Good Shepherd RC Primary School

SCHOOL

LEA area: London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 192787 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Gayford Road Hammersmith London

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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: Wesley Harcourt

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1997 The Good Shepherd Primary School - 4

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responsibilities

Lesley Day Registered inspector mathematics art physical education under fives special educational needs equal opportunities What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? John Billiet Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Susan Farnfield Team inspector science information and communication technology design and technology How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Andrew Berryman Team inspector English history geography music English as an additional language How well are pupils taught? Staffing, accommodation, learning resources

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responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Hammersmith and Fulham LEA Inspection Team Town Hall King Street Hammersmith, W6 9JU.

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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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responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House, 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school was founded in 1892 in the Diocese of Westminster, to provide a Catholic education for the local community, and was named St. Stephen’s which was later amended to the Holy Ghost and St. Stephen. The school is situated in Shepherd’s Bush, West London. In 1999 the decision was taken to rename the school The Good Shepherd R.C Primary School. The school is a Voluntary Aided mixed school of average size, serving 231 pupils aged between 3 and 11 years of age. A high proportion of pupils, 27.3 percent, is eligible for free school meals and 20.0 percent have been identified on the school’s register of pupils as having special educational needs. Currently, 40.6 percent of the school’s population is drawn from minority ethnic communities and 28.6 percent come from homes where English is not the home language. The school has targeted 20 of these pupils for additional support through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The nursery is over subscribed and where possible children are admitted into the nursery in the term after their third birthday, transferring to the reception class in the term that they reach the age of five. The attainment of pupils on entry to the reception class is average with a significant number achieving above the levels expected in mathematics. The school aims to develop further the literacy and numeracy strategies and raise pupils’ standards of attainment in English and mathematics. The school continues to develop assessment procedures to support teaching and learning.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The previous inspection report identified the school as having serious weaknesses. The school is no longer in this category and now shows many signs of being a good school. Decisive leadership by the headteacher has been central to ensuring that the school addressed successfully most of the serious weaknesses identified in the 1997 report. Improvements in the quality of teaching and the planned curriculum result in seven and eleven year-olds achieving standards broadly in line with the national averages. The school is now poised to make further improvements and has the commitment and the capacity to raise standards still further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Leadership and management are developing strengths of the school. The headteacher provides a clear sense of direction for school improvement. • The school community works within a strong ethos that actively promotes its Catholic values and beliefs. • There is a shared commitment amongst adults to improve standards and the capacity to succeed. Effective delegation ensures that all staff contribute to school improvement. • Adults work well together and morale is now high. • Staff development has improved the quality and consistency of teaching. • Support assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. • Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and their behaviour has improved since the last inspection. • Nursery provision goes from strength to strength. The nursery staff provide a very good foundation for the children’s entry into school. • Improvements to the curriculum have established a good base for learning. The National Literacy and

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What the school does well

Numeracy Strategies have been implemented successfully. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. There is a stronger commitment to improving the progress of lower attaining pupils and those with specific special educational needs. • Those pupils with English as an additional language make good progress because of the effective support they receive. • The improved accommodation is good and enhances the pupils’ learning effectively. • Community links have improved. The school has forged stronger links and relationships with parents and the parish. • The displays and examples of art across the school have improved significantly since the previous inspection. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 7

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ rates of progress in developing their skills and understanding are not yet consistent across the school. • Gifted and talented pupils are not challenged. • Assessment has improved but there is still some way to go. There are inconsistencies in the use of target setting to inform teachers’ planning. The school’s systems for analysing trends in attainment are not yet rigorous enough to allow the school to evaluate year on year trends. • Opportunities for practising and developing writing skills across the curriculum are weak. • Standards of attainment in information and communication technology are well below expectations. • Standards of attainment in design and technology and physical education are unsatisfactory. • There are too few planned opportunities for pupils to develop independent thinking and take on added responsibility for their own learning. • The school needs to take a wider view of how the finances are managed and deployed to ensure that there

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What could be improved

is a focus on raising achievement. • There are inadequate resources for information and communication technology, design and technology, geography, physical education and music.

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What could be improved

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 February 1997 and was found to have serious weaknesses. The key issues for action have been addressed successfully with improvements seen in planning school development and its implementation, teaching, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour and their improved achievement in science, art, history, geography and music. Additionally there have been improvements in the provision for spiritual development. However, the school acknowledges that the progress made in information and communication technology and design and technology is unsatisfactory.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Improvements in the quality of teaching and the planned curriculum result in eleven year-olds achieving standards broadly in line with the national averages. In 1999 the school reached its achievement targets with results being much better than those gained in the previous year. The school is now poised to move forward and has the commitment and the capacity to raise achievement still further. When results are compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, the standards attained in the 1999 national tests are well above average. Nevertheless, the needs of higher attaining pupils are not always met and they often mark time as a consequence. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 8

