from the education social worker. All staff put the school’s positive behaviour strategies into consistent practice, make it quite clear to pupils what is, and what is not, acceptable and regularly remind them that co-operation and thoughtfulness are the expected norms. There are good systems to monitor and support those who find it more difficult to behave well, with clear evidence that these can be highly effective. The result is a happy school with very little conflict.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. On a day-to-day basis, staff take good care of pupils, noticing when they are feeling sad and taking time to talk with them or treat any injuries with gentleness and concern. However, as at the time of the previous inspection, staff are not sufficiently systematic in their recording of accidents requiring first aid. In terms of health and safety, staff carry out regular checks of the building and equipment and are quick to take action if they notice any problems. However, other than for educational visits, the school does not conduct formal risk assessments as required by law. These are particularly necessary here, since the school occupies a very difficult site. A few specific areas of concern were highlighted to the school during the inspection. Although the statutory requirements relating to child protection are in place, those responsible for this area, quite rightly, have identified a need for all staff to receive

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

updated training in the near future in order to ensure that they are suitably equipped to deal with situations relating to child protection.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Staff are very successful in achieving the school’s first stated aim, which is ‘to treat each child as an individual who has his/her own needs’. They develop a very good knowledge of those in their care and work closely with parents when offering support. Foundation Stage staff visit each playgroup and nursery attended by prospective newcomers to the school, in order to meet the children and find out about them, so that they can make their introduction to school life as smooth as possible. There is good liaison with high school staff prior to Year 6 pupils moving on, and parents whose children are now at secondary school consider that they have settled well, after good preparation. Whilst pupils are in the school, teachers keep a running Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 21 - March 2001 record of important information such as medical needs or outside interests, such as Brownies or Tae Kwon Do, which, together with in-school house points and certificate

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

presentation, provides an easily maintained method of monitoring their personal development.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The assessment of pupils’ learning and the use of this assessment by teachers to plan for the next stage of learning are both very good. Teachers keep good records of pupils’ attainments in order to track their progress. Subject co-ordinators monitor pupils’ written work, which gives them a good knowledge of standards in their subjects. Annual tests in Years 3, 4 and 5 give teachers a good idea of how pupils are progressing from the end of Key Stage 1 and the analysis of national test results by the headteacher and the assessment co-ordinator gives good information on which to base targets. In these ways, the teachers are able to keep the level of challenge suitably high. Since the time of the last inspection, the assessment co- ordinator has succeeded in bringing about very good improvement in the procedures for assessment and in the use of assessment. She has been very successful in convincing her colleagues of the importance of assessment in the teaching and

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. There is very good use of assessment data to identify pupils with special educational needs. Specific learning needs are investigated and identified as soon as possible when concerns are raised by teachers. The special needs co-ordinator maintains a detailed and comprehensive register of pupils with special educational needs. Extra support is provided for these pupils and their progress is regularly checked by assessing their work against their individual targets, as well as by comparing achievements with other groups in the class to ensure that they continue to make progress.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school has developed a very good partnership with parents, the overwhelming majority of whom are very supportive of its work. Many build up a long relationship with staff while their various children move through the year groups and express sadness when their last child leaves at the end of Year 6. In their responses to the questionnaire and at the meeting held prior to the inspection, parents expressed particular pleasure with the quality of teaching and the way in which the school encourages their children to work hard. Parents find staff members are approachable and that teachers pay serious attention to their concerns or suggestions. However, there is a small group of parents who feel less involved with school life and who do not consider that they are sufficiently well informed about their children’s progress. Many parents expressed dissatisfaction with the school’s current provision for extra-

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

curricular activities while admitting that, until very recently, the school’s provision in this area has been very good. (The extra-curricular activities in the spring term have been reduced so that staff can attend training in the use of information and communication technology.)

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Since the time of the previous inspection, the quality of information for parents has improved significantly. The prospectus and governors’ annual report continue to be useful documents that give a comprehensive overview of school life. The headteacher continues to issue good information letters, which keep parents up-to-date with school events. Particular improvements include the termly curriculum information sheets, which contain suggestions on how parents can help their children and reports which give very good quality information on pupils’ progress. The reports are adapted according to age group and clearly indicate how well the pupil is performing in each Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 22 - March 2001 subject, how much progress he or she has made, and what the pupil needs to concentrate on specifically, in English and mathematics, in order to improve. The information provided at consultation evenings has also improved, with teachers

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

preparing notes and recording the targets which are agreed with parents and pupils. The school has conducted a survey of parental opinion about changes to the most recent consultation evening, which pupils also attended, and will act on the findings to ensure that everyone gains maximum benefit from those held in the future.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents make a strong contribution towards their children’s learning. They attend the consultation evenings in good numbers, are very supportive about hearing their children read and overseeing other work done at home. They ensure that their children attend school very regularly and punctually, which provides them with a very strong basis on which to build their knowledge and understanding. The number of regular parental helpers is dwindling as more of them return to work, but there are always volunteers who help when the pupils go on educational visits, or who are prepared to speak about their jobs or other experiences. The Parents’ Association is a thriving organisation and raises considerable funds. These have recently supported expenditure on computers, play equipment and benches for the playground, thus enhancing the pupils’ learning environment.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. He gives a clear lead in meeting the aims of the school through the example of his own work and in the high professional expectations he has of the staff. Under his leadership, the school is clearly focussed on raising standards and on meeting the needs of all pupils through strong teamwork and well-defined roles for all who work there. The headteacher is very well supported in his task of leading the school by the work of the deputy headteacher, Key Stage 1 co-ordinator, the assessment co-ordinator and the special needs co-ordinator (SENCO), who form the school’s senior management team. Thus, the educational vision of the headteacher is very well reflected in the work of the school and is underpinned by very good support from teachers, support staff, governors and parents. As a result, the sense of community and shared understanding of the school’s aims and purpose are very strong and make a very

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

good contribution to the standards achieved. Good improvement has been made since the last inspection, with very good improvement seen in assessment procedures, in the information given to parents and in the monitoring of pupils with special educational needs. Since the last inspection, the headteacher and the senior management team have succeeded in convincing colleagues of their capacity to contribute to the successful development of the school. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 23 - March 2001 50. There is very effective delegation of responsibilities to subject co-ordinators, all of whom have detailed job descriptions. Their role in monitoring the standards of pupils’ work and teaching in their subjects is very well planned and supported. They are given time away from classroom responsibilities to carry out these tasks and proper provision is made for feedback to teachers, as well as to the whole staff, when

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

general issues for improvement are identified. Through this mechanism, good classroom practice is shared and all teachers are able to improve their performance. The impact of this process is seen in the improving quality of curriculum provision for the foundation subjects and in the improving standard of teaching in the school. All co- ordinators take their role seriously and make a very good contribution to raising standards in the school. The special needs co-ordinator provides very good leadership. She supports colleagues well. She has put very clear and manageable systems in place to support all groups of pupils who have additional learning needs. The impact of special needs provision is monitored through frequent meetings between the co-ordinator and special needs support staff. The governor with responsibility for special educational needs is very supportive and liaises very effectively with the school to ensure the best possible provision.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The very good strategies for monitoring teaching, standards and achievements in the school have the full support of teachers and this contributes to the effectiveness of the programme for improvement. Teachers are well informed about pupils’ performance in annual tests and the headteacher and assessment co-ordinator share their analysis of the National Curriculum tests results with staff, so that all teachers have an understanding of where improvements should be made. For example, the focus on pupils’ writing in English and on developing investigative work by pupils in science follow from these monitoring procedures and there is evidence of improving standards as a result.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school is very successful in meeting its aims to achieve high standards within a strong Christian ethos. Throughout the school, teachers set a very good example in their own work, both in their teaching and in the quality of their relationships with pupils. From this example, children learn to respect each other and value the contributions made by everyone to the learning process. They accept the regular opportunities to reflect upon their own and others’ work and to celebrate each other’s achievements in class and in assemblies. The headteacher and the teachers have created many occasions in the course of each week when children’s efforts and achievements are recognised and applauded. These occasions demonstrate to children that they are special and that what they do is important and valued. As a result, the school is a happy, secure environment in which children receive encouragement and support to learn at a good rate. The evidence from parents’

