Mayfield Primary School

MAYFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs H Ranger OFSTED number: 22223

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MAYFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 – 20 September 2001

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MAYFIELD PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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MAYFIELD 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. Mayfield Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Warwick Road Cambridge Postcode: CB4 3HN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Brinton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1997 Mayfield Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

22223 Helen Ranger Registered inspector Music English as an additional language Equal opportunities How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 14214 Gillian Smith Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 18819 John Atkinson Team inspector Religious education Special educational needs Hearing support unit 3687 Godfrey Bancroft Team inspector English Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 21103 Val Ives Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Geography History 13805 Lynn Lowery Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology 22220 Neil McAllister Team inspector Mathematics

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Aspect responsibilities

Information and communication technology Mayfield Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Mayfield Primary School - 6

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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 pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Mayfield Primary is a larger than average sized community primary school with 373 pupils aged between four and eleven. Most pupils are of white United Kingdom heritage but about a fifth of pupils come from a wide range of ethnic minority backgrounds. The majority of admissions to the school live outside its designated catchment area. Over 20 languages are spoken by pupils at home and nineteen per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language. The school often caters for the families of students who are staying in Cambridge for a short time; as a result its mobility levels are high and a higher than average proportion of pupils joins or leaves the school at times other than the usual transfer points. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, at seven per cent, is low. A high number of pupils have special educational needs – 30 per cent. The school has a unit that gives specialist support to five pupils who have hearing impairment and come from a much

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

wider area of the county. When children are admitted to the Reception classes, their attainment varies considerably; it is average overall but a significant minority have well-developed skills in English for their age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Mayfield Primary is an effective school. Children in the Reception classes are given a good start. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are taught well and achieve above average standards by Year 6. Most aspects of pupils’ attainment and progress in Key Stage 1 are satisfactory but progress in this age group is not as rapid as in the rest of the school. The school is led and managed well by the headteacher, staff and governors. It gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2 and attain higher than average standards in English, mathematics, science, religious education and music by Year 6. • Pupils attain well in art in both key stages. • Children in the Reception classes are taught well. • The work of the hearing support unit is very good. • The school welcomes and values the contribution made by pupils of all backgrounds and capabilities. • Staff and governors manage the school well. • There is very good provision for pupils’ personal development. • The contribution made by the support staff enhances pupils’ progress well.

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What could be improved

• The quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 1. • Standards in mathematics in Key Stage 1. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in March 1997. Since then it has made satisfactory progress in the main areas identified for improvement and in other key areas. The standards attained by the oldest pupils have risen, especially as a result of numeracy initiatives. Teaching is better overall; teachers’ planning is better and assessment information used well to support this. There are more opportunities for independent and investigative learning. Structured programmes of work are now in place for all subjects and support the progressive development of pupils’ learning. There is better provision for information and communication technology (ICT). The school’s behaviour policy is clear and is shared fully with parents. The management of the school has improved and the staff with extra responsibilities carry them out efficiently. Mayfield Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A C A C well above average above average A B mathematics D D A B average below average C D science D D B C well below average E

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Key

By the end of Year 6 in 2000, pupils achieved high standards in the ‘core’ subjects compared with the national average, as shown above. Results for pupils in this age group have risen in line with national improvements. Progress in this key stage is good. In 2001, the results were similar to 2000 in English but considerably lower in mathematics. In science in 2001, fewer pupils reached the expected Level 4 but a greater proportion achieved Level 5. The current group of pupils in Year 6 attains above average standards in English and science and well above average standards in mathematics.

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Key

The children in the Reception classes achieve well in all areas of learning and make a good start. Test results for pupils at the end of Year 2 in 2000 were near the national average in writing but below average in reading and mathematics. The results were well below the average for similar schools. In 2001, the school achieved similar results in reading and mathematics but poorer results in writing. Currently, pupils in this key stage attain average standards in English and science but standards in mathematics are below average and progress in this subject is unsatisfactory.

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Key

Standards in art are above expected levels in both key stages, as are standards in religious education and music by Year 6. In all other subjects, pupils in both key stages attain the levels expected nationally. In 2001, the school met the target it set for its oldest pupils in English and exceeded the target in mathematics. Its future targets are challenging for its oldest pupils and show a commitment to further improvement.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good behaviour in the classrooms and in the playground. Behaviour in the dining room and when moving around inside the school is satisfactory but not as good as at other times. Personal development and relationships Pupils form good relationships. Their personal development is satisfactory and they show increasing maturity as they move through the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Rates are in line with the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Most pupils’ social skills develop well and the school functions as a harmonious multi-cultural community. A few pupils do not show enough respect at times for the ideas and opinions of others. Mayfield Primary School - 9

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The inspection took place at the start of the school year when several teachers were new to the school and all were getting to know their classes. Teaching and learning are best in the Reception classes and in Years 3 to 6. Although satisfactory overall, teaching and learning are not as good in Years 1 and 2. The inspection team acknowledges that Key Stage 1 has recently been subject to some staffing disruption outside the school’s control. All areas of learning for the Reception classes are taught well and enable the children to make a rapid start to their life in school. In the key areas of English and mathematics, teaching is good in Years 3 to 6 and underpins pupils’ good progress in literacy and numeracy. Teaching is sound in English in Years 1 and 2 but unsatisfactory in mathematics where pupils do not progress as well as they should. The specialist teachers and support staff for the pupils with special needs, including pupils with hearing impairment, are very

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

good and promote pupils’ progress well. The school caters equally well for pupils of all capabilities, except in the weaker lessons in Key Stage 1 where pupils do not learn efficiently.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teachers have clear objectives for their lessons and organise their classrooms well. Time is used efficiently in most lessons and teachers are knowledgeable about their pupils’ attainments. The management of pupils’ behaviour varies at times and ineffective control was a feature of some of the weaker lessons. At times in Key Stage 1, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The required curriculum is in place and is supplemented well by extra activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision for these pupils includes well written Individual Education Plans and effective support in lessons. Support for hearing impaired pupils is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language These pupils are supported well by their teachers and by specialist staff who identify and cater for their needs effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision is made for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development through many aspects of the curriculum. There is good provision for moral and social development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good procedures for pupils’ welfare, and for monitoring and promoting their academic progress and personal development.

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Aspect Comment

The school offers a rich curriculum and many extra activities through clubs and visits that contribute to pupils’ overall development. A caring and welcoming environment is created. There are good programmes of assemblies and of personal, social and health education. The school works hard and effectively in involving parents in their children’s learning. The current arrangements for transporting pupils in the hearing support unit entail very long journeys for these pupils and are unsatisfactory. Mayfield Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher and senior staff ensure that the aims of the school are put into practice and they manage the school well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very good. Governors are well-informed and active. They support the school well and ensure that legal requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school increasingly collects information on how it is doing. The written development plans successfully communicate its priorities. Staff and governors monitor all aspects of the school well.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Funds are controlled and managed very well. They are directed carefully to areas of priority.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher is respected by staff and by governors and has a clear vision for the school. The governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and support its development well. The head and governors are raising expectations of what pupils can do and have been particularly successful at this in Key Stage 2. The school is increasingly rigorous about applying the principles of ‘best value’ in its spending decisions by questioning what it does, comparing its performance with other schools and setting targets for the future. The numbers of teaching and support staff are sufficient for the demands of the curriculum. The accommodation and practical resources for learning are adequate and used well.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Eighty-nine parents (24 per cent) responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire. Forty-one parents attended the meeting with inspectors.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children enjoy school. • Staff are approachable. • Children are helped to become mature and responsible. • The teaching is good. • Behaviour is good. • The homework that is given. • The amount of extra activities available. • Information about how children are getting on. • The extent to which the school works closely with parents. • The leadership and management of the school.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team broadly agrees with the parents’ positive views. Inspectors acknowledge that the provision of homework has recently been reviewed and the new arrangements are promising. The team disagrees with the minority of parents who wanted more extra activities and improvements in the extent to which the school works with parents – both of these aspects are good compared with most schools. The range and quality of information about pupils’ progress are judged to be very good. The leadership and management of the school are good. Mayfield Primary School - 11

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i) Standards in the Foundation Stage 1

1. Children are admitted to the Reception classes at the age of four. Their attainment on admission varies greatly. In recent years it has been above the county average in language skills and personal development but below average in mathematics. The current intake had only been in school for two weeks when the inspection took place. Indications are that the children’s attainment is broadly in line with expected levels for the age group in most areas of learning but with a minority who have well developed language skills. Children achieve well in the Reception classes as a result of skilful teaching and most are already on course to attain at least the levels expected by the Early Learning Goals in all the areas of learning by the end of the year.

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technology (ICT)

2. By the end of Year 2 in 2000 (the latest year for which national comparisons are available), pupils’ performance in national tests was below the national average in reading and mathematics and near the average in writing. Compared with school with similar intakes, results in all three subjects were well below average. Teachers’ assessments of attainment in science in 2000 were well above the national average. In 2001, the school achieved similar results in reading and mathematics. In writing, fewer pupils achieved at least the expected Level 2 for their age but a higher proportion achieved Level 3 than in the previous year. Inspection findings are that, currently, pupils in this key stage attain average standards in English and science and make satisfactory progress in lessons, but standards in mathematics are below average and progress in this subject is unsatisfactory. Pupils’ skills in speaking and

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technology (ICT)

listening are good and, while their overall standards in literacy support the rest of their school work well, their numeracy skills are not high enough.

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technology (ICT)

3. The school’s results in the tests for its 11 year olds in 2000 were well above the national average in English and mathematics and above average in science. Compared with similar schools, the results were average in English and science and above average in mathematics. They showed a substantial improvement on the results of previous years. Boys did much better than average in all three subjects and better than the girls. Over the five years from 1996 to 2000, the school’s results improved in line with the national trend. In 2001, pupils achieved similar results in English but performance dropped considerably in mathematics. In science, while fewer pupils reached at least the expected Level 4, more achieved Level 5. Inspection findings for this age group are that the current group of pupils in Year 6 attain above average standards in English and science and well above average standards in mathematics.

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technology (ICT)

There has been a good improvement in pupils’ practical and investigative skills in mathematics and science since the last inspection. The school sets challenging targets for its pupils’ attainment.

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technology (ICT)

4. Pupils make good progress through this key stage and their progress in mathematics is very good. A scrutiny of work from this age group from last year indicates inconsistencies in progress in science between parallel classes; the school is aware of this and is working to minimise it. There was no significant evidence during the inspection of variations in the

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technology (ICT)

The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three in schools with a nursery and the last year of this stage is often described in school as the Reception year. During this period, children’s learning is based on fostering, nurturing and developing their: personal, social and emotional wellbeing; skills in language and literacy; mathematics development, particularly numeracy; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development and their creative development. ‘Stepping Stones’ are national descriptions of the progress children are expected to make towards the ‘Early Learning Goals’ for all these areas of learning by the end of the Reception year. Mayfield Primary School - 12 progress made by girls compared with boys, although all the pupils identified by the school as being talented in mathematics are boys. Pupils from the wide variety of ethnic groups make similar progress. At this key stage, pupils’ achievements in literacy and numeracy support

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technology (ICT)

their progress across the entire curriculum.

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technology (ICT)

5. In ICT, pupils’ attainment has improved since the previous inspection and is now average in both key stages with pupils making sound progress.

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technology (ICT)

6. Pupils with special educational needs generally make similar rates of progress to their peers, although those with hearing impairment make more rapid progress as a result of the very good specialist teaching they receive. Those who have English as an additional language also make progress in line with their classmates and are supported appropriately when necessary by their teachers or by specialist staff.

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technology (ICT)

7. In both key stages and in most of these subjects, the school has maintained the overall standards identified by the previous inspection and, in some cases, has improved. This is certainly the case with ICT which was the weakest of all the subjects at that time. The greatest improvement has been in mathematics in Key Stage 2 and the only exception is in mathematics in Key Stage 1 where standards have fallen.