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils in both key stages are very clear that they come to school to learn and respond with evident enthusiasm to stimulating learning experiences. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The school has high expectations of behaviour and most pupils respond well to this. The conduct of pupils in the majority of lessons, in assemblies, when moving around school and in the playground is now good. Personal development and relationships Good. The school is a happier place than that found at the time of the last inspection. Relationships are harmonious between boys and girls and between pupils from the different ethnic groups represented in the school. Attendance Good. Attendance is slightly above the national average.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years Lessons seen overall Very good satisfactory satisfactory Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching in ninety percent of lessons seen was at least satisfactory and in nearly fifty percent of these lessons it was good or very good. Improvements since the last inspection have ensured greater consistency in teaching across school. Teaching in the nursery is consistently good and provides a very good base for learning as children enter compulsory schooling. In Key Stage 1 and 2 teaching is satisfactory overall. The successful implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies and effective staff training have improved teacher’s subject knowledge and ensured that good foundations are laid for pupils to develop key literacy and numeracy skills. Nevertheless, information technology skills are not taught regularly throughout the school. Information and communication technology is not used effectively to support teaching and learning across the curriculum.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Equality of opportunity is reflected in the day-to-day work of teachers. Teachers manage pupils effectively and establish good relationships. The teaching of pupils learning English as an additional language is very good and this ensures that they make appropriate progress in the acquisition of the language. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well and are set targets for improvement in their individual education plans. Support staff make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and the progress they make. However, the teachers do not always plan sufficiently well to develop pupils’ independence or for the needs of gifted and talented pupils. Tasks set often occupy their time rather than extend their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. Since the last inspection comprehensive daily and weekly planning has improved and the curricular provision now has greater relevance and breadth. There is a clear emphasis on delivering literacy and numeracy. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Provision is effective in supporting these pupils. Recommendations made in the previous report have been addressed successfully. Pupils’ individual education plans are monitored and adapted as necessary. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. The school makes good use of the local education authority’s ethnic minority achievement service. The specialist teaching is of a high standard. It is clearly focused, well planned, recorded and evaluated. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Opportunities to promote pupils’ personal, moral and social

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

development permeate the life of the school. There has been a vast improvement in the provision for pupils’ spiritual development, which is now good. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory . The Good Shepherd Primary School - 9 How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Pupils are clearly happy to come to school and they thrive in an atmosphere that is friendly and supportive. The school has worked hard to make improvements and its partnership with parents is a now a strength. The school has re-launched the Parent Teacher Association, taken steps to ensure greater involvement of parents in its efforts to improve behaviour, attendance and raise standards. The school now openly values parents and welcomes their contribution and support.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The effective management by the headteacher and key staff has created an improving school with a positive ethos conducive to learning. The educational direction for the school is clear and communicated well and is evident in the school’s development plan. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governors are better informed and have a higher profile in the life of the school. They are committed to school improvement and apply the principles of best value. However, the school’s educational priorities do not always receive the careful financial planning they merit. The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. A culture of reflection and evaluation is evolving. Staff with management responsibilities have a clear sense of purpose and share the responsibility for raising standards. Monitoring systems are developing to

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

keep improvement on track but this is not yet as rigorous as it should be in supporting the raising of standards. The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school makes appropriate use of its staffing and good accommodation to sustain the quality of education. Staff development is a strength and has supported the needs of teachers in the school. Resources for a number of subjects, most notably for information and communication technology, are unsatisfactory and do not support the planned curriculum.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school is well led and managed. • Their children like going to school. • The teaching is good. • Their children make good progress in school. • The school expects each child to work hard and achieve his or her best. • Support for higher attaining pupils. • Pupils’ involvement in information and communication technology and music.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors’ judgements support the positive comments of the parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting and the views expressed in the 72 responses to the parents’ questionnaires, which were returned. The inspection team supports parents’ concerns about the lack of challenge for talented and gifted pupils. Their work is often at a low level. Concerns about pupils’ limited involvement in information and communication technology are well-founded for this is a weakness in the school. However, inspectors found that the music curriculum was supported well by visiting specialist teachers. Parents support strongly the work of the school and consider it to be a great improvement on that found at the time of the last inspection. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The previous inspection report identified the school as having serious weaknesses. The school now shows many signs of being a good school. Stronger leadership has created a positive and supportive ethos in which pupils show a growing enthusiasm for learning. Improvements in the quality of teaching and the planned curriculum result in seven and eleven year- olds achieving standards broadly in line with the national averages. In 1999 the school reached its achievement targets with results being much better than those gained in the previous year. The school is now poised to make further improvements and has the commitment and the capacity to raise standards still further. When results in both key stages are compared to schools with pupils with similar backgrounds, the standards attained in 1999 national tests are well above average. Nevertheless, the needs of higher attaining pupils are not always met and they often mark time as a consequence.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The attainment of most children joining the nursery is below the expectation for their age but the consistently good teaching and well-planned curriculum enables all of them to develop a secure foundation of basic skills to support their future learning. Most children achieve the learning outcomes expected by the time they are five. Baseline testing of their skills and knowledge in language and literacy, mathematics and personal and social skills in the reception class shows that there is a spread of attainment around the national average; with a significant number of children attaining above the average in mathematics. Children whose home language is not English and those with special educational needs are supported well by the adults and the specialist support teacher. Inspiring activities, well matched to their needs and levels of fluency, ensure that they make good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The attainment of seven year-olds in reading and writing in the 1999 national tests in English was well above the national average and very high compared to schools with pupils with similar backgrounds. The improvements made, since the last inspection, in Key Stage 1 reflect the focused teaching of reading, the recent developments made to extend writing skills and the effective deployment of support staff to work with lower attaining pupils. Reading is now a source of pleasure to the majority and is instilled in pupils from the nursery onwards.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. The standards attained by eleven year-olds in English in the 1999 national tests were well below the national averages although results were well above when comparisons were made to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. The school builds appropriately on the achievements of pupils when they are seven and it has good systems in place to support the lower attainers across Key Stage 2. Nevertheless, talented pupils are not always challenged sufficiently for them to make the gains they should.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Currently, most seven and eleven year-olds are achieving standards that are in line with national expectations in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Younger pupils talk about their work and listen carefully to others. Older pupils are becoming confident speakers and take part in assemblies with growing confidence. Most pupils read aloud fluently and with enthusiasm although they do not always know the meaning of what they have read. While some are achieving higher levels in reading, few are working consistently at higher levels in writing. As a result, writing lags behind pupils’ attainment in reading. The school is addressing, with some success, the weaknesses in writing identified in the previous inspection but there is still little evidence of sustained writing on a regular basis and too few opportunities to extend these writing skills in other subjects. Furthermore there are limited opportunities to use information and communications technology to draft and edit