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

questionnaires and the parents’ meeting shows that the majority of parents are pleased with the way in which the school promotes its aims and values.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The governors of the school have a very good knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths, of its performance in relation to other schools and where it needs to develop. They are closely involved in the strategic planning for the school’s development through the work of the various committees. They are well aware of the measures the school is taking to improve its performance and provision. Governors share the headteacher’s strong commitment to high standards and are keen to ensure that finances are deployed effectively to provide adequate resources and appropriate accommodation. From their links with subject co-ordinators and visits to the school, they have a good picture of how the school’s priorities are arrived at and how developments in these are progressing. Many members of the governing body bring specialist knowledge, as well as dedication, to their office of serving the school

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 24 - March 2001 and this makes a significant contribution to the high level of planning seen in its work. The enthusiasm of governors is reflected in the amount and focus of training that they undergo. However, at present, there is no formal procedure for risk assessment in the school and, while all staff report any health and safety issues and these are promptly dealt with, there is a need for a record of such activity. All other statutory requirements are met.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school has an appropriate number of staff, with a good balance of experience and expertise to teach the Early Learning Goals in the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2. The learning support assistants also have a range of qualifications, experience and expertise that benefits the pupils. The roles of the teachers and support assistants are clearly identified and they work well together to make a good contribution to pupils’ learning in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stages 1 and 2, including those pupils with special educational needs. The school has good procedures, including the provision of a mentor, for the induction of newly qualified teachers and for students who undertake part of their teacher training in the school. The headteacher deploys staff well, for example, by the use of a teacher to work, twice a week, with those pupils in Year 6 who have been identified as

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

being capable of achieving level 6, well above national expectations, in the standard attainment tests in mathematics at the end of the key stage. Administrative staff are very efficient.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Overall, the accommodation is adequate to meet the needs of the curriculum. However, there are some shortcomings in the amount of space for some classes and in the outdoor facilities of the school. Conditions in the three playgrounds, on different levels, are cramped and limit opportunities for play. Part of one playground is occupied by a mobile classroom. There is no suitable grassed area for pupils to use during morning or lunchtime breaks or for outdoor team games within the physical education programme. Inside the buildings, accommodation is generally satisfactory. However, two Year 2 classes and one Year 3 class share a work area, an arrangement which makes teaching very challenging. Accommodation for pupils in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. There is a small outside play area which is secure and which is currently being improved by the laying of a tarmac surface on top of the concrete. New apparatus for this area, some of which was delivered during the

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

inspection, will enhance the learning opportunities for these pupils. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Carpeting in all classrooms, but particularly in the Year 5 and Year 6 classrooms, adds to the quality of the learning environment. The school is well cared for and cleaned to a high standard.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school has increased the range and quality of learning resources since the previous inspection, when provision was judged to be good. However, the requirements of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the effective implementation of the latest national curriculum guidance are such that learning resources are now satisfactory rather than good. In the Foundation Stage, resources are good. The school has no suite of computers to support learning. However, pupils make very good use of the computers in the classrooms to support their learning in information and communication technology as well as in other subjects. A room has been identified for such a suite when the national funding becomes available.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Financial planning is very good. The governors’ finance committee is well informed of the school’s priorities and it’s recent spending patterns. The headteacher and governors make very effective use of the funds available through careful planning and thorough research of supplies and services. They are concerned to get the best value in what they buy and what they do, to ensure that the school’s resources are Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 25 - March 2001 used efficiently. Specific funding is very well used to provide generous and effective support for pupils with special educational needs. This ensures that they make good progress. The school also makes provision for additional support for high achieving pupils in mathematics in Year 6. Procedures for financial control are very good and are very well managed by the school secretary, who has a thorough understanding of the importance of monitoring spending and of keeping clear and accurate records. At

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the last school audit in 1999, there were no issues for the school to address. Taking into account the low spending on each pupil, the good standards in learning, the quality of teaching and the excellent reflection of its aims in its work, the school gives very good value for money.

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

58. In order to ensure that standards continue to improve, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) further develop pupils’ involvement in their learning by: • increasing the opportunities given to pupils to solve problems independently • sharing with pupils the results of assessments so that they are able to set targets themselves • making pupils aware of the quality of work required at the various levels by providing them with examples in writing and in science. (paragraphs 80, 91, 106, 112)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the health and safety procedures in school by: • carrying out and recording risk assessment of the whole site and acting upon any findings • requiring teachers, support staff and midday assistants to record all injuries where first aid is administered (paragraphs 43, 54)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to these, the governors could consider the following for inclusion in their action plan:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Continue to seek ways to provide a permanent field for school games and sports. (paragraphs 56, 128) Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 26 - March 2001

p.25

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 391

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Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 30

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Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 3

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Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 41

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English as an additional language No of pupils

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Number of pupils with English as an additional language -

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Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

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Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

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National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 27 - March 2001 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 32 25 57

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Boys 28 29 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 24 23

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Percentage of pupils School 89 (88) 93 (92) 91 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Boys 29 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 25 23 24

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Percentage of pupils School 95 (88) 89 (94) 91 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 29 25 54

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Boys 20 23 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 23 24

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 81 (91) 85 (91) 96 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Boys 21 23 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 23 24

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 83 (91) 85 (91) 96 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 28 - March 2001 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Black – Caribbean heritage 7 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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

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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

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Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.6 Financial year 1999-2000

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Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.6

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 567,194

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 10 Expenditure per pupil 1,506

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 176 Balance brought forward from previous year 12,307

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 23,650 Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 29 - March 2001 Results of the survey of parents and carers

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of responses in each category

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child is making good progress in school. 71 27 2 0 0

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Behaviour in the school is good. 47 49 3 0 0

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My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 44 9 2 0

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I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 53 34 13 0 0

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I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 80 20 0 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 82 16 0 0 2

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The school works closely with parents. 43 44 10 1 1

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The school is well led and managed. 60 39 1 0 0

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The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 71 28 0 0 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 31 25 27 7 9 Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 30 - March 2001

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage has improved since the last inspection. The curriculum has been modified to take account of the latest national guidance for children of this age. Planning ensures that teaching enables children to attain and exceed the Early Learning Goals. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully implemented for children in the reception classes. Outdoor play provision has also improved.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. On entry to the reception classes, a high percentage of children have good skills in all areas of learning. All children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress during the year and, by the time they are ready to start Year 1, almost all children have achieved all their Early Learning Goals. Standards are above average for their age. In Communication, Language and Literacy standards achieved are well above average. This is because of good teaching in all areas of learning in the reception classes. The teachers, well supported by classroom assistants, provide a good range of stimulating learning opportunities in all areas of the curriculum.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. The Foundation Stage is well managed. The co-ordinator ensures that there is a team approach so that all staff are involved. The policy document is closely linked to the school’s mission statement and values parents as partners. The social and educational welfare of the children is paramount. This leads to good provision for all children and includes detailed assessment of their progress through the year. Assessment is used effectively in the planning of appropriate activities for the children so that they are able to achieve well.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Almost all children enter the reception classes with mature skills in this area of learning and have now achieved the Early Learning Goals. Provision to build on these skills throughout the year pervades the teaching through the range of learning experiences provided for the children. All adults in the reception unit encourage children to take responsibility for their own actions. They provide many opportunities for children to work with others. Children are considerate of others and share equipment sensibly. They work confidently and for extended periods on tasks assigned to them by the teachers or chosen by themselves. One boy worked for a considerable time, without interference from boys working on an adjacent activity, to build a church with appropriate furniture. The range of activities to choose from is well planned and encourages a high level of interest so that, having made a choice,