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iii) Attainment in the foundation subjects and religious education

Subject Key Stage 1 Key Stage 2 Art and design above average above average Design and technology average average Geography average average History average average Music average above average Physical education average average Religious education average above average

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iii) Attainment in the foundation subjects and religious education

8. The oldest pupils in both key stages attain the levels seen in most schools in all the foundation subjects of the National Curriculum, with the exception of art which is above average in both age groups and music where standards are above average in Key Stage 2. Religious education is taught in accordance with the local Agreed Syllabus and standards are average in Key Stage 1 and above average in Key Stage 2. These findings at least maintain the standards identified in the previous inspection and represent improvements in art and design and in design and technology for both age groups and in music and religious education in Key Stage 2.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The last inspection found that pupils had positive attitudes to school and that the majority were courteous and well behaved. This continues to be the case. Nine out of ten parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire indicate that their children enjoy coming to school and they feel that the overall standard of behaviour is high. This confidence is well placed. During lessons, the majority of pupils of all ages quickly settle down to work and persevere with things they find difficult. They are eager to learn and listen carefully to their teacher. Attitudes are usually good throughout the school. For example, during an English lesson when they were studying the book ‘Danny, Champion of the World’, Year 5 pupils were fully engrossed as they scoured the text for words and phrases that described Danny’s father and helped to explain why Danny was so proud of him. They then wrote about someone who was

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

of particular importance in their own lives and their intimate descriptions provoked spontaneous, heartfelt applause from their classmates. Occasionally, there are less positive undercurrents in a few classes. A minority of pupils, especially boys, are slow to respond to their teacher and their reluctance to co-operate means that they can end up monopolising their teacher’s time and attention. This is to the detriment of their classmates’ enjoyment of the lesson and slows the progress that they are able to make. Mayfield Primary School - 13 10. Pupils behave well during the school day. They are friendly and out-going and get along well with members of staff and with each other. Pupils of all ages mix freely and, during lessons, they are usually well mannered and polite. Pupils’ positive approach to learning helps to make this school a lively and interesting place. Parents who returned the pre-inspection

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

questionnaire, as well as those who attended the meeting, voiced some concerns about the standard of behaviour at lunchtime. Their misgivings are well founded; pupils’ behaviour during lunch is indeed worse than at other times of the school day. A few pupils are badly mannered and are unacceptably noisy and impatient. They are reluctant to form an orderly line when they are waiting to be served and they can become too boisterous. A lot of food ends up on the floor and this creates additional work for the cleaning staff. The two school halls are both used for lessons in the early part of the afternoon and teachers have to allow for the cleaning time when their pupils are getting ready; this does not make for a prompt start to the afternoon’s work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships between pupils and with adults are good and this encourages pupils to learn and to make good progress. Pupils generally respect one another’s beliefs, cultures and backgrounds. They mix freely and all races and religions are equally respected and valued. Pupils with English as an additional language, as well as those with special educational needs (including hearing impairment), are fully accepted members of the school community. Pupils understand and accept the needs of their classmates who have hearing impairment and do their best to learn British finger spelling and sign language. For example, during a lesson led by a learning support teacher, Year 4 pupils enthusiastically sang and signed The Rainbow Song and almost everyone performed the actions correctly. During the inspection, there was no sign of any bullying, racism or other anti-social behaviour. There have been three fixed-

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

period exclusions during the last school year; this level is not particularly high compared with most primary schools of this size.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Parents are pleased with the way in which this school helps their children to become mature and responsible. The inspection team agrees; pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. They take part in a wide range of day trips, and pupils in Years 5 and 6 undertake residential trips to Burwell House and Kingswood Activity Centre. These trips are very effective in encouraging pupils to use their initiative and to become more self-reliant. Within each class, pupils willingly undertake a range of tasks; they help to run the tuck shop and answer the office phones at lunchtime. Each class holds elections for the school council and, every other week, these representatives give up part of their lunchtime to discuss issues such as the results of a recent questionnaire about homework and how to raise money for Children in Need . During lessons, however, there are occasions when pupils are not sufficiently mature and laugh at

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

each other, for example, when personal matters such as friendship and social exclusion are being discussed.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Attendance was similar to the national average at the time of the previous inspection and this continues to be the case. The majority of parents ensure that their children arrive in good time for the start of the school day and promptly provide reasons for absence. When pupils have missed school, it is usually because they have been ill or have been taken on a family holiday or sabbatical. Registration takes place promptly and timekeeping during the school day is good. This helps pupils to make the most of their time at school and underpins their positive attitudes to learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching in the lessons seen was good in Reception and in Key Stage 2 and satisfactory in Key Stage 1. This leads to good progress for the youngest children and for pupils aged seven to eleven. Of the 85 lessons seen, 34 per cent were good; 15 per cent were very good and one was excellent. Of the rest, 41 per cent were satisfactory and 8 per cent unsatisfactory. (These figures do not total 100 per cent owing to rounding.) Most of the unsatisfactory teaching seen was in Key Stage 1. These figures are an improvement since the previous inspection; the amount of unsatisfactory teaching has halved and the amount of very Mayfield Primary School - 14 good teaching has tripled. However, as then, teaching is stronger overall for the youngest pupils and in Key Stage 2 than it is in Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The teaching of the children in the Foundation Stage is good and promotes the development of their skills, concentration and independence. Teachers and support staff work very well together and provide a secure, caring environment. They plan well-organised, interesting activities in all the areas of learning. They balance focused work between adults and children well alongside a varied selection where children can work independently and in groups. There are good opportunities for structured and free play. Adults are knowledgeable about the children’s individual needs and make regular detailed assessments of progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teaching and learning are at least satisfactory in almost all subjects in both key stages. The only unsatisfactory subject is mathematics in Key Stage 1. Teaching is good in art, design technology and history in both key stages and in English, mathematics, geography, music and religious education in Key Stage 2.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teaching is good in most lessons for pupils who have English as an additional language. As they enter the school, they are assessed promptly and given good support from the specialist teacher and from their class teachers. Detailed records are kept on pupils’ progress. The teaching of this group enables them to have access to the full range of learning opportunities. They develop their language skills well and become increasingly able to cope without direct adult support

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching and learning are usually good for pupils with special educational needs, although in the weakest lessons, these pupils fail to make enough progress along with the rest of the class. The strengths of the provision for this group are the detailed administrative arrangements, the quality of the work of the learning support assistants and their deployment and the commitment of teaching staff to meeting the individual needs of pupils. These strengths are reflected in the positive attitudes and collaborative approaches of all pupils. The majority of Individual Education Plans are detailed, set targets and are monitored by class teachers and the special needs co-ordinator. These individual plans are effectively implemented and pupils' work is carefully assessed. As a result, these pupils make good progress throughout their time in the school. However, the provision could be further improved by teachers being more consistent in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

setting targets that are specific and measurable. The teaching offered to pupils with hearing impairment is consistently very good and promotes very good progress for this group in relation to their capabilities. The school’s arrangements for enabling pupils to work alongside their mainstream peers has a beneficial effect on both groups and is praised by parents.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The arrangements for gifted and talented pupils are increasingly effective. The school has begun to identify pupils who are capable of high attainment in a range of subjects. It caters well for these pupils by planning challenging activities for them in lessons and clubs and by providing them with specialist teaching when this is appropriate.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally secure and there is particular expertise in history, music, religious education and the teaching of pupils with hearing impairment. The school gives a high priority to teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and, for its older pupils, has successfully adopted the methods of the national strategies in both areas. Pupils’ skills in aspects of English such as spelling, grammar and phonics are built up systematically. However, the teachers in Key Stage 1 are less secure in applying the numeracy strategy to their lessons and in ensuring that activities cater for the needs of all attainment levels. In both key stages, some teachers are better than others at leading the mental and oral starter sessions effectively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers’ day-to-day planning is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. There are clear objectives for lessons but, in both key stages, these are too rarely shared with the pupils at the outset, referred to as the lesson progresses or used to assess progress at the end. This has a negative impact on progress, especially in mathematics; pupils are not given enough information about what they are intended to learn. In Key Stage 2, teachers have high expectations of what pupils will achieve but this is not evident enough in Key Stage 1 where work is too often not varied sufficiently to challenge the more capable pupils. In response to a Mayfield Primary School - 15 key issue from the previous inspection, teachers now plan well for the practical and investigative aspects of subjects. Overall, the quality of teachers’ written plans is better for the older pupils and promotes the systematic development of knowledge, understanding and skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Some plans in Key Stage 1 lack the detail necessary to support teachers, especially those who are new to the school or inexperienced with their current age group. Teachers of parallel classes within the same year group increasingly plan together; this makes good use of their time and promotes consistency.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers’ methods are sound in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. They give clear explanations and usually engage pupils’ attention and encourage them to concentrate. They use question and answer techniques effectively. They use ICT with increasing effectiveness in many subjects and particularly good use currently takes place in mathematics, science and art. In most lessons there are high expectations of how pupils will behave and the classes are managed well. However, this aspect was a weakness in several lessons where teachers used ineffective methods of control; as a result, pupils’ lacked concentration or wasted valuable learning time. The methods used to manage behaviour are not consistent enough between classes so that pupils, especially at this early stage in the year, are not clear enough about adults’ expectations of them.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Support staff make an important contribution to pupils’ learning and most are effectively deployed by teachers and well briefed. Occasionally, they are not used enough to support or monitor pupils in the introductory part of literacy and numeracy sessions. Practical resources are used well in most subjects and support learning. Most lessons move at a reasonable pace and, in the best lessons seen, teachers fitted the pace very well to pupils’ learning. Sometimes not enough is covered in a lesson and sometimes the pace is too fast for pupils to learn efficiently.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Teachers assess pupils’ ongoing progress satisfactorily. In good lessons, oral feedback is given regularly but this was often missing from the weaker lessons. Most teachers mark work regularly but the quality of written comments varies considerably. In the best cases these provide accurate feedback and guidance on how pupils can improve their work that benefit pupils’ learning. Teachers are increasingly using personal work targets with pupils and this helps to inform individuals about how they are getting on and the next stage in their development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Homework arrangements have recently been reviewed and the planned activities look promising. In the past, parents have been critical of inconsistencies and uncertainties in the provision of homework. Appropriate activities are being planned, especially in the key areas of English and mathematics for all age groups, that are likely to further pupils’ learning.

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TO PUPILS?

26. The quality and range of opportunities for learning are good and those aspects of the curriculum that have to be provided by law are fully in place.

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TO PUPILS?

27. Schemes of work are in place for all subjects. Annual action plans, provided by subject co- ordinators, identify any weaknesses in provision and, increasingly in standards and the quality of teaching and learning. Co-ordinators also write action plans to counter the identified weaknesses. The impact and effectiveness of the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are satisfactory. The school also makes effective provision to enhance pupils’ skills in ICT. The additional lunchtime newspaper club is an example of how this is achieved. Provision for gifted and talented pupils is good and special arrangements are made to ensure these pupils learn at a rate that is commensurate with their abilities in English and mathematics. Other talented pupils have made significant progress in chess, cricket and music as a result of opportunities that the school offers.

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TO PUPILS?

28. The school provides a range of additional activities that enhance the quality of provision for all pupils. These include teaching Italian to all classes for a short time each week, although these Mayfield Primary School - 16 lessons are currently suspended as the result of a staffing change. All pupils are taught signing and this helps them to understand the needs of their peers from the hearing support unit and aids the successful inclusion of pupils from the unit in the activities offered by the school. The inclusion of all groups of pupils in all aspects of its work is a strength of the school. Robust policies are in place and these help to ensure that provision is effective. There is equality of access and opportunity to what is taught for all pupils.

p.15

TO PUPILS?