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The school’s results and achievements

The Good Shepherd Primary School - 11 their work. Overall, progress is satisfactory across the school with dips seen in the middle of Key Stage 1 and in the younger classes of Key Stage 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. The standards attained by seven year-olds in mathematics in the 1999 national test were in line with the national average. Results have been close to the national average since 1996, with one notable dip in 1998. The attainment of eleven year-olds in the 1999 tests was again broadly similar to the national figures, although results had been slightly more variable year on year with fewer pupils reaching the higher levels. Compared to schools with pupils with similar backgrounds, the percentage of seven and eleven year-old pupils attaining the national expectation was above average.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. In mathematics, attainment in both key stages is presently in line with national expectations. The introduction of the daily mathematics lesson, particularly the short oral and mental starter, has sharpened pupils’ calculation skills and improved their ability to work quickly with number. Pupils make steady progress in mathematics across the school, although there are times in each key stage when progress is not as good as it should be. Most pupils benefit from informed teaching and the effective introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy by the school. Lower attaining pupils and those who are learning English as an additional language are supported by the emphasis on practical activities in mathematics. Those pupils who are talented mathematicians are not always encouraged to work independently on problems that pose a challenge.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Standards of attainment in science have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with national averages by the end of both key stages. This is due to an improvement in the consistency and quality of teaching supported by the implementation of an approved scheme of work. The results for seven and eleven year-olds in the 1999 national tests were above the national average and well above those of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. The results for pupils attaining higher levels were below national averages in the tests for seven and eleven year-olds.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. The standards currently achieved in science by seven year-olds are as expected for their age. Progress in the development of pupils’ skills and knowledge is satisfactory. For example, seven year-olds have a reasonable understanding of how to measure carefully their hand spans and apply this in their work on similarities and differences in humans. Eleven year-olds have a good understanding of science, although their enquiry skills are not so well developed. The rate of progress of the higher attaining pupils is not yet consistent, although the current Year 6 pupils have made good progress in their scientific knowledge with many predicting correctly what kind of sugar would dissolve fastest.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Over the last four years, the difference between boys and girls attainment in the school has been similar to that found nationally in English, mathematics and science at the end of both key stages, with no significant variation in performance between subjects. There are no differences in the patterns of attainment of pupils from different ethnic minority backgrounds. Pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs also make good progress. Many of them attain standards that are in line with, or close to, national expectations in the end of key stage tests. The school’s policy and practice of identifying pupils early with additional learning needs and targeting support is very effective.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Pupils’ attainment in information technology is below national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1 and also in the younger classes of Key Stage 2. Standards by the end of Year 6 are well below average. Attainment is similar to that noted in the last inspection and the action taken since then to address the weaknesses has been too slow. Whilst pupils have a better understanding of how computers can help them in their work, they are limited by the slow progress they make in their The Good Shepherd Primary School - 12 development of information communication skills and these are rarely practised across other subjects. The use of computers is not yet an integral part of lessons across the curriculum.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. With the exception of design technology and physical education, pupils’ attainment in all other subjects is satisfactory and the standard of their work at the end of both key stages compares favourably with that of pupils of the same age in other schools. Since the last inspection the relevance and breadth of the curriculum has improved significantly. The quality and depth of work planned for pupils is applied consistently enabling pupils to make, for the most part, satisfactory progress as they move through the school. Specific improvements have been noted in art, geography and music and this is reflected in the standards pupils achieve in these subjects. Pupils’ attainment in design and technology remains unsatisfactory at the end of both key stages. The standards observed in physical education are below average and are lower than these seen at the time of the previous inspection.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language all achieve their full potential and the majority attain levels in literacy and numeracy which are appropriate to their assessed needs. With effective and sensitive support from teachers and other staff most pupils with special educational needs, particularly in Key Stage 1, make good progress in most subjects and their progress is documented well in individual education plans. Pupils for whom English is an additional language receive targeted support and make good progress. The collaboration between class teachers and specialist staff is effective in promoting the progress of these pupils.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. National test results for 1999 have been analysed by the school and, though not yet to the extent where the school can readily identify trends in attainment, indicate strengths and weaknesses enabling teaching strategies to be applied to address focused areas for development. The school monitors regularly teaching and learning but the emphasis has been on classroom management and behaviour rather than on pupils’ attainment and progress. Despite this, the achievement targets for the attainment of seven and eleven year-olds in 1999 were met and the school’s targets for 2000 are likely to be achieved. Booster classes and homework are having a positive effect on the school’s results.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Children under five develop very good relationships with adults and each other, settling quickly into the school’s routines and expectations. They learn to co-operate and share resources and toys and take turns with using equipment. They enjoy all the activities in the nursery and are eager to learn and to show what they know and can do. Behaviour is very good. Children are attentive and follow instructions from adults willingly. Their social skills develop well and they are able to work independently. 16. Pupils in both key stages have good attitudes to school. There has been much improvement in Key Stage 1 since the last inspection. The school has worked hard to improve the quality of the learning and has implemented effectively the behaviour policy. The good habits developed in the nursery are continued in the reception class where pupils have high levels of concentration. Pupils in both key