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

children do not move on to something else after only a minute or so. They respond well to the classroom routines, for example, when coming in from play to sit together for collective worship. Relationships between children and between children and adults, including parent helpers, are very good. Children listen attentively to adults and to each other. They know that they are expected to behave very well and do so. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 31 - March 2001 Communication, Language and Literacy.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. Teaching in this area of learning is good and is based on accurate assessment of what children can do. Children enter the reception class with good speaking and listening skills. Almost all children are confident when speaking to adults, including visitors, and to other children. The National Literacy Strategy is well used by teachers in both reception classes. A very good understanding of letter sounds is developed through effective word, sentence and text level work using well-chosen rhymes and books such as ‘Titch’ and ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’. Most children know the names of letters as well as their sounds. In one lesson, the teacher effectively consolidated children’s knowledge of sounds by asking children to say the names of the letters in the title of the book. During the literacy hour and during many other activities, children are given good opportunities to extend their speaking and listening skills by talking to

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

adults or parent helpers. They express themselves clearly and their responses indicate how well they listen.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Attainment in reading is well above that expected for pupils of this age. Children are encouraged to think of themselves as readers and that reading is an enjoyable activity. Children of all abilities read with confidence at their level. They easily recognise many words. A lower attaining pupil read ‘Good Old Mum’ with obvious enjoyment, using picture and letter clues to help with the few words that were not recognised. Children who read more fluently are beginning to use the context to identify unknown words and read easily, in a book that is unfamiliar, sentences such as, “Mum and Dad pulled off the wallpaper” and, “Everyone looked inside.” All children can say which character in a story they like and explain why. Higher and average attaining pupils can say which part of the story they like best, for example, “I like this best, because the horse is so surprised.” Teachers ensure that reading is

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

supported by well-labelled displays and by the variety of books that are taken home to read to parents. Parents support reading by listening to their children and adding encouraging comments to the reading record that the children take home.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. On entry to the reception class, writing skills are below speaking, listening and reading skills. Teachers provide suitable opportunities to develop writing skills so that all children make good progress and achieve the Early Learning Goals and beyond. From writing above and then below simple sentences scribed for them by teachers and support assistants, most children now confidently attempt writing their own sentences when there is a specific purpose. Following a visit to a local pizza restaurant, each child wrote a thank you letter that included a statement about what he or she had liked. After hearing the story ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’ the children composed their own version of the story. One child wrote, ‘When Jasper got to the top of the beanstalk he saw a castle He went in the castle. He found sum treasure and tuk it home.”

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Mathematical Development

66. Teaching in this area is satisfactory. All children, including those with special educational needs, achieve well and make good progress. The school makes effective and appropriate use of the National Numeracy Strategy to ensure that there is continuity and progression in children’s learning. There is a clear emphasis on the use of correct mathematical language, for example, when using ‘greater than’, ‘more than’ and ‘less than’ when comparing two numbers. This enables children to make good progress in their own use of correct vocabulary. Teachers employ imaginative approaches to stimulate interest. In one lesson, a glove puppet was used and children had to listen attentively and count the number of times it squeaked. This Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 32 - March 2001 effective strategy makes good use of listening skills, as well as successfully fostering mathematical development. Children sequence and count accurately to 20 and some

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Mathematical Development

beyond 20. When the teacher asked the children during registration, “How many children are sitting on the carpet if there are 29 children in the class and 4 are not here today?” some children quickly responded with the correct answer. Children know the properties of simple shapes. Effective use is made of support assistants when children are tackling challenging tasks, such as counting the leaves on Titch’s plant, then drawing a plant that has more leaves. A display, following a visit to a pizza restaurant, indicated that teachers use opportunities to develop children’s understanding of graphical representation. There was a pictogram identifying favourite pizzas and a teacher had used this information to produce a block graph. The good teaching is based on the high expectations of both work and behaviour that teachers have and on activities that are planned according to the prior attainment of

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Mathematical Development

Knowledge and Understanding of the World.

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Mathematical Development

67. This area of learning is well taught and all pupils are on course to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they enter Year 1. The teachers build upon the good general knowledge about where the pupils live. Pupils are able to talk confidently about themselves and their families. When children visit the ‘Life Education’ caravan, they learn the parts of the body, such as shoulder, head, arm, knee, feet and toes and about healthy eating. Teachers consolidate what children learn by displays, such as ‘Try to eat lots of these kinds of food. They will keep your body healthy.’ Teaching is sometimes imaginative. A science lesson about planting seeds began with the children singing the song ‘Find a little seed’ that they had sung in assembly. This immediately aroused the interest of the children and established a platform for learning. The children knew about soil and compost. One boy said, “You need to give

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Mathematical Development

them sunshine and plant food”. A visit from ‘Postman Pat’ extends their knowledge and understanding of place. Children transfer their learning from a visit to a pizza restaurant to the role play corner, where a café has been set up. The roles of chef, waitress and customer are confidently acted out. They also know about the weather and record daily, in discussion, the main features of the day’s weather. The children are confident users of the computer. They manipulate the mouse to control the cursor, for example, when using a simple program that requires them to type in their names and to identify the month in which their birthday falls. They have good keyboard skills for their age. Technology skills develop well in construction activities where they build a wheeled vehicle with a trailer by connecting components together.

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Physical Development

68. There is a secure outdoor play area that is now adequately resourced to promote physical development. In a good lesson in the school hall, the teacher made use of the supporting posts by using them as totem poles for a dance lesson on the theme of native Americans. Children were well motivated, followed directions and behaved very well. As a result, good progress was made in the composition and performance of a dance. All except two children were able to dress themselves ready for the physical education lesson and all moved very sensibly through to the hall under the careful supervision of the teachers. Opportunities to develop physical expertise in relation to finer movements are also provided by teachers. Children learn to use pencils and brushes, to cut, stick and sew safely with guidance from adults. However, some sewing tasks are too challenging for some children, for example, the manipulation of the needle when sewing mats for Mother’s Day, and this restricts

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Physical Development

Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 33 - March 2001 progress. Overall, the good teaching enables the children to achieve the Early Learning Goals.

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Physical Development

69. This is another area of learning where children exceed the expectations of the Early Learning Goals. Teaching in the lessons observed in this area of the curriculum was good in music and satisfactory in a sewing activity. One group of children was being taught to sew and to use scissors safely. The children who were painting created lively images of cats. When painting, children load their brushes carefully and then apply paint with a high level of concentration to obtain the effect they want. A display in the entrance area included recognisable paintings of fruit and vegetables. The pizza display showed how children had used sugar paper and tissue paper to create models of pizzas. Teachers have taught the children how to use a ‘paint’ program on the computer to create designs. As a result, children independently and skilfully manipulate the mouse to obtain the pattern they want. In role play, children explain to

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Physical Development

adults how they have allocated roles within the café and the ‘waitress’ takes the order from the ‘customer’ and informs the ‘chef’ accordingly. In music, good teaching enables children to explore how different sounds can be made with resources such as an empty plastic bottle or a shaker. Skilful questioning focuses the pupils’ attention on how different sounds are made and encourages children to find other ways of making sounds. With children sitting in a circle, the activity becomes a game as they sing ‘Pass the object round’. This strategy reinforces learning about taking turns. In the same lesson, the children sang ‘Watch me dressing,’ with appropriate actions, tunefully. Their singing in class and in assembly is tuneful, rhythmic and is an activity that they obviously enjoy. Achievement in music is above expectations for children of this age, reflecting the good teaching they have received.

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ENGLISH

70. Standards in writing meet the national expectations for seven and eleven year olds. They are consistent with the standards attained in the 2000 National Curriculum tests, but below the average for similar schools. Standards of speaking and listening are high at both key stages and all pupils achieve above national expectations in reading.