29. The school provides a good programme of extra-curricular activities. This includes football, netball, cricket, embroidery, recorders and a dance workshop. There is also a very successful chess club. There are mathematics and drama clubs, led by former pupils. The oldest pupils go on a residential visit to the north Norfolk coast where they consider environmental issues and take part in outdoor and adventurous activities. These and other visits do much to enrich the quality of education.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

30. The provision made for personal, social and health education, including that for sex education and raising pupils’ awareness of the dangers of drug and substance abuse, is good. There is an effective programme for teaching these aspects of provision based on a syllabus for local schools.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

31. The quality of links with the community and with other schools is good. The technician from the nearby high school helps to maintain the computers in working order. Visits are made by teachers from the Reception class to many of the pre-school settings attended by future pupils. Pupils visit the high schools they are likely to attend when they leave Mayfield and each year high school students visit the school to undertake work experience placements. Links with the nearby special school are strong and the pupils play football together. Links with local business organisations are strong, particularly in supporting the provision made by the school for ICT.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

32. Overall the school's policy for special educational needs embraces the principles and practices of the Code of Practice 2 . There are good arrangements for identifying and assessing pupils with special educational needs although they need to be applied more rigorously in Key Stage 1. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is a good combination of withdrawal for individual and group support by learning support assistants and specialist teachers and work at an appropriate level given by class teachers.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

33. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved since the last inspection and is now very good. Opportunities for fostering these aspects of pupils’ personal development are skilfully incorporated into lessons and there are numerous other opportunities that arise during the school day.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

34. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. The school places a high value on its pupils as individuals and upon their work and achievement. Assemblies, religious education and personal, social and health education lessons give pupils regular and well-planned opportunities to reflect upon their own experiences and to compare their circumstances with others who may be less fortunate. During lessons, pupils reflect upon issues such as the qualities that make a good friend and the ways in which they can influence things that have gone wrong in their lives. The development of pupils’ spiritual awareness forms an integral part of the school day. For example, during the inspection, a science lesson dealing with the importance of food and water for life, ended with a story about ‘The Baked Bean Queen’ and an action rhyme. Such lessons are good fun and the active involvement of pupils in such an

p.16

TO PUPILS?

informal way reinforces an understanding of the interdependence and relationships between all living things. Religious education not only gives pupils factual information about being a member of a faith community such as Christianity or Judaism, but also how a faith has an impact upon people’s lives. Pupils have regular opportunities to develop their spiritual understanding through art, music and dance. Around the school are pupils’ portrayals and

p.16

TO PUPILS?

Code of Practice – this gives advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Mayfield Primary School - 17 impressions of the work of famous artists such as Van Gogh and displays feature objects from Japan and Kenya. These not only foster a growing multi-cultural awareness, but also give pupils opportunities to wonder at the vibrancy of colour and shape.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

35. Pupils’ moral development is good. During lessons, they have the opportunity to consider and discuss the impact of their actions on others, such as how someone would feel if the rest of the class ignored them. For example, the theme during the week of the inspection was ‘making amends’ and, during assembly, pupils were encouraged to think of times when they should have said sorry but did not. Teachers consistently reinforce moral principles and use praise effectively to support these ideals. Teachers lead by example, treating all within the school with respect and providing good examples of how to behave. Pupils generally know their class and school rules well and are proud to belong to Mayfield Primary School. However, occasionally teachers are not clear enough or consistent enough about their expectations and this leads to confusion or ignorance among pupils over how they should behave.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

36. Provision for pupils’ social education is good. From the time when children join the Reception classes, each child is made to feel both individual and an integral part of the school community. The school provides a good range of experiences to promote pupils’ social development. These range from various responsibilities within the classroom to being a member of the school council and helping in the school office during lunchtime. An important feature of this school is the seamless inclusion of pupils with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment. Pupils have a unique opportunity to learn about the difficulties others face and, as a result, gain greater understanding. All pupils learn the British finger alphabet and sign to their deaf classmates during lessons and play times. The benefits of working together and supporting one another are strongly promoted.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

37. Arrangements for pupils’ cultural development are very good. Pupils learn about and participate in the richness of traditional British and worldwide culture through art, geography, history, music and religious education. They visit local museums, churches and environmental areas and there are links with schools in several other countries such as Tanzania and Italy. Pupils learn basic Italian and have learned about weddings in a range of cultures. They learn about the main world religions and there are plenty of dual language books. During the inspection, a parent joined the assemblies to tell pupils about the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Pupils enjoyed listening to Jewish music and the parent explained the symbolism of the ram’s horn and why Jews eat apples and honey at their New Year. The study of Hinduism and Judaism also introduces pupils to the festivals of Diwali and Passover while their

p.17

TO PUPILS?

studies of Christianity explain the symbolism of festivals such as Christmas. This very well- considered provision gives pupils a very good awareness of the cultural diversity of the modern, multi-cultural society of the twenty-first century.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The last inspection found that this school provided sound support and guidance for its pupils. This has improved over the intervening four years and the day-to-day personal care and support for the pupils are good. They contribute to raising the standards achieved in the school. Members of staff provide a welcoming and positive environment and parents are confident that their children are well looked after during the school day. Good teamwork among the staff ensures that pupils’ day-to-day needs are met in full and that the time they spend in school is safe, happy and enjoyable. Very good care is taken of pupils with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment. All members of staff are familiar with child protection and health and safety procedures. The school’s arrangements comply with current legislation and with local authority guidelines.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Although pupils are well looked after once they get to school, the journey for some of the pupils with hearing impairment has recently been increased so that taxis can be shared more. The journey is now too long. Pupils live up to 30 miles away and spend up to four hours a day travelling to and from school. When added to the time they spend in school, these youngsters have a ten-hour day and this has a detrimental impact upon their welfare. In conjunction with Mayfield Primary School - 18 the local authority, the school should investigate ways in which these travelling times can be reduced.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The systems for assessing, recording and reporting pupils’ attainments are good and fulfil statutory requirements; they maintain the good practice identified by the previous inspection. Tests are carried out each year to assess standards in English, mathematics and science and these are analysed and influence planning and teaching. Targets are then set for these subjects. Individual pupils’ progress is carefully tracked through both national and non- statutory test results to indicate strengths and weaknesses in performance and provision across the school. Appropriate assessment opportunities are identified in most subjects and are an integral part of teachers’ planning. Suitable use is made of the information gained from the National Curriculum assessment tests to inform curricular planning. These assessment procedures are effective in ensuring that records are both useful and manageable.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The assessment policy is detailed and provides effective support for teachers. There is a school assessment cycle that includes an implementation plan with appropriate timescales and a clear identification of those responsible for monitoring their accomplishment. Termly assessments are planned for all subjects other than English, mathematics and science (which have their own regular arrangements) to identify National Curriculum levels that pupils are attaining. This information is used effectively to inform the teachers’ planning. Assessment procedures for the attainment and progress of pupils who have special educational needs are good. Individual Education Plans are provided, achievable targets are set and parents are consulted about the reviews of these plans and kept well informed of their child’s progress. A portfolio of pupils’ work is being compiled for most subjects by each co-ordinator but these are

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

at an early stage of development. Currently, they do not all give examples of levelled or annotated work to support the teachers’ assessments or guide their future planning. It is too early to judge the impact of this initiative. Photographs are used effectively to record standards achieved by pupils, for example, in art and design and in design and technology.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Pupils’ annual reports to parents fulfil statutory obligations and report on National Curriculum levels for pupils at age seven and eleven. Reports set out in detail what the pupils can do in all subjects of the curriculum, including religious education and personal, social and health education. Where appropriate, the statements of attainment are related to National Curriculum levels. Appropriate targets for improvement are written into the reports for English, mathematics and science and are recorded in the pupils’ exercise books. The parents have very favourably received these reports.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Although the monitoring of pupils’ personal development is largely informal, procedures are effective. Relationships are good and teachers are sensitive to pupils’ ‘ups and downs’. The high quality personal support provided helps to ensure that pupils enjoy their time at school and maintain a positive frame of mind. Pupils use their time at school productively and caring teachers constantly encourage pupils to work hard and to do their best. These factors have a positive influence on the progress pupils make and on the standard of their work.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school’s procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are satisfactory. While there is a well-known set of school rules, each teacher has his or her own system of rewards. These vary from verbal praise to being given a sticker or nominated ‘Star of the Week’. While some of these schemes work well, individual teachers vary in their expectations of behaviour and this can lead to a degree of uncertainty among the pupils. Some teachers are strict, whereas others concentrate on keeping the lesson going and, in the interests of the majority, accept untidy work or sloppy behaviour from some of their pupils. Unfortunately, the reluctance of these few can sometimes end up dominating the lesson, to the detriment of the more co-operative majority. The school should investigate ways in which behaviour management can become more standardised and ensure that teachers who are particularly good at managing pupils share their skills with colleagues.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school’s procedures for eliminating bullying and other oppressive behaviours are very good. Detailed records are kept and any such instances are dealt with firmly. This is reflected in the small number of fixed-period exclusions over the last year. Mayfield Primary School - 19 46. Procedures for promoting attendance are good. Teachers complete registers carefully and accurately. The school keeps a close eye on all absences and, if no reason has been forthcoming, contacts all parents on the first day. The education welfare officer visits once each half term and checks the registers. Any concerns are discussed with the headteacher and appropriate action taken.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The last inspection found that parents were very involved with the life of the school and this continues to be the case.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. This school sees a close partnership with parents as fundamental to its work and is keen to involve them as much as possible. Letters received prior to the inspection indicate that the majority of parents are pleased with many aspects of school life and these positive views are endorsed by the results of the pre-inspection questionnaire. Nine out of ten of the parents who replied indicate that their children like coming to school and parents are especially pleased with the quality of the teaching provided, the maturity and good behaviour of pupils and the approachability of the staff. Some parents have reservations, however, about the amount of information provided about their child’s progress, the strength of the partnership between home and school and the range of extra-curricular activities provided. Inspectors do not agree with these concerns and think that existing arrangements compare well with other schools. Some

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

parents feel that there are inconsistencies between the paired year group classes. While there are indeed differences between these classes, the school is aware of this issue and is monitoring the situation closely. One third of the parents who returned the questionnaire expressed dissatisfaction with the amount of homework set. During the term preceding the inspection, the school revised its homework arrangements. Class teachers now include details in the termly newsletter and so, from now on, everyone should now know what will be set and when. Although it is early days, there are indications that the planned amount of homework is about right, especially in English, mathematics and science.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The quality of information provided for parents has substantially improved since the last inspection and is now very good. The format of annual reports has recently been revamped and they now provide parents with a very clear and concise indication about what their child can and cannot do. Parents are also told how well their child is progressing in relation to the national average, and individual targets are now very clearly specified, subject by subject. At the start of each term, teachers provide a curriculum newsletter for their class and this clearly sets out the work their children will be covering, along with hints and tips as to how parents can help at home. In addition, the headteacher sends out regular newsletters and governors write to parents each term. This school is also pro-active about asking parents for their views. For example, they were recently asked about what they thought about the new style annual reports.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Well over half the parents replied and the overwhelming majority thought they were a big improvement. There is a formal opportunity each term to speak with the class teacher and over half the parents come along at some time to the Wednesday afternoon ‘drop in’ sessions to talk to their child’s teacher. A school web site has recently been set up and, through this, many parents are able to check that they have received copies of everything that has been sent out. Although the school keeps parents very well informed with the day-to-day life of the school, there continue to be several omissions of required information from the school prospectus and the governors’ annual report.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The school does everything it reasonably can to involve parents and there are good links between home and school. In addition to the questionnaire on homework, parents have recently been asked their opinion on what they would like to have included in the school development plan and the usefulness of school newsletters and consultation evenings. Parents appreciate this open approach and are especially pleased with the way in which pupils of all races and religions are included in school life. They feel that the integration of pupils with special needs, including those with hearing impairment, is very good and value the social benefits it brings. Parents want to be kept in touch with what goes on in school and meetings dealing with aspects of the curriculum such as assessment, mathematics and literacy have been very well attended. Mayfield Primary School - 20 51. Parents provide very good support for the school. There are many, regular volunteers who