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

stages are very clear that they come to school to learn and respond with evident enthusiasm to stimulating learning experiences such as the music lessons provided by the choral animateur, a visiting specialist. They enjoy reading and practical work. Pupils work well together when given the opportunity. They work well on their own, but the level of autonomy generated in the nursery is not sustained. Insufficient opportunities are provided for pupils to use their initiative and take responsibility for their own learning. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 13 17. The school has high expectations of behaviour and most pupils respond well to this. The conduct of pupils in the majority of lessons, in assemblies, when moving around school and in the playground is now good. In the small minority of instances where a pupil’s attitudes or behaviour is unsatisfactory this is often linked directly to teachers not engaging them effectively in their

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

learning . Only one pupil has been excluded during the year. Relationships are harmonious between boys and girls, and between pupils from the different ethnic groups represented in the school. Adults provide good role models and form positive relationships with the pupils. Parents and pupils confirm that bullying is not an issue.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils enjoy school and the few latecomers invariably apologise to the teacher and try to make up for lost time by settling quickly. Attendance is slightly above the national average.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching in the nursery is consistently good. Teaching in Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall. Improvements since the last inspection have ensured greater consistency in teaching across school, particularly in the structuring of lessons. The successful implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies and effective staff training have developed teachers’ subject knowledge and ensured that good foundations are laid for pupils to develop key literacy and numeracy skills. Where there are still some inconsistencies, for example in the middle of Key Stage 1 and in lower Key Stage 2, this has a negative effect upon pupils’ learning and rates of progress. Overall, however, the teaching and learning policy is implemented well. The aims of lessons are shared with pupils and effective questioning checks their knowledge and understanding. There has been a significant improvement in the management of behaviour since the last inspection. Teachers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

manage pupils well within well-planned, attractive classrooms. This has a positive impact upon pupils’ response and learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Support staff make a significant contribution to pupils’ progress particularly in English, mathematics and science. Pupils identified as having special educational needs are supported effectively and their individual education plans are used well to ensure an appropriate match of work. The work of the additional literacy support assistant is particularly effective in developing basic skills in reading and writing and raising pupils’ self esteem. Pupils undertaking the Reading Recovery programme are taught well. They make good progress because of the teachers’ careful monitoring and assessment. Seven of the eight pupils in Year 6, for example, who are on the programme, are expected to reach the national expectations. Teaching for pupils with English as an additional language is very good. Knowledgeable, informed and focused teaching, supported by high quality resources enables pupils to make good progress. Effective liaison means that this

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

teaching carefully and effectively builds on work in the classroom. Nevertheless, the needs of talented pupils are not always met. Assessment, whilst improved, is not always effective in identifying these pupils. The school has no clear strategies to ensure that work set is sufficiently challenging their abilities. For example, reading records track the range of reading, but not pupils’ responses to the text. Moreover, higher attaining pupils are often seen working on tasks that occupy them rather than extend their learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers now plan a broader curriculum with clear learning objectives. These are communicated effectively to pupils so that they are in no doubt about what they are to learn. This is highlighted and reinforced effectively at the end of the lesson through the plenary. Marking is regular and positive and sometimes sets future objectives or targets for the pupils. Teachers are developing this practice of setting individual pupil targets although the process is still at an early stage. Progress towards these objectives or targets is monitored at Key Stage 2 through regular pupil conferencing with the teacher. Currently, the identified improvements are not always linked successfully to each The Good Shepherd Primary School - 14 pupil’s targets and they often relate only to content and the development of process skills is overlooked. For example, in English the focus is on improving punctuation rather than the clarity,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

consistency and style of the writing. Overall whilst teaching provides key facts and subject content, there is insufficient development of key skills and independent learning. Pupils do not develop the idea of being an author, mathematician or historian nor develop their ability to transfer skills across subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers provide a stimulating and attractive environment through the use of display. This sets expectations and encourages pupils to produce neat well-presented work. In upper Key Stage 2, the National Curriculum levels for English are displayed in the classroom, but there is little writing displayed and insufficient reference to these levels to show pupils what they need to do to progress. Teaching is effective in consolidating pupils’ learning at one level but does not often take them to the next. This is because teaching is often didactic and pupils are passive recipients of knowledge. Independent learning skills ands subject specific skills are neither fostered nor developed systematically through wider opportunities to solve problems by working collaboratively.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Homework is used effectively to support and extend learning. Pupils are encouraged to read at home from an early age and, as pupils move up the school, tasks and exercises are set to improve literacy and numeracy skills. The available resources are generally used well. Insufficient resources have an effect on the quality of teaching. For example, in science when the lack of teaching resources hindered pupils’ ability to understand why seasons occur. Insufficient use is made of the school library as a resource for teaching and learning and teachers do not use information communications technology to enhance and support the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

24. The curriculum for children under five is very good. It is broad and balanced and provides stimulating and challenging activities in all the recommended areas of learning. This promotes effective learning and prepares children well for the next stage in their education.