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ENGLISH

71. Pupils in Year 1 use an increasing vocabulary and there are many opportunities to express their thoughts during lessons. By the age of seven they contribute to discussion confidently and listen carefully to others’ views. This was evident in a literacy lesson where pupils discussed the different qualities of the two grandmas depicted in their “big book”. Pupils build well on early speaking and listening skills. They explain ideas clearly in lessons, using the technical language associated with the subject. For example, Year 3 pupils talked about the ‘flexible’ and ‘rigid’ materials they were testing for magnetism during a science lesson. Older pupils talk about their reading preferences and other topics which interest them. There are further opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills in formal debate and dramatic performances.

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ENGLISH

72. Pupils attain above average standards in reading by the age of seven. They are confident and enthusiastic about books and are eager to read aloud. Higher attaining readers are fluent and use expression well, for example, when reading dialogue. The high standards reflect the school’s efforts to improve reading following a dip in standards in the 1999 National Curriculum tests. Resources were bought to improve the range of books available and more curriculum time has been given to guided reading lessons. This action has also had a positive impact on standards in Key Stage 2, where pupils achieve higher than expected levels for 11 year olds. Pupils Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 34 - March 2001 become independent readers and, by Year 4, they enjoy popular stories, such as the Harry Potter series and stories by Roald Dahl. By the age of 11, higher attaining pupils extend the range of their reading to include classic tales, such as ‘Children of

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ENGLISH

the New Forest’ and the C.S. Lewis stories, as well as some poetry. Average readers have a confident approach. Their reading is generally accurate and they employ effective strategies, such as re-reading the passages, to gain the full meaning of the story. All pupils know how to use a dictionary and thesaurus and know how to find information they require from reference books. Reading is well supported at home and many pupils borrow regularly from the public library. The books available in classrooms offer a suitable range and are of good quality. Pupils’ interest in reading is promoted well through literacy lessons and pupils express their enjoyment of the novels they read together in class. Pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs are supported very well throughout the school. Specific needs are identified at an early stage. For example, a Year 1 group is benefiting from an early

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ENGLISH

intervention programme to boost their knowledge of letter sounds in order to quicken their progress with reading and writing.

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ENGLISH

73. Standards in writing are average at seven and 11, but too few pupils attain the higher levels expected nationally. Standards were very high prior to the year 2000. The decline can be explained by the differing ability levels among the pupils in each of the two years. In the year 2000, for example, twenty per cent of pupils in Year 6 were on the register for special educational needs, ninety per cent of whom were boys, which also accounts for the lower attainment of boys overall in the year group. A similar picture emerges in Key Stage 1, where a significant proportion of pupils were on the special needs register.

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ENGLISH

74. Pupils in Year 1 begin to write sentences independently and show some awareness of capital letters and full stops. Their attempts to re-tell the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, for example, show that most can sequence two or three main events logically. Handwriting shows increasing consistency in the shape and size of letters, because of the well-planned formal handwriting lessons which take place. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ writing conveys meaning in clearly sequenced sentences. Higher attaining pupils begin to extend their sentences by adding more description, such as ’soft, brown rabbit’. Most pupils, however, write in simple statements, such as ‘Teddy was sad’, ‘We went to the park’ without sustaining their ideas. Spelling is taught well, so that pupils spell most simple words correctly and make reasonable attempts at unfamiliar words by using their knowledge of sounds. Handwriting progresses well,

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ENGLISH

with good consistency in the size and shape of letters. By the age of 11, pupils’ spelling is mostly accurate and sentences are grammatically correct. They explore an increasing range of writing styles, including narrative, biography and the use of formal and informal language in letter writing. Higher attaining writers use punctuation correctly and organise ideas well in paragraphs. They make good attempts to use language for effect in sentences such as “Tom had only a second to observe this before he realised he should take cover.” Ideas are well structured and clearly expressed, as in the arguments for and against the wearing of uniform. There is less consistency in the style and organisation of the work of average and less able writers, though they explore a similar range as the others. Pupils are beginning to develop a sense of audience and strive to use interesting language. There are some common

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ENGLISH

errors, however, such as the use of ‘where’ instead of ‘were’, or ‘to’ instead of ‘too’. The use of capital letters when composing dialogue is not secure. Often, ideas are not fully explored because of pupils’ limited vocabulary.

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ENGLISH

75. The school has recognised pupils’ limitations in writing and has taken positive action to speed up progress. Thorough and accurate analysis of assessment results, year Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 35 - March 2001 by year, and the setting of individual writing targets for pupils are having a strong impact throughout the school. Well-drafted writing in Year 3 about “The Birth of the Rainbow” includes good descriptive language and pupils draw on their own experiences well for their autumn poems when writing “Autumn is my mum’s birthday”, or “Autumn is wearing long socks”. Writing in Year 4 is stimulated by Ted Hughes’ story ‘The Iron Man’. Descriptions contain some thoughtful similes and the accounts of how the Iron Man feels when tumbling over the cliff are well written. In Year 5, pupils achieve good quality in their writing about legends and in their ‘diaries’ of Neil Armstrong. There are good literacy links with other subjects. Pupils write well

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ENGLISH

in history, for example, when producing ‘Front Page News’ about the death of Elizabeth I. Younger pupils link their writing effectively to their geographical study of ‘an island home’. Evidence from other lessons shows that the school makes good use of literacy in other subjects such as history and geography.

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ENGLISH

76. Overall, teaching is good throughout the school. There were no unsatisfactory lessons and over thirty per cent of lessons were judged to be very good. The teaching of basic literacy skills across the school is very good. Letter sounds are taught very well in Key Stage 1 and there is a close link between the teaching of reading and writing skills. Year 2 pupils, for example, wrote exciting descriptions of a storm, linked to their reading of a big book. Pupils in Year 5 use simile and metaphor effectively, after discussing their use in Alfred Noyse’ poem ‘The Highwayman’. The very good relationships established between pupils and teachers contribute significantly to pupils’ learning and progress. The mutual respect of teachers and pupils promotes very good and, sometimes, excellent behaviour. Consequently, pupils work hard, often collaboratively, and take pride in what they do. All teachers

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ENGLISH

have good subject knowledge and adapt the literacy framework well to their planning. Teachers use good strategies to help pupils learn. In a Year 1 lesson, a word bingo game helped pupils improve their word recognition and reading skills. In Year 3, the teacher’s effective questioning of pupils, following their reading of “Terrible Creatures”, helped the pupils to recognise and understand the use of compound words in the text. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are high and this results in some challenging discussion about texts. In one Year 4 lesson, pupils learned about the use of onomatopoeia (the sound of the word reflects the meaning) to gain better effect in writing, while others discuss rhyming couplets and how a reading of the poem can convey mood. Classroom assistants contribute well to pupils’ learning. They use their skills effectively to teach and support groups of pupils. Pupils who have special

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ENGLISH

educational needs are taught very well because teachers and assistants are clear about what the pupils can do and know what they need to learn next. On-going assessment and marking is clear and informative.

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ENGLISH

77. Leadership and management of English are very good. The subject co-ordinator has a very clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject. Colleagues are supported well through a rigorous monitoring programme, which ensures that teaching quality is maintained. The analysis of test data is used very well to set individual targets for pupils. Monitoring of pupils’ learning has led to the implementation of good strategies, such as extended opportunities for writing, and the restructuring of literacy lessons, so that writing follows on immediately from text work. The impact of this action is beginning to show in the good progress that pupils make. Pupils now need more opportunities to evaluate their writing against examples from different levels so that they learn to judge for themselves where they need to make improvements.