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

help within classrooms. Others help with particular projects, such as helping to decorate the mobile classrooms and with the gardening. The impact of this involvement is very positive and very good use is made of their skills. Parents’ skills and experiences are used in the curriculum contributing to assemblies and musical performances. Parents’ help and encouragement motivate the pupils to learn and to do well in their work. The Mayfield Association of Parents and Staff (MAPS) is very well supported and it organises social and fund raising events. Funds raised have recently been used well to provide the external play equipment and resources for the new computer suite.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school is led and managed well. The good management practices identified in the senior management team and the governing body by the previous inspection have been maintained and improvements have been secured in the standards achieved by the oldest pupils and in the quality of teaching provided. The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s continuing development. There is an appropriate staffing structure and responsibilities are delegated well, although the deputy headteacher carries a heavy load. The senior management team works well together and ensures good communications with the rest of the staff. Clear aims, policies and procedures are in place for all the main aspects of school life. There are good relationships and commitment among the staff.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The headteacher works closely with the governing body who contribute very well to the management and direction of the school. Governors are very well-informed and led by an able chairperson. The experienced governors have a good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Over the past few years, the headteacher and governors have identified the need to raise expectations in the school of what pupils can do and to guard against complacency. They are gradually succeeding in this and the results are most evident in Key Stage 2 which is the most effective part of the school. The inspection team acknowledges that Key Stage 1 has recently been subject to some staffing disruption outside the school’s control. This has had a negative impact on pupils’ progress and somewhat set back the timetable for improvement.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The headteacher, staff and governors work together to produce detailed and relevant development and action plans. Parent and pupil views are appropriately considered. The written plans mostly relate to the current school year but the longer-term view is also discussed and recorded through other channels, such as the minutes of the governing body. Subject leaders are in place for all areas and they now take a more effective role than at the time of the last inspection, although a few are not yet knowledgeable enough about how well their subject is doing across all age groups. Staff increasingly monitor the school’s academic results and its teaching and learning. The headteacher and staff with specific responsibilities carry out a programme of lesson observation and work scrutiny and they check teachers’ plans and assessments. These measures are leading to well-focused initiatives to raise standards and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school achieves high standards of educational inclusion. The management of provision for pupils with special needs and for those pupils who have English as an additional language is good. There are clear methods of identification and assessment and all staff take responsibility for ensuring that these pupils are supported. The management of the hearing support unit is excellent and carried out by highly skilled staff.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The day-to-day administration of the school is very efficient and its smooth running is supported well by the office staff. Information technology is used well to provide efficient systems of recording and monitoring information about pupils and administration. The headteacher copes very well with the bureaucratic demands on her time but she reports concern about the need to produce very similar information several times for local and national authorities. She feels that the school has benefited from national moves to improve numeracy in particular but at times too many new initiatives for schools are announced nationally and Mayfield Primary School - 21 locally that require a response. While appreciating the many recent grants that have been received, the fact that these often arrive at short notice and are earmarked for specific use does not enable the school to plan and use available resources as flexibly as it would wish.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Very good financial planning ensures that educational priorities are suitably supported. The governing body’s financial committee is led very well and maintains a clear view of both long- and short-term budget issues. Resources are allocated carefully according to the priorities identified in the school’s development plan. The finance officer ensures that governors are kept well-informed and the budget is regularly monitored.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. A particular strength in the school’s management is the application of the principles of best value to all its expenditure - to questioning what the school does and to assessing how well it performs. Governors are increasingly involving parents in consultations about the effectiveness of the school. Specific grants received by the school, such as funding for school improvement and the National Grid for Learning, are being used effectively for the specified purpose. Funding for the hearing support unit is used with particularly good effect for pupils attached to the unit. The school is involved in a large number of additional initiatives that have attracted external funding. Some of these, for example, the teaching of Italian in both key stages, have a direct and positive impact on pupils’ learning.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. There is a good overall level of support staff and teaching assistants are deployed effectively throughout the school. This is having a positive impact on learning in all classes.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Most teachers have the expertise and knowledge to teach the full range of the National Curriculum. There is a particular expertise in mathematics in Key Stage 2, with three teachers identified by the local authority as ‘Leading Numeracy Teachers’. There are some teachers who feel less secure in some subjects, for example, ICT; all teachers are soon to start an ICT training programme.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school has made the induction of new staff and the continued professional development of all staff high priorities and has good procedures in place for appraisal and performance management of teachers. It has recently received an Investors in People award. Many staff are taking part in extended professional training programmes. Teaching assistants have access to a range of training opportunities. Newly qualified teachers follow a good induction programme during their first year.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The overall quality of accommodation is sound and presents no direct limitations to the teaching of the curriculum. The site manager’s team contributes well to the overall quality of education and the environment. The large, attractive and well-maintained outdoor areas provide a particularly good resource for physical and environmental education and an open-air swimming pool is a useful extra facility. There is a good secure outdoor area for children in the Foundation Stage to play and develop their physical skills. Classrooms are sufficiently spacious but there are few additional spaces around the school for groups of pupils to work. The school has created a computer room that is accessible to all classes but this has meant that the library has been moved to the cloakroom area. This includes a few spaces for personal study but cannot accommodate classes easily. The computer room is small and

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

there is too little space available for each computer. A negative impact on the teaching of ICT is noticeable despite teachers’ best efforts to manage the space well and the situation is made worse by the large wheeled chairs that are unsuitable for young children. There is a satisfactory-sized hall for physical education but the smaller hall used for lunches and music lessons is used as a thoroughfare which means music lessons are often interrupted. Its acoustics are also poor. The toilets for pupils have been improved since the last inspection, although there is still work to do on these, and adult toilets remain inadequate for the number of staff. The building is clean and well maintained inside but roof repairs are needed to prevent leaks in a number of rooms, including the mobile classrooms. The governing body is taking its recently expanded responsibility for the premises very seriously and a suitable Asset

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Management Plan is in place to ensure that the building is maintained appropriately.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Resource levels are satisfactory overall and there are no significant shortages of materials or equipment other than insufficient good-quality apparatus for games lessons. Resources for Mayfield Primary School - 22 special educational needs and for pupils with hearing impairment are particularly good and have a positive impact on progress. There are very good resources for religious education and a wide range of materials that enhances pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other cultures. Resources for design and technology have improved since the last inspection and are satisfactory. The school has improved resources for ICT over recent years. While the number of computers is broadly average, some are unreliable or obsolete. A small set of portable computers, on loan from a local secondary school, provides a useful extra resource for pupils in Year 6.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

64. To build on the school’s strengths and raise standards further, the headteacher, staff and the governing body should:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve teaching and learning in Key Stage 1 by ensuring:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- that teachers’ plans contain sufficient detail to support their lessons and that they identify how support staff will be used; - that the management of pupils’ behaviour is effective; - that teachers share the objectives for lessons with their pupils and use them with the pupils to assess progress ; - the continuing induction of new staff and the monitoring of new and established staff.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

paragraphs 14 – 25, 35, 84, 98, 100 and 107

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improve standards in mathematics in Key Stage 1 by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

- sharing good practice in the teaching of numeracy and thus improving teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy; - ensuring lessons develop with a suitably planned structure; that activities for different groups of pupils are managed and organised effectively and that there is appropriate time for pupils to share and evaluate what they have achieved; - making effective use of suitable teaching aids, where appropriate, in oral and mental activities; Mayfield Primary School - 23 - ensuring that learning outcomes for lessons are clear, specific and shared appropriately with pupils.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Other issues that should be considered by the school:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Working with the local authority to improve the transport arrangements for pupils in the hearing support unit.

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improving behaviour in the dining room.

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

paragraph 10 Mayfield Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 37

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 1 15 34 41 8 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 373

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 26 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 9

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 114

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 70

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 36

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 26

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Mayfield Primary School - 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 34 23 57

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 25 28 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 19 22 22

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 77 (72) 88 (72) 93 (78) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 27 29 33 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 21 23

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 84 (73) 88 (78) 98 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 31 19 50

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 27 28 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 13 16

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 86 (76) 84 (66) 98 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 25 27 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 13 16

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 80 (71) 82 (75) 91(71) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Mayfield Primary School - 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 8 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 8 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.7 Financial year 2000/01

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 663,248

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 17 Total expenditure 680,014

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 349 Expenditure per pupil 1,722

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 24,861

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 41,627

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 2 FTE means full-time equivalent. Mayfield Primary School - 27

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 35 47 12 2 3

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 25 61 9 1 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 38 26 7 6

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 20 54 18 3 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 54 36 7 2 1

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 20 61 12 1 6

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 20 57 13 4 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 27 51 11 6 6

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 26 63 2 1 8

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 37 22 0 7

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Figures may not total 100% owing to rounding

p.27

Other issues raised by parents

A small number of parents questioned: • How far the most capable children are challenged in their work • The consistency of teaching between the pairs of classes in each year group • The effectiveness of lunchtime supervision in encouraging good behaviour Mayfield Primary School - 28

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The inspection took place only two weeks after children in the Reception classes had first been admitted and they were still attending on a part-time basis. For this reason, evidence about the school’s provision for its Reception year was also taken from looking at the work produced in the classes last year.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. At the time of the last inspection, no clear judgement was made for the provision for children under five, nor was there a specific judgement identified for the standard that the children attained. The provision for learning for the children in the Foundation Stage is now good. The clear and thorough planning and organisation include a comprehensive system to record the children’s attainment for each area of learning, which has a positive impact on the children’s learning in the Reception classes.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. There is a staggered intake of children into the two Reception classes in the first three weeks of term. Most children starting in the Reception classes have attended one of a number of local pre-schools or nurseries. There are good induction procedures for settling the children thoughtfully and sensitively into school. For example, the nursery nurse and newly appointed co-ordinator make very worthwhile visits to each of the local nurseries before the children start school: there are good opportunities provided for parents to come into the class to discuss their children’s needs at the beginning of the term.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. Children’s attainment measured by assessment on entry covers a very wide range but is currently average overall. However, a significant minority of children starting school have well- developed language and social skills. The children in the Reception classes make good progress because they have effective opportunities to broaden and consolidate their knowledge in all areas of learning. The majority of the children are achieving the appropriate ‘Stepping Stones’ of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age. Children with special educational needs are identified quickly and fully integrated into the class. They make progress at the same rate as the other children. Good use is made of assessment. The information gained when the children first join the Reception classes is used effectively to plan activities for them. Continual observations and assessments are made of each child’s progress to ensure that work continues to match their needs and build on their previous

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

learning. All the staff, including the nursery nurse and learning support assistant, work extremely well together and collaborate very effectively to plan activities and assess children’s needs.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

69. The majority of children are on course to achieve the expected standards in their personal and social development by the end of the Foundation Stage. They are beginning to form positive relationships and to communicate suitably with one another and with adults. Relationships are very good and the staff are very effective in creating a warm, caring and stimulating learning environment in which the children develop good attitudes to learning and become self- confident. They are taught the difference between right and wrong. Four simple classroom rules are appropriately displayed for the children to appreciate. For example, ‘ We share.’ The children are expected to clear away after completing the activities. Clear routines are being taught in which the children thrive and very good progress is made. For example, the children move sensibly to their table activities and share resources well; they have many effective

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

opportunities to select from a wide variety of activities. This very successfully develops the children’s social and personal skills, particularly developing their understanding of individual responsibility and is a direct result of the good teaching that they receive. The majority of children remain interested in tasks until completed, particularly when working with an adult. They are beginning to share equipment and collaborate appropriately during group work, for example, when using play dough and construction kits. The rich learning environment and the good provision of a wide range of experiences ensure that the children develop well in this Mayfield Primary School - 29 area. The children come from a wide diversity of ethnic groups and cultures and good provision is made for them to learn about one another’s cultures through religious education and the visitors who are invited into the school.

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Personal, social and emotional development

70. The overall good teaching in this area has a strong impact on children’s learning. Good management of the classrooms ensures that children are secure and confident. The teachers plan very worthwhile opportunities for the children to learn and to concentrate on a given task. Staff have high expectations that children will learn how to give and take, share and begin to understand what they may expect of others and others of them. Praise and encouragement are used very effectively to raise the children’s self-esteem and give them confidence. By working very well together, the staff give the children very good role models.

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

71. The majority of children are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals in communication, language and literacy by the end of the Reception year and a significant number are likely to exceed them. They make good progress from entry into the Reception classes and are developing their skills well. Adults use skilful questioning to encourage the children to express their ideas and increase their vocabulary. Throughout each activity, they are provided with many additional opportunities that are well supported by an adult to develop their speaking and listening skills. During the literacy session, the staff effectively interact to encourage all the children to take part in a question and answer session. For example, children quite successfully identify rhyming words in well-known nursery rhymes that appear in the text after appropriate reinforcement and consolidation of the vocabulary through good teaching.

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

Children are developing skills in writing which are appropriate for their ability. For example, most of the older or more capable children can write their own names and copy letters in recognisable script. The majority of children understand how books are written and know that pictures tell a story and words have meaning. One higher attaining child uses a number of methods to read stories. For example, he uses the sounds of the letters to help him to read unfamiliar words. Teachers encourage all children, after they have settled into the class, to take home their books to share with their family and most do this regularly. ICT is used appropriately to support this subject, for example, with such writing programs as ‘Pendown’.

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

72. Overall, the quality of teaching in this area of learning is good with some very good aspects. Lessons are well organised and good cross-curricular links are made with all the other five areas of learning. Adults interact well with the children, particularly in discussion, to exploit any opportunities to increase children’s vocabulary. All the staff use praise well to build up confidence and self-esteem. Challenging and stimulating work is successfully planned which makes children think and keeps them focused with interest on the activities provided. Learning intentions are appropriately shared with the children so that they know what they are going to do. The good teaching has a positive impact on the children’s learning. Planning takes effective account of the ‘Stepping Stones’ in the Early Learning Goals for the Foundation Stage.