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PUPILS?

25. The school continues to meet statutory requirements to teach the National Curriculum, religious education and sex education. Revised schemes of work and the national literacy and numeracy frameworks now provide a good basis for teachers’ planning. Since the last inspection comprehensive, daily and weekly planning has improved and the curricular provision now has greater relevance and breadth. Effective management has ensured that whole school staff development focused on identifying strengths and areas for improvement in teaching and classroom management. It emphasises the sharing of good practice. This has had a significant impact on the improvements made to curriculum planning . Learning objectives, relating to knowledge and content, are now clearly defined, although teachers do not always take sufficient account of the specific skills to be learned. For example, opportunities for pupils to experience and extend their

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PUPILS?

skills in writing across the curriculum, information and communication technology and design and technology are still underdeveloped. Consequently, pupils are still not making the progress expected in developing these specific skills.

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PUPILS?

26. The school has appropriate arrangements for providing equality of access and opportunity. This year the school made good use of a non-class based teacher to provide additional support for targeted pupils in Years 2 and 6. There is a greater consistency in the assessment of pupils’ work, although the teacher’s skill in identifying what the individual pupils need to do next to improve, is less assured. Provision for the highest attaining pupils to extend their achievements is not yet The Good Shepherd Primary School - 15 planned consistently to ensure that they make the progress they should as they move through the school.

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PUPILS?

27. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school’s policy for pupils with special educational needs complies fully with the recommendations of the Code of Practice. Liaison between the co-ordinator and class teachers is good. There is a strong emphasis on teaching basic literacy skills, making use of resources that reflect high expectations and developing a rich vocabulary. The quality of the individual education plans and the planning for pupils at Stage 1 on the school’s register of pupils with special educational needs is good. Withdrawal lessons for Reading Recovery and in-class support work are well planned and based on pupil’s individual targets and their progress in previous lessons.

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PUPILS?

28. The school provides a high quality service and specialist support for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Their needs are met well through accurate evaluation of the level of support needed and through close collaboration between class teachers, support staff and visiting specialist teachers.

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PUPILS?

29. Personal, social and health education is an integral part of every aspect of the school day, but as yet no scheme of work guides teachers in their planning. The school provides a sound programme for sex education and for drugs awareness largely through the religious education scheme of work. Some aspects of health education are taught through science and design technology lessons. For example, pupils in Year 2 planned and made healthy sandwiches using information about a balanced diet. The high expectations that exist for good behaviour, respect and value for others and taking responsibility for conducting oneself sensibly permeate every aspect of school life. Adults are good role models for pupils in the way they relate to each other and to the pupils. Nevertheless, although there are plans to establish a school council, there is currently no forum for pupils to express their ideas or influence the management or organisation of the school.

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PUPILS?

30. Extra curricular provision has improved since the last inspection and enhances the planned curriculum. After school clubs in reading, art, drama, football and information and communication technology enrich pupils’ experiences. The school makes good use of visiting specialists to extend the range of curriculum provision. During the inspection, for example, all pupils were taught by a music specialist. In addition, Year 6 pupils were taught by a science teacher from a local secondary school.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The school has developed good links with the local community. Educational visits to a variety of places enrich the curriculum. Numerous visitors to the school include the parish priest and advisory staff from the local education authority. Pupils’ preparation for transfer to secondary school is good and supported by visits and teaching sessions given by teachers from the receiving schools. The current Year 6 pupils are also visiting a local catholic secondary school to carry out science experiments.

p.15

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

32. There has been a vast improvement, since the last inspection, in the provision for pupils’ spiritual development, which is now good. Assemblies are well planned and reflect the Catholic ethos in the school. Collective worship builds on and reinforces the content of the religious education curriculum. The high quality of the pupils’ singing, often unaccompanied, makes a strong contribution to the spiritual experience of assemblies and music lessons. The pupils’ response to the music lessons led by the choral animateur was one of total absorption. Opportunities for pupils to develop their spirituality are provided in other curriculum areas. For example, Year 6 pupils were filled with pride when described as “good scientists” and were amazed to see and know the names The Good Shepherd Primary School - 16 of the scientific equipment that they were going to use to carry out an investigation in the

p.15

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

laboratories of a local secondary school. Year 2 pupils clearly enjoyed the nonsense rhymes and the way Michael Rosen, the author, used expressive language. The art displays around the school make a very positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual development.

p.16

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

33. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is good. The school community works within a strong ethos where the difference between right and wrong is taught and reinforced effectively. Pupils have been actively involved in writing the class rules. Explicit teaching on how to respect others and build good relationships forms part of lessons and assemblies. The curriculum development project with secondary schools, called Building Bridges, is used as an example of forging good relationships. The weekly celebration assemblies also encourage pupils to care for others and act in a responsible manner by rewarding particular acts of good personal and social behaviour.