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MATHEMATICS

Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 36 - March 2001 78. In the National Curriculum tests in mathematics in 2000, the performance of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 was broadly average when compared with all schools nationally, but well below average when compared with that of similar schools. In Key Stage 2, the attainment of pupils aged 11 was above national averages in comparison with all schools and with schools in a similar context. Pupils currently in Year 2 have made satisfactory progress and the majority are on course to attain standards equivalent to those expected nationally at the end of the key stage in mathematics. A small proportion of pupils in Year 2 are attaining standards above national expectations for their age. At Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress and, by the end of the key stage are attaining standards above the expectation for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

79. The school has adopted and implemented the National Numeracy Strategy well and enthusiastically. Samples of pupils’ work demonstrate that pupils in both key stages undertake an appropriate variety of work on shape, space and measures and tackle a range of problems involving handling data and investigation during the course of the school year. Lesson observations confirm that pupils make good use of their numeracy skills in other curriculum areas, such as science and information and communication technology lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

80. In Key Stage 1, most pupils in Year 1 are counting sets of objects up to 20, organising in order from largest to smallest and identifying missing numbers in a sequence. In Year 2, pupils are able to give addition and subtraction facts to 20, in real-life problems, for example, "If I spend 12p out of 20p, how much change do I would I get?” The majority are able to state the subtraction corresponding to a given addition and are beginning to know the multiplication facts for the 5 times table and to learn the multiplication facts for the 10 times table. Most pupils understand multiplication as "repeated addition" and are recording simple number sentences using the ‘X’ and ‘=’ signs. A minority of higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are finding methods for working out more complex multiplications, for example, 3 X 23.

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MATHEMATICS

81. In Key Stage 2, most pupils in Year 3 are able to give the appropriate number bonds to 100, for example, 85 + ? = 100 and are using these facts to solve simple money problems. The majority of Year 4 pupils are able to multiply two numbers by ‘partitioning’ two-digit numbers into tens and units. They are estimating results by using known number facts and using informal methods of multiplication. Year 5 pupils, in a ‘booster’ class for pupils achieving slightly below the expected level, are working at broadly appropriate levels when calculating the perimeter of simple geometric shapes, although a majority of pupils in this group have difficulty in calculating the difference between their estimate (82cm) and the actual (55cm) perimeter and not all pupils were aware of the meaning of ‘breadth’ at the beginning of the lesson. They are able to calculate the area of simple quadrilaterals and, some with help, devise formulae for calculating the area of a hexagon and octagon. Year 6

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MATHEMATICS

pupils understand the function of brackets in a problem, for example, (12 X 3) X ? = 42. A minority are mentally subtracting the nearest multiple of ten and then adjusting. A significant minority of higher-ability pupils are very confident with numbers. They calculate quickly and accurately and use a range of strategies, such as approximations and estimations, to ascertain the reasonableness of their answers and are working securely at Level 5. A number of pupils are working successfully towards the higher level 6.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The quality of learning in lessons observed in Key Stage 1 was good. The quality of learning in Key Stage 2 was very good, overall. In the best lessons, pupils respond well to the enthusiasm of their teachers and make very good progress. In both key stages, teachers ensure that pupils are well-motivated and the pace of lessons is good or better, with a good variety of activities ensuring pupils' attention and high level Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 37 - March 2001 of motivation. Pupils with special educational needs are catered for appropriately in teachers' planning, with suitable tasks and additional support, and make good progress towards the targets set for them.

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MATHEMATICS

83. The quality of teaching in mathematics lessons at Key Stage 1 is good, overall. Teaching in mathematics lessons at Key Stage 2 is very good, overall. Teachers utilise a good range of strategies to motivate and interest pupils. They follow the format and programmes of study of the National Numeracy Strategy. They plan lessons well, provide a good range of resources and make good use of praise and questioning. They ensure that all pupils are paying appropriate attention, use correct mathematical vocabulary and terminology and provide good opportunities for pupils to explain their methods, as well as to practise what they know. Teachers provide appropriate activities and support for the differing levels of ability in their classes, challenging higher-attaining pupils appropriately and supporting pupils needing additional support well. Where teaching is very good, teachers motivate pupils very well with their own enthusiasm for the subject. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour in

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MATHEMATICS

mathematics lessons are good at Key Stage 1, very good at Key Stage 2 and very good overall. Pupils enjoy and are enthusiastic about their mathematics work, especially the mental and oral ‘warm-up’ activities. They respond well to their teachers and work together well without the need for constant intervention by the teacher.

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MATHEMATICS

84. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy well. Resources for the subject are satisfactory overall and funding has been allocated appropriately to purchase additional resources to support the implementation of the numeracy curriculum, although limited resources are the main reason for parallel classes having their numeracy lessons at different times during the day. This, in turn, leads to two groups of higher-attaining pupils, one from each Year 6 class, having a separate, one hour ‘booster’ lesson per week. The two co-ordinators for mathematics make very good use of assessment, analysing the results of the good range of assessments undertaken and using this well to track pupils' progress, to allocate pupils needing a little extra practice to the ‘booster’ classes and to provide higher-attaining pupils in Year 6 with a one hour lesson per week working within the Level 6 programme of

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MATHEMATICS

study. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 38 - March 2001

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SCIENCE

85. The teachers’ assessments in year 2000 showed that the attainment of seven-year- old pupils was close to the expected national standard. However, the percentage of pupils assessed to have attained the higher Level 3 was below the national average. When compared with pupils in similar schools, pupils’ attainment was assessed to be below average both at the expected Level 2 and at the higher Level 3.

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SCIENCE

86. The standards attained by 11 year-old pupils were well above the national average at both the expected Level 4 and the higher Level 5. When compared with the results of pupils in similar schools, pupils were above average at both Level 4 and Level 5. Compared with their assessed attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1996, pupils made very good progress in achieving their results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000.

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SCIENCE

87. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 showed that above average standards had been maintained since the last inspection. Evidence gathered during the inspection shows that pupils’ attainment remains equally high. At Key Stage 1, however, as a result of the emphasis given to literacy and numeracy, standards in science have fallen from the above average standard stated in the last report, to become average. The pupils presently in Key Stage 1 are on track to regain the above average standards seen during the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

88. Whereas the results of earlier assessments and national tests suggest that pupils’ progress was satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and very good in Key Stage 2, progress is now good in both key stages. The lack of regular, planned investigations in Key Stage 1 in earlier years meant that teachers’ assessments were made with insufficient evidence for the acquisition of the higher Level 3. Now that pupils take part in regular investigative work, it has become clear that the percentage of pupils gaining Level 3 may have been under-estimated in earlier years.

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SCIENCE

89. Pupils in Year 2, who were considering the properties of a range of materials against given criteria, were able to predict which materials had, or did not have, the listed properties. They used the knowledge they had gained during previous investigative work to give reasoned ideas for their predictions. Higher attaining pupils were able to consider particular properties before offering sound ideas for the uses to which some materials could be put. These pupils had sound understanding of how to plan a fair test, for example, to discover under which conditions seeds grow best. They know that some materials have never been alive and what human beings, animals and plants require to live and flourish.

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SCIENCE

90. Investigative work was a feature of the lessons observed in Key Stage 2. This provided good opportunities for pupils in every year group to enhance their learning through first-hand experiences. In each class, pupils were able to use prior learning in order to make and check predictions. In Year 3, pupils sorted a variety of objects into magnetic and non-magnetic sets. Where predictions, occasionally, were incorrect, they were able to offer sensible reasons for further investigation. Year 4 pupils used the results of previous observations to state accurately whether woodlice would choose dry or damp conditions to inhabit when released into a tank. In Year 5, pupils’ secure knowledge of fair testing enabled them to discard some suggested means of investigating where in their classroom evaporation might occur more quickly than in other positions. Following agreed fair testing procedures, in an

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SCIENCE

experiment to filter insoluble materials from a water-based mixture, Year 6 pupils were able to suggest that the soluble materials which remained in the filtered water could be recovered by boiling off the water. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 39 - March 2001 91. Whilst pupils’ learning was enhanced in all lessons seen, it was notable that the teachers carefully controlled all investigations. Pupils are not given opportunities to suggest, for example, other materials or objects to test, or other means of carrying out procedures. Older pupils are not being challenged with sufficient rigour to demonstrate that they are able to use the knowledge and understanding - which they have so obviously been helped to acquire - to solve problems. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to consider how to plan and set up an investigation and to follow through the necessary stages of recording data, modification and evaluation.