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Mathematical development

73. In this area of learning, the majority of children enter the Reception with a wide range of number skills. Historically this has been the area of learning where children’s attainment on admission has been weakest. Combined with the good opportunities provided, together with the very positive teaching, the children make good progress and are on target to achieve the expected standard by the end of the Foundation Stage. The children enjoy many worthwhile experiences. For example, at the beginning of the Reception year, they count and correctly sort numbers to 10 orally and beyond and identify missing numbers in a sequence to 10. They compare, sort and match everyday objects . They are appropriately introduced to mathematical language such as big, little, more, less, in front of and behind . Teachers use every opportunity to reinforce children’s knowledge and understanding of number through

p.29

Mathematical development

consistent repetition of ordering numbers, in the singing of various number rhymes and in counting those children present daily. This subject makes a good contribution to the children’s personal and social development. The children are interested and motivated, confident in speaking and settle quickly and quietly to group activities. Learning is effective because the Mayfield Primary School - 30 children have many opportunities to learn from and with each other and at different rates. They are given appropriate challenge to build on what they have learned and provided with the practical resources to enable them to solve problems posed to them.

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Mathematical development

74. Overall, the quality of teaching is good and has a strong impact on children’s learning and the good progress they make. This teaching is characterised by clear and precise exposition and instructions so that the children know what is expected of them. Skilful questions are used to stimulate thought and provoke discussion from which children learn much. All the staff are used very successfully and are well deployed. Activities are effectively planned to meet the needs of all the children and clear objectives ensure that the children progress well. All the staff have a secure understanding of how young children learn and provide a rich learning environment in which the children thrive.

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. The majority of children are likely to achieve the required standard in their knowledge and understanding of the world by the end of the Foundation Stage and they make good progress from entry into the Reception classes. They effectively learn about their senses through exploring, for example, touch through the use of a ‘feely-box’. This creates a good link with language, as the children are asked to talk and describe the objects they feel. They handle a variety of tools carefully. For example, in the scrutiny of past children’s work, it was seen that they skilfully use clay tools to make patterns in clay. These experiences effectively enhance the children’s speaking and listening skills as they begin to talk about how they made them. Their computer skills are good: they are appropriately developing eye and hand co-ordination through selecting the correct icons and controlling the mouse and the direction keys when

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. The quality of teaching seen in this area is good. Good relationships have been established between the staff. The nursery nurse and the learning support assistant are very able and make a valuable contribution to the children’s learning by skilfully reinforcing the understanding and effectively supporting them. The staff plan activities that develop and increase skills such as those of manipulation and observation. Plans clearly set out appropriate learning intentions for lessons. The activities are well matched to the needs of the children and they are precisely explained and demonstrated. Resources are thoroughly and carefully selected and prepared prior to the lesson.

p.30

Physical development

77. The majority of children make good progress and should achieve at least the expected standards in their physical development by the end of the Foundation Stage. There are many planned experiences for them to control small tools so that the majority of children are beginning to control and manipulate such objects as pencils, glue spreaders, paint brushes, construction apparatus, modelling tools and scissors, which they handle safely. The safely organised indoor and outdoor play areas provide an appropriate range of equipment to develop the children’s ability to control and co-ordinate their bodies and give them an awareness of space. A good arrangement of different pieces of apparatus ensures that the children effectively learn to move safely and to take turns. A weekly physical education lesson greatly enhances the children’s physical development. They are usefully learning to dress and undress independently for the session and are appropriately taught to listen to different

p.30

Physical development

instructions suitably reinforced by all the staff. There is a good link to their language development through the good use of vocabulary to build on their experiences. The children are keen and enthusiastic and react well to the teachers’ high expectations of their behaviour and response.

p.30

Physical development

78. Overall, the quality of teaching is good in this area. The teachers make good provision for the children’s physical development. Effective teaching is characterised by clear and precise exposition and instructions so that the children know what they have to do. Lessons are planned well and structured, including a clear development of skills. All staff are well deployed and understand what is expected of them. They have a secure understanding of how young Mayfield Primary School - 31 children learn and provide a rich learning environment in which the children develop well physically. All staff have a very sensitive awareness of the children’s safety.

p.30

Creative development

79. The children make good progress in their creative development and are likely to meet the required standard of the Early Learning Goals by the end of the year. Scrutiny of the previous Reception class’s work shows that they have daily opportunities to express themselves by drawing, painting, engaging in imaginative play and handling malleable materials, such as clay and play dough. They produce pictures using a suitable range of techniques and create collage pictures with, for example, a range of materials such as charcoal, pastels and seeds. They learn to mix colours and successfully paint concentric pictures in the style of Kandinsky. The children are usefully shown the expectations of collecting their own paints and water and then returning them at the end of the activity. This effectively contributes to their becoming independent learners. They have regular opportunities to sing and to use percussion

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Creative development

instruments. The children are given worthwhile opportunities to recall their experiences through a variety of role-play activities. For example, two children who played in the ‘Mayfield Café’ were well supported by the nursery nurse who joined in the activity to make a good contribution to their learning.

p.31

Creative development

80. Overall, the teaching is good in this area of learning. Creative development is appropriately fostered through a suitable variety of activities. All the staff are well organised and use stimulating resources which are thoroughly prepared. They constantly talk to the children and ask relevant questions to enlarge their vocabulary and support their efforts. Staff work closely together and make positive contributions to the children’s learning. For example, they participate in role-play situations and they help the children to select the most appropriate materials for their models. Assessment opportunities are an integral part of the planning.

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ENGLISH

81. By the time pupils are seven, the results of national tests in 2000 (the latest year for which national comparisons are available) showed standards in writing were close to the average, but standards in reading were below average. By the time they are eleven, test results show standards were well above the national average. When compared with the results for similar schools, standards for seven year olds fell well below average and for eleven year olds they were average. Work seen during the inspection shows standards for seven year olds are now close to those expected in most schools, whilst those for eleven year olds are above average.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils with special educational needs (including those with hearing impairment) and pupils for whom English is a second language are supported well and included effectively in all aspects of the subject. All teachers are careful to structure their lessons to meet the needs of groups with differing abilities. Because of this, the majority of these pupils achieve well for their capabilities. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good; this is mainly because there has been a significant rise in the standards achieved by the oldest pupils.

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ENGLISH

83. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy has been effective for the older pupils and contributes to the high standards achieved in this age group. However, it has been less successful in raising standards for the younger pupils. Some recommendations of the strategy are not implemented fully in some classes. For example, not all teachers are in the habit of explaining to pupils what they are expected to learn during lessons. This makes it harder for pupils to understand fully the progress they have made during lessons. However, the practice of writing targets for attainment in pupils’ books is good, providing a constant reminder of what they need to do to improve.

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ENGLISH

84. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Key Stage 1 and good in Key Stage 2. Some of the teachers’ planning for the younger age group is very brief and does not provide sufficient information to support the lesson fully; consequently some pupils rely heavily on additional support in order to make satisfactory progress. Teachers often use the final part of Mayfield Primary School - 32 lessons well to assess the progress their pupils have made and to affirm their learning by revisiting the main features of the lesson.

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ENGLISH

85. Standards in speaking and listening are high. The majority of the younger pupils speak clearly and thoughtfully when responding to their teachers and when talking to their friends. Many have wide vocabularies for their age. They are eager to answer questions and do this thoughtfully, particularly during the shared reading section of literacy lessons. Many older pupils listen well and are good speakers. They present their opinions and arguments clearly and coherently. They are attentive when their teachers give explanations. When they answer questions, teachers affirm pupils’ responses by asking additional questions that extend pupils’ thinking further. This process makes a significant contribution to the good progress in speaking made by many pupils.

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ENGLISH

86. Many younger pupils show very positive attitudes towards their reading and achieve standards that are close to those expected for their age. They often read at home for pleasure. The higher attaining pupils enjoy talking about the books they read and are confident and fluent when reading to adults. Lower attaining pupils are supported well but read with less fluency. They still enjoy reading and listen with care to stories read by their teachers.

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ENGLISH

87. Many of the oldest pupils are on course to achieve standards in reading that are above those expected for their age with very high standards evident amongst the highest attaining pupils. They talk with great enthusiasm about the work of a wide range of well-known authors, recommending books to each other and writing critical reviews about the books they have read. Lower attaining pupils find some aspects of reading difficult to understand. However, as with many younger pupils, they clearly enjoy reading, although they tend to read less frequently. They all look forward to the daily opportunities provided for reading at school.

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ENGLISH

88. By the time pupils are seven, standards in writing are close to those expected. By the time they are ready to leave the school standards exceed those expected. The youngest pupils write well structured sentences about their special toys. Shared writing, with their teacher, enables them to form sentences and many use punctuation, such as capital letters and full stops correctly. Many pupils read back what they have written confidently. They also find words they are not sure about by themselves, using word banks and dictionaries designed for their age group. Because of this, their spelling is developing well. However, this practice is not developed consistently and these resources are not readily available in some classes. There are many examples of neat handwriting amongst this age group, although some pupils are not yet joining letters together consistently and are developing a poor grip and writing posture.

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ENGLISH

89. The spelling of many older pupils improves due to the good support they receive from their teachers. They gain confidence when their teachers talk about ‘editing’ rather than ‘correcting spelling’. This has the effect of affirming pupils’ skills as writers. These pupils respond quickly to the challenge of identifying key words that make the characters in texts interesting for the reader. One pupil invented the adverb ‘grumply’ to describe a witch in her story. Lower attaining pupils in this age group need significant support to write sentences containing adverbs. A few of these pupils do not make sufficient progress in lessons as they are easily distracted.

p.32

ENGLISH

90. Significant improvements are evident in the writing of older pupils during their last year at the school. They write well in a range of genres, such as adventure, romance, western and sci-fi. The highest attaining pupils produce a significant volume of good quality written work. For example, they write book reviews, stories for different audiences and stories in which they successfully adopt the writing style of different authors. Part of the reason for these high standards is that teachers provide frequent opportunities for pupils to undertake sustained writing in other subjects, such as geography and history.

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ENGLISH

91. Younger pupils are beginning to use ICT to enhance their work in literacy. There are not enough opportunities for them to do this during literacy lessons. However, they benefit greatly from regular lessons taught in the computer suite. Older pupils have produced work reaching high standards using ICT. This includes books illustrating their work in geography and poems and stories about the life of imaginary animals, written with a partner. Mayfield Primary School - 33 92. Good systems are in place to assess the progress pupils make. At the beginning of each year teachers predict the level that each pupil is likely to attain. These provide the basis for targets set for pupils’ progress. However, this system does not take sufficient account of the current descriptions for each level in the National Curriculum Programme of Study for the subject. The quality of reports informing parents about their children’s achievements and progress is

p.32

ENGLISH

good. A Book Club in Year 2 is supporting pupils’ attainment in Key Stage 1 and encouraging breadth in reading. There are useful information leaflets produced for parents about helping with their children’s reading.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

93. Pupils achieve high standards by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection and is a result of particularly good teaching in Years 3 to 6. Pupils develop a very good knowledge and understanding of number, algebra, shape and measures; in particular, they use and apply their skills confidently when solving mathematical problems. This was a weakness at the time of the last inspection and has been addressed well. Results of the national tests in Year 6 in recent years have improved and were well above average in 2000. They fell slightly in 2001 but the current level of work in Year 6 at this early stage of the first term and the school’s predictions for individual pupils indicate that the high standards of the previous year are likely, at least, to be maintained.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

94. Pupils in Key Stage 1, however, are not attaining the standards expected for their age and some of the weaknesses in teaching identified in the previous report are still evident. The results of tests and teachers’ assessments have fallen in recent years and are below the national average. By the age of seven, pupils have a sound knowledge of place value to 100. They describe and extend simple number sequences but many struggle when the pattern becomes more complex, for example when counting back in twos from different starting points. Their rapid recall of number facts is weak and few can solve problems using numbers beyond 100.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Pupils make very good progress through Key Stage 2. By the end of the key stage, they develop a wide range of strategies for handling whole numbers, negative numbers, decimals and fractions. They can work out calculations in their heads quickly and describe confidently how they tackle more complex problems using, for example, approximations. They appreciate the usefulness of checking their results. Work from the previous year shows that pupils now in Year 6 made very good progress while in Year 5. Teachers have high expectations for these pupils and effective teaching is ensuring a continuation of this rapid progress.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