p.16

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

34. Visitors are welcomed to the school and treated with courtesy. Parents regularly attend assemblies. At lunch and playtimes pupils are provided with a range of board games which they enjoy playing together and sharing fairly. The school provides a secure and caring environment where pupils can respond positively to each other and to the adults. After school clubs successfully extend the chance for pupils from different classes to work together. However, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop responsibility and show their initiative on moral or social issues arising from the curriculum.

p.16

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

35. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. There are some planned opportunities within the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 4 are studying writing from a range of cultures, pupils sing songs and use percussion instruments from around the world. Additionally, there are texts in classrooms that reflect the pupils’ own cultural backgrounds but, although pupils’ diversity is valued, there are no planned opportunities to celebrate them. The vibrant displays of pupils’ work based on Rousseau’s “Tiger” highlights the school’s artistic skills. The music played on entry and exit to assemblies adds to pupils’ cultural experience, although little use is made for extending pupils’ knowledge of, and response to, different composers or compositions.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. This aspect was a weakness in the 1997 inspection report where particular inconsistencies were found in the management of behaviour. The revised behaviour policy and regular staff training have ensured a marked improvement. The school now provides a stimulating environment in which pupils want to learn. The management of pupils’ behaviour, both in and out of the classrooms across the school, is now consistently good. High expectations for behaviour have generated an atmosphere where pupils have a concern for each other. Pupils are clearly happy to come to school and they thrive in an atmosphere that is friendly and supportive.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The pastoral care of pupils has also improved. From the time they start school through to transfer to secondary school, the school shows a care and concern for all its pupils. The high standards of pastoral care is exemplified by the manner in which the parents of young pupils starting school in the nursery are encouraged to stay and read to their child to help settle them at the start of the day. Child protection practice and procedures are good and any issues arising are handled sensitively and promptly. As noted at the time of the last inspection, there are no incidences of racism or bullying. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 17 38. The school has strengthened its procedures for improving the assessment of pupils’ achievements and personal development. The marking of pupils’ work is now in line with the school’s policy and teachers keep regular, detailed records of pupils’ progress. Whilst this is helping pupils to improve

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

their presentation they are not yet always clear about their own strengths and weaknesses in particular subjects. Good practice is, however, being developed in the older classes where conferencing, a discussion between the teacher and individual pupils, is beginning to make a significant contribution to pupils’ understanding of what they need to do next to improve.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The evidence bears out the parents’ views that the school successfully supports lower attaining pupils though support for gifted and talented pupils is an area where improvement is needed. The school provides good support for pupils with special educational needs with good annual reviews and relevant individual education plans.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has successfully improved attendance and punctuality by introducing clear guidelines and consistent practice, and ensuring that these are known and understood by pupils and parents. Careful monitoring ensures that this improvement is sustained with figures in line with the national averages.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. At the last inspection tensions between the school and parents gave cause for concern. The school has worked hard to make improvements and its partnership with parents is a now a strength. The school has re-launched the Parent Teacher Association and taken steps to ensure greater involvement of parents in its efforts to improve behaviour, attendance and standards. The school now values its parents and welcomes their contribution and support.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The parents organise fund raising events on behalf of the school which contributes to the feeling of community within the school and the parish. For example, open evenings are held on curriculum issues and class teachers produce fact sheets to assist parents helping with homework. Parents support the re-launched home-school reading scheme and many attend regularly at assemblies. Parents help on school trips and on projects such as the new library. The school maximises the efforts made by parents to help it achieve its objective of improving standards.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Parents are satisfied with the quality and range of documentation and reports produced by the school. The annual reports are informative and comply with the regulations and keep parents informed of their child’s progress. Parents are given opportunities to come in at open evenings and discuss their child’s progress and they are very appreciative of this. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved in the reviews of their child’s individual education plans.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. Parents are now very supportive of the school and its Catholic values. They are knowledgeable about its key policies and well informed about what is happening. They are clearly at ease when approaching the school and the relaxed atmosphere amongst parents bringing their children to the nursery typifies this. Their responses to the questionnaire were very positive and they acknowledge the improvements made in behaviour, attendance and in the atmosphere and ethos of the school. They are also aware that there is still some way to go on improving standards. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 18

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. Leadership and management are developing strengths of the school. Decisive leadership by the headteacher has been central to ensuring that the school addressed successfully most of the serious weaknesses identified in the 1997 report. The effective management by the headteacher and key staff has created an improving school with a positive ethos which is conducive to learning.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The appointment in September 1997 of a substantive headteacher, with drive and commitment to manage the changes needed to secure improvements, ensured that clear educational direction was established quickly. Prior to this, the school experienced a period of unrest with uncertain leadership and numerous staffing changes. This resulted in deteriorating pupil behaviour and the loss of confidence in the school by the parents. Initially, little progress had been made in addressing the serious weaknesses identified in the February 1997 inspection report and the key stage results in the summer of 1998 showed a sharp decline in pupils’ attainment confirming the downward trend in standards. Since then however the headteacher has successfully built and inspired a committed, hard-working team who work together to fulfil the school’s mission statement. This cohesive teamwork makes a major contribution to the success of the school. Purposeful day-to-day