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SCIENCE

This was a weakness that was mentioned in the previous report and which has not yet been addressed.

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SCIENCE

92. The last report stated that pupils enjoyed science; this is still the case and was very evident in the lessons seen. Pupils of all ages listen carefully to instructions, participate willingly in discussion, co-operate in sharing materials, equipment and ideas and, when appropriate, collaborate in deciding on the best way to proceed when undertaking practical work. Relationships between members of working groups are good; they operate amicably and successfully together. They respond well in class and try their best to succeed. Behaviour was usually good and often it was very good.

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SCIENCE

93. The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good or very good in ninety per cent of all lessons and satisfactory in the rest. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and this enables them to plan interesting lessons that progressively improve pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Classroom organisation and management is usually good and this results in the full and productive use of time. A good feature of lessons is that all teachers take advantage of opportunities to enhance pupils’ vocabularies and to help them to use scientific language. The pace of lessons is brisk; teachers make clear their high expectations of behaviour and of the quality of work to be produced. Pupils respond accordingly. The good classroom relationships enable pupils to request help when needed and to offer their thoughts and suggestions free from the worry of being ridiculed for wrong answers. Pupils with

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SCIENCE

special educational needs are catered for well, with teachers devoting appropriate attention to their learning targets. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, the teacher made good use of in-class assessment to re-investigate the properties of some materials with pupils who needed reinforcement of their previous learning.

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SCIENCE

94. Since the last inspection, the school has adopted the government’s guidelines for science and all members of staff have received appropriate training in their use. The use of the guidelines has been carefully monitored by the co-ordinator. The work undertaken so far is being reviewed and adapted to fit the needs of the school and its pupils more closely. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils’ work continues to be assessed thoroughly, but continues to lack a portfolio of assessed, moderated and annotated samples to guide teachers in assigning secure national standards when scrutinising individual pupil’s work. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 40 - March 2001 95. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. She is justly confident that the present good standards can rise further. Her colleagues have confidence in her leadership and are pleased with plans to increase the number of planned

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SCIENCE

investigations in each year. Resources are of good quality and are well maintained.

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ART

96. Pupils at the end of both key stages are attaining standards in art above those expected of their age group and are making good progress in the skills and knowledge of the subject as they move through the school. A scrutiny of work on display around the school confirms that pupils have a wide range of opportunities to undertake a variety of art activities in two and three-dimensions. The display includes prints of repeated patterns, collages, drawings in a variety of materials, including chalk and charcoal, and pencil studies of pupils’ friends and inanimate objects, of a good and, at times, very good quality.

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ART

97. In Key Stage 1, Year 1 pupils have made collage pictures of the local church and made paper-plate ‘faces’. Year 2 pupils, making finger-pot ‘Divali light holders’, work carefully and with a good level of success, using a night-light to test for correct fit and adding well-considered incised patterns. Others, making paintings in the style of Mondrian, are mixing and using warm and cool colours competently. Pupils in the same lesson, undertaking a similar task on the classroom computer, are working hard to ensure that colours don’t ‘flood’ from one cell to another. In previous lessons, Year 2 pupils have made charcoal and chalk pictures of a good standard depicting “Winter Cold”.

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ART

98. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils, in an introductory lesson to a series of lessons on weaving, are making a paper weaving. They are investigating the visual and tactile qualities of materials and processes used in art, craft and design. In previous lessons, pupils have made ‘Roman-style’ mosaic pictures of a good standard. In Year 4, pupils have produced ‘pointillist’ pictures of a good standard after studying the work of Seurat, ‘pop-art’ designs in the style of Roy Lichtenstein and wrapping-paper repeating designs using a computer ‘paint’ program. Year 5 pupils, after looking carefully and discussing a selection of water-colour paintings, are mixing paint and water to different intensities to show a range of colours and tones and are handling brushes competently. In previous lessons, pupils in Year 5 have produced designs and artefacts of a very good standard, simulating African fabric designs using the batik

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ART

(wax-resist), starch-resist and tie-dye methods. Year 6 pupils are using their observational drawing skills to make studies of a good standard of details of buildings in the road outside the school. They are choosing and recording from direct observation and experience, compiling visual information to assist with the development of ideas and choosing ideas to include in their own work, using a sketchbook to record their observations.

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ART

99. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour during their art lessons are good overall in Key Stage 1 and very good overall in Key Stage 2. Pupils in Key Stage 1 demonstrate pride in their work and, in Key Stage 2, work very well together, sharing materials and clearly enjoying their work. The quality of learning in the lessons seen at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory overall; in Key Stage 2, learning is good in all lessons seen. Where learning is good, pupils make good progress due to the teacher’s enthusiasm and good lesson management skills, which lead to a high level of pupil-motivation. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is satisfactory overall. In Key Stage 2, teaching was good in all lessons seen. Where teaching is good, the teachers prepare lessons well, with relevant resources or artefacts for the pupils to study, make good reference to the Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 41 - March 2001

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ART

aspects of which they want the pupils to be particularly aware and provide purposeful first-hand experiences for the pupils, which leads to good progress in their learning.

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ART

100. The art co-ordinator has successfully adapted and updated the detailed, school- produced scheme of work for the subject to ensure compliance with the latest national requirements. This provides clear guidance to teachers and ensures continuity and progression in the key skills of the subject as the pupils move through the school. Resources for the subject are satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Standards at the ends of both key stages are in line with national expectations. They are similar to those found when the school was last inspected. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory as they progress through the school, including those for pupils with special educational needs. Standards are maintained because of the well-planned curriculum, which identifies the skills to be taught year by year. At Key Stage 1, the youngest pupils make houses and add doors and windows using materials other than card. They cut and shape the pieces carefully and fix them securely using glue or adhesive tape. Year 2 pupils construct vehicles using recycled materials and add axles and wheels to make them move freely. Their puppets, based on fairy tale characters, showed skilful work in cutting and stitching the costumes and in adding the finishing features. Work in Key Stage 2 includes more evaluation of products.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Year 3 pupils, for example, tested and evaluated a selection of sandwiches, donated to them by Asda, before deciding on which ones to make themselves. Pupils also made good use of mathematical skills when they constructed graphs to record their findings. Key Stage 2 pupils increase the range of their working materials and their designs became more sophisticated. For example, Year 4 pupils use levers and linkages to make ‘pop up’ pictures, while pupils in Year 6 incorporate electrical circuits in their working models.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. In the lessons seen the quality of teaching is good. Teachers use their subject knowledge and skills well to discuss and to demonstrate techniques. This gives pupils the necessary confidence to try things out for themselves and to persevere until they are right. In a Year 4 lesson, for example, a pupil made several modifications to get his moving picture to work as he wanted. Lessons are well planned and well enough resourced so that pupils have all they need to work. This enables them to work together purposefully and behave well. Although pupils’ learning is good in lessons because of the good teaching, there are occasions when it might be improved through the stimulation of more challenging tasks. In Year 1, for example, pupils were not asked to record their work by drawing the houses they made or to think of extra features which might make them better. In a Year 4 lesson, because the card to