96. A significant factor in the overall level of achievement in Key Stage 2 is the relatively high performance of boys compared with girls. Boys’ test results have been significantly better than girls in recent years. Differences in the relative levels of achievement are much less for boys and girls currently in Year 6, although all twelve pupils in a group from both key stages identified by the school as especially high attainers are boys.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

97. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment, are supported very well. They make at least sound progress in relation to their prior attainment in Key Stage 1 and make very good progress in Key Stage 2. The school provides well for pupils identified as especially gifted. Pupils with English as an additional language are supported as necessary and make similar progress to their classmates.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

98. The quality of teaching and learning in Key Stage 1 is unsatisfactory and there has been too little improvement since the previous inspection. Weekly plans outline appropriate activities but lack important detail, with the result that the main teaching activities are often disorganised. For example, teachers do not always ensure pupils have the practical materials they need and worksheets do not match the needs of different groups of pupils. In one lesson, lower attaining readers had to match numbers written in words and figures on worksheets which they could not read. Oral and mental sessions are often too slow and do not sufficiently Mayfield Primary School - 34 challenge the higher attainers. Too little time is allowed for the class to come together at the end of lessons and discuss what has been achieved. The management of pupils’ behaviour is sometimes not effective in this key stage.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

99. Teaching in Key Stage 2 is good overall and sometimes very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed in this key stage. Teachers plan lessons with particular care and attention to detail. Lessons often begin with a very useful recap of previous work and teachers build on this effectively during the session. They have high expectations of what pupils should achieve in lessons. The oral and mental sessions are sometimes rather short or lack enthusiasm but the main teaching activities are well organised and supported effectively by good quality worksheets that are clear and appropriately matched to the needs of each group. Teaching assistants are well-prepared and used effectively to provide support for different groups as well as pupils with special educational needs. Teachers’ marking of books is thorough and teachers make perceptive comments where appropriate that point out where pupils have gone wrong.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

100. Throughout the school, identifying what is to be learnt in a lesson is clearly defined in the planning but is very rarely shared with pupils when lessons begin. In contrast, in a good lesson in Year 1, the effective sharing of the objectives of the lesson resulted in pupils knowing precisely what was expected and they concentrated well in order to achieve this outcome. In a well-prepared oral question/answer session in Year 3, all pupils were given ‘digit fans’ to prepare and show a quick answer. In most classes, however, opportunities to make use of simple teaching aids such as these are missed. As a result, pupils are less effectively engaged in oral work and teachers do not have as clear a view of pupils’ responses.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

101. Information and communication technology is beginning to be used effectively to develop pupils’ mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. Pupils in Key Stage 1, for example, develop their understanding of direction and measures using computer controlled ‘turtles’; pupils in Year 4 input data in order to create and interpret graphs; pupils in Year 5 consolidate their knowledge of number and algebra by using computer spreadsheets.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

102. Good systems for assessing pupils’ progress and attainment are being further refined to become more manageable and useful. Formal tests and teachers’ assessments form the basis of pupils’ targets for the coming year and identify specific areas of mathematics that need improving. This works particularly well in Key Stage 2 where teachers have a clear idea of the needs of different groups of pupils. Longer-term plans make effective use of the National Numeracy Strategy guidelines and teachers’ weekly plans ensure a progressive development of skills, knowledge and understanding. Homework tasks are clearly identified on weekly plans along with summary evaluations which provide useful pointers for future lessons. In Year 2, a weekly breakdown is provided for parents on the items covered in lessons and support they might give.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

103. The co-ordinator has carried out useful analyses of the Year 2 tests taken in 2000 but has not yet had sufficient opportunity to identify areas for improvement in the quality of teaching and what support is needed in Key Stage 1. Since the last inspection, the school has raised standards and improved the quality of teaching significantly in Key Stage 2. Weaknesses in teaching and learning in Key Stage 1 continue to be an issue.

p.34

SCIENCE

104. Inspection findings indicate that standards are in line with the national average by the age of seven and are above it by the age of eleven. The standards attained by the oldest pupils have risen since the previous inspection. Standards have improved in line with the national figure over the last three years at Key Stage 2. They are less secure at Key Stage 1, where progress in Year 2 is more limited and standards have not improved over the last two years. After a good start in Year 1, pupils consolidate rather than extend their knowledge in Year 2. Consequently, the work is not always sufficiently challenging for the highest attaining pupils. Pupils considerably extend the breadth of their knowledge at this age but they do not systematically develop their scientific skills. At Key Stage 2, progress has been uneven across the key stage and between parallel classes in the past. The school is aware that this has been

p.34

SCIENCE

Mayfield Primary School - 35 a problem and, this year, teachers are planning in pairs in order to ensure consistency of experience for the pupils. The observation of lessons during the inspection indicates that this system is operating successfully at the moment. The quality of presentation of work varies enormously. In some classes it is high and the correct scientific conventions are used. In other classes, work is very untidy and difficult to follow even when the level of pupils’ understanding is good. The co-ordinator is aware that this lack of consistency needs to be addressed.

p.35

SCIENCE

105. By the age of seven, pupils are able to make predictions and are aware that tests need to be fair. They are able to record what they have observed and are helped to reach sensible conclusions. Pupils can construct simple circuits to operate bulbs and buzzers. They know the dangers of electricity and that some materials are better conductors than others. Pupils know what we need to live and are able to sort a range of objects according to whether they are living or non-living. They can sort rubbish according to the material it is made from and understand the importance of recycling. Pupils can name the main body parts and they know about different life cycles. They understand the importance of a healthy diet and have a good idea which foods are good for us and which can be harmful.

p.35

SCIENCE

106. By the age of eleven, pupils have developed their investigative skills to a good level. They are able to make informed predictions and suggest how they might be tested. They carry out accurate measurements and generally record their results clearly, sometimes using their initiative when deciding the best way to record their results. However, their use of ICT to support this is limited and needs to be extended. Pupils have a secure understanding of how light travels and use this knowledge to explain why shadows are formed. They can construct much more complicated electric circuits and are able to draw these using the correct symbols. Pupils understand the differences between solids, liquids and gases. They know that some changes of state are reversible and that others are not. They make good use of this knowledge to help them separate different mixtures. In addition to being able to name many

p.35

SCIENCE

more parts of the body, pupils have a secure understanding of how the body functions, for example, how the eyes and ears, respiratory and circulation systems work. Their knowledge about the formation of the earth and why it is the shape it is, is very good.

p.35

SCIENCE

107. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory at both key stages and there are examples of good teaching. However the scrutiny of pupils’ past work reveals considerable inconsistencies. Teachers placed more emphasis on the teaching of science in some year groups than others and as a result progress has been uneven. Similarly, expectations have been much higher in some classes than others and, where this has been the case, pupils have achieved higher standards. However, this year there is evidence of better co-ordinated planning and a tighter scheme of work. Consequently, the lessons observed during the inspection were very similar in parallel classes. All teachers show a secure understanding of the subject and this enables them to provide clear explanations, which pupils are able to understand. Learning support assistants are used well to support those pupils with learning

p.35

SCIENCE

difficulties and consequently the pupils have full access to the curriculum and are able to achieve at an appropriate level. Although teachers often provide different work for the lower attaining pupils, they rarely provide really challenging activities for the highest attainers and consequently they do not always achieve their full potential. There are many occasions when all pupils do the same work, when some could have been working at a higher level. Teachers plan interesting activities and place an appropriate emphasis on learning through investigating. Pupils particularly enjoy practical activities and as a result they try hard. Teachers generally manage pupils well and consequently pupils in most classes do a lot of work in the time available.

p.35

SCIENCE

108. Assessment is manageable and frequent. It enables teachers to check pupils’ progress and to revisit aspects they have found difficult. It has also enables teachers to write high quality reports to parents, which clearly indicate what pupils know, can do and what they find difficult. It helps them to set targets every term for each pupil and this is having a positive impact on the standards they achieve. The quality and frequency of marking are more variable. The best practice tells pupils what they have done well, explains their mistakes and often includes thought-provoking questions. However, some teachers mark less frequently and pupils’ work is not always corrected. Consequently, pupils are not always aware of the fact that they have Mayfield Primary School - 36 misunderstood. The improved range of resources since the last inspection has enabled teachers to include more practical activities and, as a result, pupils’ investigative abilities are

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

109. Standards achieved by pupils at both key stages are generally higher than those of pupils of the same age nationally. Some of the work, for example, the close observational drawings of mini-beasts done by Year 1 pupils, is of a particularly high standard.

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ART AND DESIGN

110. By the age of seven, pupils have acquired an appropriate range of skills and techniques, which they use very competently. For example, they are able to mix powder paints together competently to produce the colour they need. They also know how to achieve lighter or darker shades of a colour and the most able pupils can do this with real skill, achieving very subtle changes in their original colour. Pupils learn how to observe what they see very closely, so that they can reproduce it with a good level of accuracy. They acquire a broad range of skills including printing, clay work, weaving, decorative stitching, collage work, wool wrapping and producing 3D models with carefully chosen junk and other materials. They learn how to use a piece of computer software to produce a Christmas card and calendar. Pupils learn about art in other cultures, for example, Aboriginal art. Their own work in the Aboriginal style shows a

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ART AND DESIGN

good understanding of its features and the ability to paint with precision.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. By the age of eleven, pupils have very well developed practical skills, which they use to good effect. They extend the range of artists, with whose work they are familiar. This is enhanced by the opportunity to visit Kettles Yard and the Fitzwilliam Museum. They have sufficient skill and understanding to enable them to produce work in the style of these artists, rather than just copying it. A good example of this is the Year 3 pupils’ pictures of leaves based on Rousseau’s challenge to mix fifty-four shades of green. Pupils are able to produce good quality work on a large and small scale. Their range of skills and techniques is further extended. They produce very interesting and carefully executed designs using batik, tie- dyeing and quilting skills. Their close observational skills are well developed and this, combined with their ability to mix colour very accurately, enables them to produce excellent

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ART AND DESIGN

112. Although it was not possible to observe much art teaching during the inspection, the extensive displays and photographic evidence of past work indicate that the quality of teaching is good at both key stages. Pupils’ work shows that they have access to a very good range of resources and this is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Teachers have benefited from recent in-service training. This has improved their skills and confidence. It is enabling them to provide really competent demonstrations of new skills and this is having a positive impact upon the standards achieved. A good example of this was observed during the inspection when Year 2 pupils watched an excellent demonstration of how to mix shades of a colour. The pupils clearly understood what was expected of them and took a pride in carefully producing some very subtle shades of their chosen colour. Teachers value the pupils’ work and this

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ART AND DESIGN

gives them confidence. They put a lot of time and thought into ensuring that the quality of display in the school is high and represents a very broad range of skills and techniques. As a result, pupils cannot fail to be stimulated by some of the excellent work around them.