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

management has ensured focused development, raised staff morale and promoted a sense of well being throughout the school.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The headteacher has concentrated upon improving the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and their attitudes to learning and has improved significantly the environment and accommodation in which pupils learn. The headteacher’s efficient management is shaping the direction for the school and promoting higher standards. Nevertheless, there is still some way to go before these changes have a noticeable effect on improving attainment, particularly in English and mathematics where results remain broadly in line with those found at the time of the last inspection. Furthermore, there are still difficulties in recruiting and retaining suitably qualified and experienced staff. For instance, a number of subjects have no co-ordinated lead. The headteacher is minimising the effect of this by the strategic deployment of experienced staff in certain classes and by holding a number of subject management responsibilities herself.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school is a happier place than was found at the time of the last inspection. The headteacher’s vision is shared and supported by the whole community of the school. Equality of opportunity is reflected in the day-to-day work in the classrooms, which follows the school’s documented intentions. Evidence indicates that the respect for the school by parents and the local community has been re-established and improved.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Staff with management responsibilities have a clear sense of purpose and share the responsibility for raising standards. There is a strong sense of commitment to improvement and a good capacity to succeed. Delegation is effective because those with additional roles know what is expected of them. Job descriptions and individual action plans make clear their targets and these are reviewed regularly. Curriculum co-ordinators make appropriate use of the development time they are given although the analysis of performance data is not always systematically undertaken. The headteacher has been instrumental in providing efficient, organisational routines for school improvement. There is a regular cycle of meetings and these are effective in contributing to teachers’ professional development. Systematic planning has also helped teachers meet the demands of implementing the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. However, limited progress has

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

been made in improving the quality of teaching, learning and achievement in design and information communication technology.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher, with the support of the staff and governing body, has established a sound strategic plan of the school’s priorities for development. A sense of purpose is evident in the The Good Shepherd Primary School - 19 development plan and in teacher’s individual action plans which now give a firmer steer to the school’s work. Monitoring systems are developing to keep improvement on track but this is not as rigorous as it should be in raising standards. A positive move has been to ensure that co-ordinators’ action plans identify their role in taking forward school priorities and all teachers are supportive of the part they have to play in these initiatives. The progress made on these individual plans are evaluated on a regular basis by the senior management team to ensure that developments meet the success indicators and are on line to succeed, thus ensuring maximum impact on teaching and

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The governors are better informed and have a higher profile in the life of the school. They are committed to school improvement and know what is going on through visits and through the sub- committees that feed into the executive work of the governing body. Governors are guided in all decisions by information provided by the headteacher. However, although the governors and the senior management team have a shared understanding of the aims of the school, this is not always translated into what needs to be funded next to improve standards of attainment across the school. For example, the resourcing to support learning in information technology, science, design technology and geography is unsatisfactory. The school continues to have a very large budget surplus and, although part of this will be used to supplement payment for new building work and essential maintenance, a sizeable sum would still remain in reserve. The school needs to develop a

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

more strategic view of the school’s finances and give further consideration to how, after retaining a prudent reserve, the funds available may best be used to benefit the provision for the pupils and thus raise standards in the longer term.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Governors are aware of the need to secure value for money and have procedures in place to ensure that satisfactory value is obtained. Decisions, such as the commitment of funds to supplement the grant received for pupils with special educational needs and to support those learning English as an additional language, are carefully evaluated in terms of the cost and the effect on pupils’ attainment and progress. As a result, provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those learning English as an additional language is very good. The learning needs of these pupils are addressed very effectively. The school fully complies with all statutory requirements and takes reasonable account of the principles of best value when making most decisions. Appropriate use is made of information and communications technology to support administrative tasks including the registration of pupils but it does not yet support teaching and learning across the curriculum.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Nevertheless, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.19

Staffing

53. The school is adequately staffed to meet the demands of the curriculum. However, the management of science, music, design technology and physical education is held currently by the senior management team. Appointments have been made to cover physical education and music for the next academic year. Teachers providing pupils with additional support through the Reading Recovery support and those learning English as an additional language have very good specialist expertise. The support staff are well deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and progress. Their involvement is a noteworthy factor in promoting the school’s positive ethos and their skilled contribution is valued, not least by the pupils. Teachers are supported well by experienced and long-standing support assistants and administrative staff. Whilst teachers and support staff have distinct roles, their work is complementary. All members of the teaching and

p.19

Staffing

support staff have a clear understanding of their own roles and those of others. 54. The school’s induction process for teachers new to the school and newly qualified staff is very good. They are well supported by policies and schemes of work and benefit from the school’s team approach through formal and informal meetings. This ensures that there is a consistency in the management of the classrooms and the pupils that has a positive effect upon teaching. Staff The Good Shepherd Primary School - 20 development is effectively used to support the school’s priorities and raise the quality of teaching. Good use is made of peripatetic and visiting staff such as the recorder teacher and the choral animateur to secure improvements in the achievement of pupils.

p.19

Accommodation

55. There have been substantial improvements to the accommodation since the last inspection. Major building works have provided an entrance hall, large hall/gymnasium and an additional classroom for the early years. The accommodation is adequate for the curriculum and the annexes in the older part of the building are used well as quiet areas and for the teaching of small groups. With the exception of the library and computer room, the school uses its accommodation well.