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

make the linkages was pre-prepared, pupils did not have the opportunity to apply their measuring and cutting skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. The subject is managed satisfactorily. Since her appointment about a year ago, the co-ordinator has reviewed curriculum planning, so that it is linked more closely to national subject guidance. She has also developed some valuable links with local business and industry. Reception pupils, for example, visit Pizza Hut to watch the process and to sample the products. Year 6 pupils designed polo shirts and were able to visit Halbro to see their designs enhanced by computer and finally made up. Promising links with the local secondary school are also being established through which staff and pupils can gain specialist training in the use of technology. The co- ordinator has a clear plan for development in the subject. This includes establishing a stronger element of control technology in the curriculum and developing a programme of monitoring and assessing the standards of pupils’ work. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 42 - March 2001

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GEOGRAPHY

104. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of attainment are in line with national expectations at the ends of both key stages. The school has maintained the standards identified in the previous report.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. By the age of seven, pupils have an appropriate understanding of place. They know about different types of buildings, identify streets and buildings on a plan and are able to record their own address. By visits and by looking at photographs taken before and after an area had been redeveloped, pupils begin to understand how man changes the environment. They make judgements about these changes and record them in simple sentences, such as “I like this because of ….. (a supermarket)” and, “I do not like this because there are no fields.” From a visit to the seaside and by learning about an island home, they begin to understand the features of different localities. By the age of 11, pupils compare and contrast Horwich with many different localities, including Llandudno, rural Shropshire and a village in India. They know about different regions of the world – the rain forests of South America, hot deserts, the polar regions and the

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GEOGRAPHY

names of continents and oceans – and can locate them on a map of the world. They know about weather, the water cycle and the main rivers of the world. This learning is promoted through visits, visitors to the school and the use of secondary sources, such as books, maps, aerial and other photographs, the use of CD-ROMS and the Internet.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Some good teaching was seen in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. This is an improvement from the previous inspection when good features of the teaching, when identified, were in Key Stage 1. The good teaching seen had a positive impact on the quality of learning. In a Year 2 lesson, pupils compared how people live on the island of Struay with life in Horwich. The teacher had captivated their imagination in an introduction that featured ceilidh band music. This aroused the interest of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, and they were well motivated to brainstorm ideas and answer thought provoking questions. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils were taken on a local trail to consolidate and extend their fieldwork skills, particularly the ability to observe carefully and to interpret and record features on a street map.

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GEOGRAPHY

Both teachers asked challenging questions, such as, “What is the difference between these terraced houses and the ones you have just looked at?” that focused pupils’ observations and maintained a high level of interest. Not all teachers use questions effectively to challenge the thinking of pupils and develop skills as well as knowledge and understanding. Where the use of questions is under-developed, teaching is less effective and learning in the lesson is restricted.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. All of the teaching seen reflected a scheme of work that takes account of the latest national guidance. Teachers provide assessment opportunities so that, at the end of the unit of study, the achievements of pupils are recorded and taken into account when planning subsequent work, although there are insufficient demanding and independent tasks for the higher attaining pupils. The scheme of work, which incorporates the teaching of skills as well as of knowledge and understanding, has improved since the previous inspection. The recently revised policy provides good guidance for all teachers, while the scheme of work and assessment procedures provide a firm foundation for raising standards.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily to support learning. In addition to CD-ROMS, such as ‘World Explorer’ and ‘Encyclopaedia’, the pupils are able to access the Internet to find information about weather or about other countries. In a Year 4 lesson, where pupils were studying life in a village in India, two pupils were Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 43 - March 2001 confidently searching the Internet to find web sites that would provide information about the role of women in India.

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GEOGRAPHY

109. The subject is well managed. The co-ordinator has a well-defined role, is well qualified and regularly attends in-service training courses. Other staff benefit from this in-service training through formal feedback at staff meetings. There is an annual audit of the subject’s needs and a budget for the year is agreed with the headteacher. As a result, resources have improved and the shortcomings identified in the previous inspection have been rectified. The learning opportunities for the pupils have been improved by ensuring that resources facilitate the delivery of the National Curriculum. The co-ordinator monitors planning to ensure that the pupils acquire the essential geographical skills through a programme of teaching that fosters knowledge and understanding.

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HISTORY

110. By the time they are seven, pupils’ knowledge and understanding in history are typical for their age group. Pupils recognise the distinction between the past and the present and have an expanding vocabulary of historical terms that they use correctly. They understand the reasons why things were different in the past and how they differ from today. For example, they know that, in the past, laundry was a slow and arduous task because there were no automatic washing machines.

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HISTORY

111. By the time they are 11, pupils have better than expected enquiry skills and are able to organise and present information about the past in lively and interesting ways. They have a good understanding of chronology and can locate events in different eras. They ask relevant questions about the past and have good research skills, making use of a range of sources, such as books, CD-ROM, paintings, photographs and video recordings. They occasionally use original documents, such as the school log, when they compare schools in Victorian times with those of today. Their understanding of the past is sharpened by the well-planned activities that allow them to compare life in the past with the present day, as is demonstrated when Year 5 pupils look at the homes of the rich and poor in Tudor times and compare them with those of today. Higher attaining pupils can describe the differences between the past and the present

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HISTORY

using specific examples to illustrate their ideas.

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HISTORY

112. Teaching seen at Key Stage 1 was very good and it was good overall at Key Stage 2. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to plan interesting activities that develop the pupils’ natural curiosity about the past, while allowing them to work collaboratively to make discoveries. As a result, pupils work at a good rate, supporting each other, discussing and consolidating their learning. Sometimes the level of challenge for higher attaining pupils is not demanding enough. Giving pupils access to a wider range of resource materials from which to research would develop their skills further and allow them to pursue ideas that interest them more fully. At Key Stage 1, teachers ensure that pupils have plenty of artefacts and pictures from which to learn about the past. This helps to develop the pupils’ enquiry skills as they ask questions about objects such as mangles, washing dollies and possers, in a Year 1 lesson.

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HISTORY

Teachers, at both key stages, take care to integrate and develop literacy skills. They encourage pupils to ask questions about the past and to discuss how and why life was different. They also plan good writing opportunities, for example, pupils in Year 6 write very effective poems about life in the growing Victorian cities, making very good use of what they have learned.

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HISTORY

113. The curriculum is well managed and monitored. The co-ordinator has revised the scheme of work in consultation with colleagues and is preparing to evaluate the Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 44 - March 2001 impact of changes before the end of the school year. She has a very clear vision for the development of the subject and is appropriately focussed on successfully implementing assessment procedures. She gives good support to colleagues. The curriculum has improved since the last inspection, assessment procedures are established and standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have improved.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Two, whole-class, information and communication technology lessons were observed in Key Stage 1. No information and communication technology lessons were observed in Key Stage 2 during the inspection. However, a survey of work undertaken during the current year, observations of pupils working at computers during lessons and discussions with pupils indicate that, by the ends of both key stages, pupils achieve above national expectations for their age and make good progress as they move through the school. Pupils throughout the school, in both key stages, have used the Internet to send messages to other classes and, in Key Stage 2, to research topics. Information and communication technology is well used in other curriculum areas, such as literacy, numeracy and geography.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

115. In Key Stage 1, Year 1 pupils are able to use a ‘mouse’ to select a desired image from a ‘Clipart’ collection, clicking on the object, dragging and dropping it in its desired position and typing in an appropriate descriptive title. In a literacy lesson, pupils were using a computer program to develop their spelling skills, supporting the class work on phonemes (pad, pat; bad, bat). During the year, pupils in Year 1 have developed their mouse skills by ‘dressing Teddy’. In Year 2, pupils know how to use the ‘shift’ key to make capital letters, how to ‘fill’ a shape in an art program by using the ‘flood fill/paint pot’ tool and have made designs of a good quality in the style of Mondrian. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils have followed instructions to combine text and pictures and sent e-mails to the other Year 3 class. In a literacy lesson, pupils were using a ‘talking’ word-processor to separate compound words, such as ‘playground’, into