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ART AND DESIGN

113. The curriculum has been improved since the last inspection and now ensures that pupils consistently practise and refine their skills, acquiring new ones at a good rate. Much of the work is given additional relevance by linking it to ongoing work in other subjects. This also makes the other subjects more interesting for the pupils. However, the use of ICT to support learning is currently limited and the co-ordinator is aware of the need to plan more opportunities for its use throughout the school. Pupils particularly enjoy the annual art exhibition and there is an opportunity for parents to take part as well. It results in the pupils making great efforts to produce high quality work and they are proud to have their work on display. Teachers are now using a useful system of assessing and recording pupils’ attainment. It enables them to spot weaknesses and provide extra support and also allows

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ART AND DESIGN

them to provide better information for parents. Mayfield Primary School - 37

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils at both key stages achieve standards similar to those of pupils of the same age nationally and some of the practical work produced by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 is better than that generally seen. This shows a significant improvement in standards since the last inspection report, which stated that standards at both key stages were barely satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. By the age of seven, pupils confidently draw diagrams of what they intend to make and can write lists of the materials they think they will need. They are able to work with a broad range of materials, such as food, fabric and threads, junk materials and clay. They are aware of an appropriate range of ways of joining things, for example, using different types of glue, tape, staples and split pins. Pupils show care when making things and the quality of finish is generally good. They have the chance to use their imagination and are able to make sensible choices when deciding which materials or methods to use. They are also able to follow instructions, for example, when making jacket potatoes with interesting fillings. By the end of the key stage, the highest attaining pupils are able to write their own step-by-step instructions so that others could follow them. The quality of Year 1 pupils’ Christmas cards and Year 2

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. By the age of eleven, pupils have very well-developed practical skills. This is evident in the quality of the cam toys made by last year’s Year 6 pupils. They show good attention to detail and the ability to use woodworking tools with a good degree of precision. The accompanying design work indicates that pupils have imagination and that they are able to evaluate their work at an appropriate level. It also shows that they become increasingly aware of the need to produce several possible designs before deciding which one is the best. However, they rarely include any scale drawings and their designs only occasionally include accurate measurements. As pupils move through the key stage, they develop a good range of practical skills and are able to produce items on a large and small scale. There is also evidence of the pupils’ ability to work co-operatively, for example, when they worked in small groups to make

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

very impressive Greek temples and lanterns for the Christmas Procession in Cambridge. In Years 3 and 4 pupils competently include the use of electric circuits in their designs, as when they made powered boats.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. Pupils at both key stages are now making sound progress. This is because the curriculum is now based on the Cambridgeshire scheme of work for design and technology and it ensures that pupils systematically build upon previous work. As a result, they quickly acquire an appropriate range of skills and they develop designing and evaluating skills, which help them to continually improve the quality of their work. It was only possible to observe a small number of lessons during the inspection. Additional evidence was gained from work on display and the extensive photographic evidence of work done last year. Overall, the quality of teaching at both key stages is good. Teachers and the co-ordinator have a secure understanding of the subject and this enables them to plan activities that will interest the pupils and also systematically improve their skills and knowledge. Teachers place an appropriate emphasis

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

on the importance of making, without forgetting the place of designing and evaluating. Consequently, pupils have a good understanding of the design process. Teachers also have high expectations of the quality of the finished products and their own practical skills are of a good standard. This enables them to provide competent demonstrations of new skills and techniques, which pupils can follow.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. Whenever possible, teachers link the work to that going on in other subjects and this makes it more relevant to the pupils and helps make the other subjects more interesting and enjoyable. Work is regularly linked to history topics, for example, Victorian toys, Greek temples, Tudor houses and Viking jewellery. Other links include religious education, literacy, science and ICT. As a result, the curriculum offered to the pupils is very broad and is very successful in stimulating their interest and enthusiasm. Parents support this view and feel the subject has really come to life recently. The effective contribution of learning support assistants ensures that all pupils are able to take a full part in the lessons and that they are able to achieve at an appropriate level. There is some use of ICT but, at the moment, it is quite limited and the co- Mayfield Primary School - 38 ordinator is aware that it is an area requiring development. The quality of pupils’ learning has

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

also been improved as a result of the purchase of a much better range of resources. This has allowed teachers to choose more interesting activities and it is allowing the pupils to show much more originality and creativity.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. Since the last inspection, the school has improved the range and quality of the curriculum and considerably enhanced its learning resources. It has introduced a sensible and effective system of assessing pupils’ attainment and it has significantly improved the standards achieved.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. The last inspection report judged pupils’ attainment to be in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Standards have been maintained. Additional evidence has been collected from the analysis of pupils’ previous work in books and on display, examination of teachers’ planning and discussion with staff. This shows that, by the ages of seven and 11, pupils attain the expected standards. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make progress similar to their peers. The last report also highlighted the fact that there were weaknesses in the school’s provision; the scheme of work was in the early stages of development and so did not ensure that pupils’ learning was effectively built on from year to year. This has been appropriately addressed by the development of a scheme of work which takes account of local and national guidelines

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GEOGRAPHY

together with the school’s perceived needs. At the end of Key Stage 2, the higher attaining pupils bring a good level of general knowledge to lessons and are appropriately challenged.

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GEOGRAPHY

121. By the age of seven, pupils are developing a sound knowledge of the environment, for example, by looking at the flow of the local traffic: they build up their map skills by investigating the use of symbols on a prepared map. They make satisfactory progress. By eleven, pupils make good progress in acquiring geographical skills and in their knowledge and understanding of the subject. It is clear from the analysis of pupils’ work that, throughout the school, pupils generally build satisfactorily on their previous learning. In Year 3, pupils develop their knowledge of the city of Cambridge and how the climate has an influence on conditions. They compare life on Baffin Island with that in their area and present a sound understanding of the differences in places. In Year 5, pupils begin to understand that people have different views about how they can improve or damage the environment by discussing

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GEOGRAPHY

issues about the local traffic problems. In the scrutiny of past work, one pupil argued, ‘I would encourage more people to bike, walk or take buses.’ This topic makes an effective contribution to pupils’ social development. In Year 6, pupils very effectively learn to use secondary sources to gather information about life in contrasting areas. For example, they are able to investigate the similarities and differences between the mountain environments in the Lake District and those of the Himalayas. Good use is made of a CD-ROM to support their understanding. There are useful opportunities for these pupils to extend and develop their orienteering skills during a residential visit

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GEOGRAPHY

122. No judgement is made on the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 as only one lesson was observed. Overall, the quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 is good and occasionally very good. This has a positive impact on the pupils’ learning. They show interest and a desire to learn. Skilful questioning and explanations ensure that pupils understand their work. Teachers plan appropriately, lesson targets are clear and skills are taught systematically. Praise is used well to show pupils that their work is valued and to encourage higher standards. This effectively builds up their confidence and keeps them involved and focused in the activities provided. They have good attitudes to work and behave well. Firm control promotes a secure learning environment and there is good use of simple geographical terminology to focus pupils’ thinking. Pupils listen attentively, answer questions sensibly and sustain concentration and

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GEOGRAPHY

123. The appropriate statutory curriculum is in place. There are useful procedures in place for assessment. For example, termly assessments are recorded at the end of each unit of work. The subject is well co-ordinated. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good at Mayfield Primary School - 39 both key stages. The curriculum is enriched through local visits and visitors. There is equality of access and opportunity for all pupils and the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils develop their speaking and listening skills well through discussion. Resources are good and meet the demands of the curriculum. They are made accessible to all year groups. Currently, information and communication technology does not sufficiently support the subject across the school.

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HISTORY

124. The standards that pupils achieve in history are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Additional evidence is taken from an analysis of pupils’ previous work in books and on display, examination of teachers’ planning and discussion with staff. This is the same judgement as at the last inspection, when pupils’ attainment at both key stages was judged to be close to expected levels. Pupils make good progress in developing historical skills of enquiry and in understanding of the passage of time across both key stages, but particularly in Key Stage 2. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make progress similar to that of most pupils.

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HISTORY

125. It is clear from the analysis of pupils’ work that, throughout the school, pupils generally build on their previous learning. In Year 1, for example, pupils learn about the past by researching toys from the time when they were babies and discuss the differences in their toys now. Pupils in Year 2 complete tasks such as comparing old photographs and pictures of children in Victorian times and discussing the changes that have taken place; they also talk about the experiences their parents had to gain an understanding of time passing.

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HISTORY

126. In Year 3, pupils consider the reasons for the invasions of different peoples in the past, such as the Vikings and the Romans. Effective opportunities are provided for them to consolidate their learning through, for example, a visit to an Anglo-Saxon village. Pupils make good progress in deepening their knowledge about historical periods as they move through school. They learn to look closely at artefacts, pictures and photographs and make relevant historical inferences. In Year 5, pupils realise the differences between the rich and poor people in Tudor times and how this impacted on people’s lives. They look closely at portraits for clues and they discuss whether a figure is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ from what they see. In Year 6, pupils begin to understand the differences of living in Ancient Greece by evaluating what they have learnt about people. For example, one pupil wrote, ‘I think Theseus behaved very badly because he broke all his

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HISTORY

promises.’ The pupils have good opportunities to put themselves into the shoes of others. For example, pupils write about the conditions of being a farm hand in Victorian times: a pupil wrote, ‘I hate that job, but it has to be done… I had to pick up stones from a field. This really hurts my back.’ The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. From the analysis of pupils’ work, it is evident that some teachers have a high expectations of pupils’ presentation, which is reflected through the majority of their pupils taking great care in their books when presenting facts and in drawing and illustrating their work.

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HISTORY

127. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning are good with some very good aspects. This has a positive impact on the pupils’ learning. The teachers’ enthusiasm and good subject knowledge enables the pupils to learn effectively. It creates a secure learning environment in which the pupils gain confidence and remain interested in what is being taught. For example, in a very good lesson in Year 6, the stimulating exposition and skilful questioning ensured that the pupils were very attentive, listened well and were keen to participate in the question and answer sessions, before focusing well on the set tasks. Resources are very carefully chosen to motivate and make pupils reflect on what is presented to them.

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HISTORY

128. There are many good links with literacy, such as descriptive writing on the times of Henry VIII in Year 5 and keeping a diary in the style of Samuel Pepys during the Great Fire of London in Year 2. On the latter topic, a pupil wrote, ‘The people are running around. I saw fire all around me. It was orange and yellow.’ Art is used very effectively to enhance the subject through the well-drawn portraits of people, houses and clay models in Tudor times. Class visits to Mayfield Primary School - 40 museums and visitors into the school greatly enhance the curriculum and bring to life, by first- hand experience, what it was like to be, for example, a Victorian.

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HISTORY

129. The subject is skilfully co-ordinated. There have been useful opportunities to monitor the pupils’ work, but not the teaching of the subject. A good portfolio of past work is being built up to show pupils’ progress in acquiring historical skills. The school uses both a local and nationally recognised scheme of work to support teachers’ planning. A system of assessing pupils’ progress at the end of each topic is being appropriately developed. Information and communication technology is not presently used sufficiently to support the subject across the school. Resources are good and meet the demands of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. Standards have improved significantly since the last inspection and are broadly average. Improvements in the provision of computer hardware and software are beginning to have a significant impact on pupils’ achievements. Weaknesses in curriculum planning identified in the previous inspection report have been addressed very well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. In both key stages, standards are in line with those expected for the pupils’ ages. This reflects sound teaching across all year groups. In Year 2, pupils are able to use a range of basic tools in a painting program to produce different shapes and fill them with colour. Pupils aged seven explain how they found information about the human body from a CD-ROM and describe how to control a programmable robot. They talk confidently about how computers can be helpful in communicating and in finding information. They are developing a secure grasp of general skills although their confidence in entering and amending text using a word processor is less well developed. Pupils in Year 1 create pictures linked to their literacy work about Goldilocks and the Three Bears . They select menus to find suitable images, dragging and dropping them carefully into place, with the higher attainers adding suitable text labels. These younger pupils

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

are well placed to improve rapidly as they move through the school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

132. Pupils in Year 6 begin to set out instructions in a predetermined way to control switches and lights. They are developing a sound understanding of the need for accuracy in simple programming. This builds well on previous work where they controlled a programmable robot and used sensors to record sound and temperature. Pupils have a secure knowledge and understanding of each strand of the information technology curriculum, enhanced by their experiences with computers at home. They describe confidently how they used the features of a word processor to draft and present a range of written work in the previous year and how to carry out a search through a computer database about insects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers ensure lessons build effectively on earlier work and maintain a clear focus on the development of skills. They group pupils effectively according to need and their explanations are generally clear. Some teachers lack confidence but take great care in the preparation of lessons to minimise the impact of this. Teaching assistants are briefed well and used effectively to support pupils where needed. Pupils with special educational needs receive appropriate help and guidance. Good planning, using national guidance materials, provides appropriate progression in the development of skills and knowledge and is backed up with a manageable and effective assessment system. Teachers are making increasing use of computer technology to support their planning and assessment and to develop their own knowledge and understanding.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. Information technology is used well to develop and enhance work in many other subjects. Pupils in Key Stage 1 learn about the techniques of artists such as Mondrian by using a painting program to try out patterns of shape and colour. Work on computer spreadsheets in Year 5 promotes pupils’ understanding of more complex mathematical operations and links well with numeracy lessons. Research into materials and their properties using a computer database supports work in science. A very popular lunchtime newspaper club enhances pupils’ writing and editing skills. Mayfield Primary School - 41 135. The number of computers available is broadly average but some of these are unreliable or becoming obsolete. The breakdown of computers just before or during lessons has a significant impact on pupils’ progress although teachers skilfully minimise this by quickly modifying their lessons. The school and governing body have made the provision for ICT a

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

high priority and effective use has been made of national grants and the school’s own funds to buy additional hardware and to create a specialist computer room. This room has enabled classes to be taught together but is very small and cramped, making it difficult for teachers to position pupils to view demonstrations or to see ‘help’ notes. The wheeled chairs in the computer room are not appropriate. They are too large for the space available and they spin and move too easily, creating unnecessary disruption in class lessons. A well-structured plan is in place to improve the school’s provision further and the wider implications of increased access to ICT have been carefully considered. Teachers are more confident and knowledgeable although there are still some areas of weakness. A training programme is now underway and interested governors and parents are providing useful support. The school is

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

well placed to secure further improvements and to raise standards substantially.