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

separate words. Pupils were confidently using the mouse and keyboard and were able to print their work unaided. In Year 4, pupils have used an art program to make repeating patterns and, during a geography lesson, were searching the Internet for sites that would provide information on the role of women in India. Year 5 pupils have used computers to research from secondary sources, using the Internet to find sites providing information on their favourite subject and recommending these to other pupils. In Year 6, pupils are using a presentation program to make three-page slide presentations, using text and pictures from clipart and using the in-built animation effects. During the year, they have undertaken research using the Internet, for example, looking for information on H. G. Wells, downloading the information and cutting and pasting both text and illustrations into a word-processing program.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

116. The quality of learning in the lessons observed is good overall, due to very clear explanations by the teachers, which motivate the majority of pupils well. During lessons, pupils are keen to work with the computers, work together appropriately, taking turns and working independently where required. The quality of teaching in the two ‘introductory’ information and communication technology lessons observed at Key Stage 1 was good. Teachers are confident in the subject and demonstrate good classroom management skills.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

117. Although all classes have a computer with an Internet connection, at the time of inspection the school had a barely adequate ratio of computers to pupils. However, this is about to change considerably for the better. Funds obtained from the government’s ‘National Grid for Learning’ scheme are being used to purchase a number of new computers, which the co-ordinator for the subject hopes will be placed Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 45 - March 2001 in an ‘Information and Communication Technology Suite’ by the end of the current school year. Funding has also been used well to provide in-service training in the new equipment and the new government-recommended scheme of work for the subject. During the term of inspection all teachers had been attending a local High School to undertake this training. Additional information technology equipment, such as programmable toys and a digital camera, are used effectively. The subject co-

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

ordinator is very enthusiastic about the subject and has made considerable progress in auditing standards of teaching and learning in information and communication technology in the school. There has been good improvement in the quality of teaching and in standards of attainment at both key stages since the last inspection.

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MUSIC

118. By the end of each key stage, pupils reach a standard in music appropriate for their age and a significant number of them exceed national expectations. Pupils’ progress as they move through the school is always satisfactory and often good in individual lessons, because the teaching is good. These findings are broadly in line with those of the previous inspection at Key Stage 1 and show an improvement at Key Stage 2. Pupils are now given more opportunities to compose music.

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MUSIC

119. Pupils in Year 1 develop an awareness of the changes of sound and texture within a piece of music. They learn correct musical vocabulary, to listen and to relate musical sound to natural events; for example, that some tunes imitate the sound of water or can evoke memories of Springtime. They have opportunities to experiment at the music table, to make individual musical compositions and to perform as a group. In Year 2, wider experiences are given. The ways in which instrumental sounds can contribute to a story are studied. ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by Prokofief provided an interesting stimulus for this. Many pupils were familiar with both the story and the music from experiences outside school. They continue to develop their singing skills, learning about pitch and musical accompaniments. They use percussion instruments to accompany their singing.

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MUSIC

120. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ knowledge and skills in singing, composition and instrumental use develop well. In Year 5, for example, pupils learn how reed instruments work by making simple reed whistles from straws and experimenting to show how the note pitch varies with the straw length, as part of their design and technology lesson. They learn to read standard musical notation and can clap and record simple rhythms. In Year 6, major and minor scales are explored and incorporated into pupils’ own compositions.

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MUSIC

121. The quality of teaching is good. Although the musical backgrounds and experience of the school staff varies, all the teachers work together to produce a rich and worthwhile variety of musical experiences for the pupils. All lessons are well planned and effectively resourced. They are relevant to the pupils’ interests. Pupils respond well to the carefully planned activities and very enjoyable lessons. Music forms an integral part of school assemblies; pupils sing tunefully and with enthusiasm in the whole school group.

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MUSIC

122. Visits out of school and visiting specialist teachers for violin and brass tuition greatly enrich the school’s musical provision, as do the workshops provided by travelling musical groups. The schemes of work for the subject, though clear and effective, are under review by the newly appointed co-ordinator and her colleagues in the light of the new curriculum guidelines. Instrumental resources and books are sufficient for the subject. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 46 - March 2001

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123. Observations of physical education lessons indicate that pupils make satisfactory progress overall in physical education in both key stages and attainment at the ends of both key stages is at the expected level for their age. Year 3 and Year 4 pupils have attended a local swimming pool for one lesson per week for one term during the current school year and, by the end of the key stage, the majority of pupils are confident swimmers and are able to swim 25 metres easily.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. In Key Stage 1, in gymnastics lessons in the school hall, Year 1 pupils are developing their small ball skills, employing basic skills and sending and receiving a ball with increasing control, balance and co-ordination. They respond willingly to the teacher’s instructions and work well together in undertaking a range of group activities, jumping forwards and sideways over a quoit and jumping backwards, using their arms to enable them to jump higher. Year 2 pupils, in a lesson in the school playground, were developing their skills in throwing and catching a ball using both hands, patting the ball into the air both standing still and when moving and “pat bouncing” a ball against a wall and returning it on the rebound. They were travelling with and receiving a ball with appropriate co-ordination and increasing control. In another Year 2 lesson, in the school hall, pupils were exploring the basic skills of gymnastics, supporting their body

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

weight on their hands, lifting one leg from the floor and balancing, hopping on one leg, and ‘bunny’ jumping with appropriate co-ordination.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. In Key Stage 2, Year 3 pupils are further developing their small ball and bat skills and acquiring new ones; bouncing a ball on a racquet while standing still, while walking slowly and hitting it to and back to a partner. In Year 4, pupils in a dance lesson were developing a sequence of movements in response to music. They devise and perform a range of movement patterns to Mancini’s “Pink Panther” theme: creeping, turning, tip-toeing, creeping-pausing-creeping, following the music well. Other Year 4 pupils dribble a ball under control, using the inside and outside of the foot, and play small-sided opposition and group games to develop their kicking and dribbling skills. Year 5 pupils develop a sequence of narrow and stretched shapes in combination, consolidate their skills and acquire new ones, perform actions with control and identify aspects that make for an effective performance. They devise and perform sequences

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

of actions for the floor and on apparatus, showing ‘stretched’, ‘narrow’ and ‘wide’ balances on benches, ropes, climbing apparatus and floor mats. Year 6 pupils understand the short-term effects of exercise on the body and know that the ‘warm- up’, prior to the lesson beginning, is designed to “warm up our muscles”. They devise and perform dance sequences employing a range of movement patterns and respond to a range of stimuli and accompaniment by identifying aspects that will improve a performance.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. The quality of pupils’ learning in Key Stage 1 is good overall. In the Key Stage 2 lessons observed, the quality of learning is satisfactory overall. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour in their physical education lessons are good overall at both key stages. Pupils participate enthusiastically, they work together well, relating well to their peers and to adults and, in most cases, take part in the activities confidently.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is good overall. In Key Stage 2, teaching is satisfactory overall. Where teaching was good or very good, the teachers demonstrated good subject knowledge, used praise appropriately, had high expectations of pupils' work and behaviour, gave very clear instructions and maintained a good pace throughout the lesson, changing activities frequently to maintain pupils' interest and enthusiasm. Horwich Parish C of E Primary School - 47 - March 2001 128. Resources for the subject are good. Although on-site facilities are limited - there is no school field for games, the hard-surfaces slope significantly and the school has to hire an all-weather pitch for its annual Sports Day event - the school makes good use of the facilities it has to provide a good range of sport-related, extra-curricular activities throughout the year. The school has a very good record of success in inter-school

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

matches and, during the week of the inspection, the school’s team won the local league ‘Five-a-Side’ cup competition. An annual outdoor pursuits, residential weekend is organised for Year 6 pupils, during which they undertake a range of adventurous activities including horse-riding, archery and kayaking.

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