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MUSIC

136. Standards are average at the age of seven and above average at the age of eleven. This is an improvement in the attainment of the oldest pupils since the previous inspection. In their lessons in class, pupils’ achievements are at least satisfactory in both key stages and, in the classes led by teachers with specialist expertise, achievements are often good.

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MUSIC

137. All age groups have a regular opportunity to sing as part of a large group in additional sessions that each cater for two year groups. These sessions are skilfully led and enable pupils to do particularly well in singing. There is obvious enjoyment and good participation by pupils in these lessons. At the time of the previous inspection, the quality of singing in large-group situations was criticised but it has now improved as a result of the school’s efforts to teach singing more systematically to all pupils and not just to those in the choir. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ overall attainment levels are enhanced by the wide range of instrumental and vocal tuition, by the several recorder groups and through the choir and orchestra. This enables a significant minority of pupils to achieve well musically. It boosts the attainment seen in class lessons where these pupils make a valuable contribution by playing instruments, reading

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MUSIC

conventional scores and supporting their classmates with their wider knowledge. Pupils in this key stage concentrate well on their work and show high levels of co-operation and collaboration. Across the school, most pupils show appreciation of others’ work. They listen carefully and make sensible and sensitive comments. Behaviour is good in all activities.

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MUSIC

138. Progress through Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. Pupils in Year 1 perform a repertoire of simple songs and begin to try to keep a steady pulse when accompanying their classmates. They begin to identify how sounds can change in volume and pitch and are learning how to follow instructions from a conductor. In Year 2, the pupils have a better-developed ability to control elements of their performance such as pulse and melody. They comment on sounds, as when a pupil said, ‘The triangle sounds like a twinkle’. The higher attainers begin to use a simple picture score in their work. Teaching is satisfactory in this key stage and benefits from the additional knowledge and skills of the head of the key stage who is a competent musician and supports the larger group sessions well.

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MUSIC

139. Teaching and learning are good in Key Stage 2. Pupils make good progress as more of them take on extra musical activities in their own time. By Year 4, pupils sing well and expressively. They were seen creating a planned vocal performance to illustrate a train journey and made good suggestions about how the piece could be extended and improved to achieve the desired effect. In Year 6, pupils combined voices and instruments well to write a score independently for The Drunken Sailor. Good use was made of pupils who can play keyboards, the guitar or trumpet. In this age group, pupils use musical terminology well, as was shown when they correctly referred to the melody, pulse and rhythm of their piece.

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MUSIC

140. Teachers in both key stages plan their lessons systematically, based on a progressive scheme of work designed for the whole school. This links well to the requirements of the National Mayfield Primary School - 42 Curriculum and there are promising plans to extend activities further by using a recently published commercial scheme that will give extra support to the less confident teachers. The recently revised arrangements for assessment are manageable and outline a sensible way of tracking individual progress. Most lessons move at a good pace and effective use is made of the limited time available. Many staff and pupils give up their time before and after school sessions to lead and participate in extra activities.

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MUSIC

141. Music retains a high priority in the school’s curriculum and parents are pleased about this. It makes a very good contribution to pupils’ cultural, social and spiritual development. The music used in assemblies is chosen and presented well to enable pupils to hear and respond to a wide range of cultures and traditions. While there is currently little use of the technology available in the computer suite in the subject, pupils use tape and CD players to listen to music and to record their work. The large hall is used well for performances. Several teachers use the small hall for lessons; while this offers a good space for practical activities, the acoustics are poor and classes suffer from frequent interruptions as adults and other pupils move through the hall to other parts of the building. The school has not yet found effective ways to minimise this disruption. The subject is led well. The co-ordinator receives the committed and

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MUSIC

valuable support of several of her colleagues in providing a rich curriculum. She monitors teaching and learning regularly and has an appropriate action plan for further improvements.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. Standards throughout the school are close to those expected for pupils’ ages. Pupils with special educational needs (including those with hearing impairment) and pupils for whom English is a second language are supported well and included effectively in all aspects of the subject. Because of this, the majority of these pupils achieve well for their abilities. Standards are similar to those found at the time of the previous inspection. However, improvement since then has been satisfactory, mainly due to the successes achieved by pupils during extra- curricular activities. The quality of teaching and learning for all age groups is satisfactory.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

143. In games lessons, the pace of teaching sometimes means pupils are inactive for too long and there is insufficient time for them to acquire and develop their skills. Some of the younger pupils do not sustain their concentration for sufficiently long periods or persevere at the skills they are trying to master. There are also too few opportunities for them to evaluate the progress they are making or to consider the progress made by their classmates. A similar pattern is seen when older pupils are taught hockey. 144. Older pupils, for example, improve their passing abilities in netball and apply these skills well when opposition is introduced, with many able to complete several passes successfully before the ball is intercepted. Their good progress is helped by the selection of good demonstrations and correct emphasis of the main learning points by their teacher. However, some of the equipment they use is in a poor state of repair.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. Pupils of all ages achieve good standards in dance. They respond well to the enthusiastic leadership of their teachers. Younger pupils illustrate emotions such as happiness, sadness and anger by their movements and gestures. They work together well, combining their movements into sequences that they are eager to demonstrate. Older pupils also make good progress resulting from opportunities provided by their teachers for them to recall their previous learning and to consider how they might improve their work. The essential features of gestures, movements and facial expressions are explained clearly and shown to good effect during demonstrations, when pupils are invited to comment about the good features of what they are shown. This improves their understanding greatly and supports the improvements evident during lessons. Teachers link work in dance effectively to pupils’ work in other subjects. For example, performing Tudor dances is part of their work in history.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. The school provides a good programme of extra-curricular activities that includes netball, football, dance and cricket. They have been particularly successful at cricket, becoming county champions for ‘hard ball’ cricket for their age group and reaching the national finals for ‘Kwick’ Cricket. Mayfield Primary School - 43 147. There is a very good outdoor play area that makes a significant contribution to improving the ability of pupils to control and manage their bodies and access to the pool on site enables pupils to achieve well in swimming. Arrangements to assess the progress that pupils make do not take sufficient account of the levels recommended as they complete the appropriate sections of the National Curriculum Programme of Study for the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

148. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' standards of attainment in religious education broadly match the expectations of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards are above expected levels as a result of well planned and skilful teaching. Since the last inspection there have been improvements in the standards attained by Key Stage 2 pupils, in the provision for pupils' spiritual and moral development and in the more effective use of pupils' own ideas and experiences.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

149. Pupils make satisfactory progress in religious education in Key Stage 1 as a result of sound teaching. They are aware that different people have different places of worship and that they celebrate their beliefs in a wide range of festivals. Pupils are introduced to the basic beliefs of the Jewish religion. Pupils' knowledge about Christianity and Bible stories is good and they can describe many of the features of Christian ceremonies such as a wedding and a christening. Pupils' writing skills are developed through religious education; for example pupils re-told the parable of The Good Samaritan with a good level of accuracy.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. At Key Stage 2 pupils are introduced to the essential principles of a variety of world religions, for example Hinduism, Judaism and Buddhism. Pupils in Year 6 have a good knowledge of Judaism and reflect this in their diary writing of the feelings and experiences of an individual undergoing preparation for bar mitzvah. Pupils are aware of a variety of world religions and can explain how and where their followers pray, who is their god and who founded their religion; for example Year 4 pupils have a good knowledge of Muslim prayers and the special things in Muslim homes. A particular strength is that pupils use this knowledge to develop their thinking skills. This leads to pupils reflecting on how to apply knowledge to the practical problems that they may face. For example pupils are very well equipped to deal with the dilemmas of how to handle an act of betrayal and assess the ethics of fairness and justice

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

when applied to the purchase of essential goods such as food from shops. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills; for example pupils in Year 3 produced imaginatively illustrated story boards about the life of Moses. A strength of religious education is the links made between religion and the pupils' own daily lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151. The quality of teaching is good in Key Stage 2. In the best teaching, lessons are well planned, learning outcomes are clear and the pace is brisk. Teachers have a good relationship with pupils, are aware of their individual needs and differences and approach issues sensitively. The skilful questioning of these teachers encourages pupils to express and justify their opinions which results in pupils becoming more confident and mature. Where teachers are secure in their subject knowledge and good use is made of resources, pupils are well motivated and maintain their interest for an extended period of time.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. The very good leadership of the subject is evident in the significant improvement in the support given to teachers through the thorough and constructive monitoring of teaching, planning and pupils' work. Assessment procedures are very good, linked well to the programme of work and used well by the teachers. Very good use is made of visits, such as to Bhaktivante Manor to see the principles of Buddhism in practice, and of visitors, such as members of different faiths to explain their personal views and beliefs

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HEARING SUPPORT UNIT

153. The school offers specialist support to hearing impaired pupils who hold a Statement of Special Educational Need. The provision for these pupils is very good with some excellent features. The unit's provision has continued to improve since the last inspection. Despite Mayfield Primary School - 44 admitting pupils with an increasing severity of hearing loss and associated learning difficulties, there has been an improvement in the level of inclusion of pupils in mainstream classes. The quality of teaching, aided by the professional expertise of the learning support assistants, has improved. There is a greater degree of liaison between the unit and the mainstream class teachers, illustrated by the availability of signing classes for all staff. All pupils attached to the unit are fully included in mainstream classes for a substantial part of the school curriculum but spend an appropriate proportion of their time in a specialist base. The base is well-resourced,

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HEARING SUPPORT UNIT

well-staffed and excellently managed. For reasons mostly associated with their hearing impairment, pupils are achieving below the national expectations in English, mathematics and science. However, they receive very good levels of support from the head of the unit, speech and language therapists and specialist learning support assistants. Consequently pupils make very good progress towards the specific learning targets set out in their Individual Education Plans. This is very obvious in the pupils' improvement in their listening, language, literacy, numeracy and social skills.

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HEARING SUPPORT UNIT

154. The school has established an excellent ethos for the inclusion of hearing impaired pupils. The curriculum is taught through a combination of spoken language and sign language. Pupils and staff have very positive attitudes towards hearing impaired people and willingly undertake further training in the use of sign language. This helps to promote respect and understanding of differences between groups of pupils. The specialist support assistants are good role models for pupils and use their talents and skills to nurture pupils' maturity and involvement in discussions and in the general life of the school.

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HEARING SUPPORT UNIT

155. The quality of the specialist teaching of hearing impaired pupils is very good. There are very thorough procedures for joint planning between class teachers, the head of the unit and support staff. This leads to lessons with challenging activities which are accurately matched to pupils' abilities. The teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. As a result, pupils have very positive attitudes to learning, apply themselves conscientiously and persevere with tasks. Consequently, most have high levels of self-esteem and their confidence in communicating with others is impressive and an excellent example of the benefits of the inclusion policy of the school. The teachers have very secure subject knowledge, question pupils skilfully and provide many opportunities for them to be actively involved in lessons. In the very good lessons, a range of strategies is used to captivate pupils'

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HEARING SUPPORT UNIT

interests and build upon the very good relationships between teachers, support staff and pupils. In these lessons, teachers transmit their enthusiasm for the topic being taught, give supportive feedback and set targets for pupils to help them make progress. Pupils are able to work individually and co-operatively in groups, are always engrossed in the activities and have a real enjoyment of learning. The teaching is considerably enhanced by the high level of expertise and hard work of the learning support assistants and other communication support workers.

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HEARING SUPPORT UNIT

156. The curricular provision is good. Pupils have full access to the National Curriculum and are making very good progress in all subjects. They are fully included in every aspect of school life and are valued members of the school community; for example a hearing impaired pupil is a member of the school council. The Individual Education Plans effectively identify specific learning targets, particularly in language and literacy. They are implemented to a very good standard by all the staff. Pupils' progress is carefully assessed, monitored and evaluated. The school is rightly proud of its provision and has the active support of the whole school community. The successful bidding for additional funds has enabled adjustments to the accommodation that foster increased independence and better health and safety arrangements.

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