p.20

Accommodation

56. The quality of the learning environment in classrooms and around the school is good. Displays are colourful and attractive and provide an excellent stimulus to develop and extend learning. There is insufficient pupils’ writing displayed to raise its profile and help pupils understand what constitutes quality and what they must do to achieve the levels expected of them. The building is in good repair and very well maintained by the site manager and his staff. Outside space is adequate and is sufficient for pupils to play at break and lunchtimes. Some improvements to the outside environment have been made and more are planned.

p.20

Learning Resources

57. The school has targeted resourcing into literacy and numeracy and this provision supports the curriculum adequately. The good behaviour of pupils ensures that resources are handled sensibly and used well. Most co-ordinators have spent their allocations for resources wisely but there are insufficient resources for music, geography, design and technology, dance, team games and information communications technology. Improving standards in information technology was a key issue at the last inspection. The lack of resources in this area is not helping to raise achievement.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

58. In the context of the school’s strengths and in their work to raise standards and improve the quality of education the governors and staff of the school should address the following points for improvement in their action plan: The Good Shepherd Primary School - 21

p.20

school by;

• raising expectations of what the higher attaining pupils can achieve ( 4, 7, 20, 26, 79, 86, 88, 97)

p.21

school by;

• providing structured opportunities for pupils to improve their skills, particularly in writing across the curriculum and in information and communication technology ( 5, 79, 112, 116, 119,120,126,131)

p.21

school by;

• making greater use of the information gained from monitoring, assessment and target setting to inform planning and improve the impact of teaching ( 107, 119, 120, 121)

p.21

school by;

• using the analysis of testing and assessments to secure improvements and to evaluate regularly its effectiveness ( 14, 21, 25, 50)

p.21

school by;

• providing opportunities for pupils to develop their independence ( 16, 22, 80, 92, 100).

p.21

Ensure that pupils have their entitlement to information communication technology by;

• providing sufficient, regular opportunities for pupils to practise and develop a range of skills (107, 119, 120, 121, 122)

p.21

Ensure that pupils have their entitlement to information communication technology by;

• providing teachers with the necessary expertise and resources to provide the full breadth of study of the National Curriculum ( 49, 52, 123).

p.21

that strategic management and development planning focus on raising achievement by;

• ensuring that educational priorities are met and resourced ( 51, 52)

p.21

that strategic management and development planning focus on raising achievement by;

• providing high quality resources to support the curriculum ( 51, 101, 117, 123, 129, 133)

p.21

that strategic management and development planning focus on raising achievement by;

• establishing a less cautious view of what the school needs to retain as a contingency ( 51).

p.21

action plan. Measures should be considered to ensure that;

• wider opportunities are provided for pupils to engage in design and technology and physical education ( 12, 107, 130, 131).

p.21

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

59. There are currently sixty-six pupils in the school for whom English is an additional language and who are at the early stages of acquiring English. There are a total of nineteen languages represented within this group. Just under half of the school population is made up of either black The Good Shepherd Primary School - 22 Caribbean or black African pupils. The school supports these pupils successfully and the way in which cultural diversity is acknowledged, esteemed and embraced, provides a good model of social inclusion.

p.21

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

60. The school makes good use of the local education authority’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Service and has the services of two specialist teachers, equivalent to 0.3 full-time teaching posts. Provision for pupils learning English as an additional language is very good. Specialist teachers are deployed effectively to meet the needs of pupils at the very early stages of acquiring English.

p.22

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

61. The specialist teaching support they receive is of a high standard. Teaching is clearly focused, well planned, recorded and assessed. Sessions are well resourced with a good range of support materials that allows the teacher to build on classroom work during the withdrawal sessions. Work is carefully planned in collaboration with class teachers to ensure mutual reinforcement and consolidation of pupils’ learning. There is an adequate supply of bilingual texts, although the school acknowledges this needs improving further.

p.22

ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

62. The good relationships developed by specialist teachers with the pupils help to build confidence and raise self-esteem and thus promote progress. Pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress and their attainment compares favourably with other pupils, contributing to the standards achieved at the school.

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

The Good Shepherd Primary School - 23 Number of lessons observed 75

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

5 13 29 43 9 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 205

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 63

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4 42

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 66

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.23

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.23

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 24

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 14 15 29

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 14 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 15 13

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 97 90 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 13 13 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 13 15

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 97 90 100 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 6 16 22

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 4 5 6 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 11 10 16

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 68 68 100 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 4 5 5 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 7 11 11

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 32 Black – Caribbean heritage

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 26 Black – African heritage

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 12 Other minority ethnic groups

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 1998-99

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 462,485

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 2,213

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 111 Balance brought forward from previous year 106,939

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 126,556

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 32

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 33

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 52 20

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 38 30 2 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 37 29 3 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 19 5

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 12

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 51 18 1 1

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 39 27 6

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 59 13

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 25

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 23 5 4 5 The Good Shepherd Primary School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. Nursery provision goes from strength to strength. At the time of the last inspection it was judged to be good with children making a positive start to their education. It is now an example of very good practice. The teacher and nursery nurse have continued to provide a very good basis for the children’s entry into school. Teaching is always good and often excellent. Their planned approach to learning is through talk, enquiry and play. The well-planned curriculum covers all the areas of learning that children should experience and the quality of this provision is enhanced through distinctive and enriching experiences. The teacher and nursery nurse plan and work well together as a team. Both assess children’s attainment thoroughly and, following the recommendations in the previous report, use these observations to inform the next steps in teaching. The nursery staff are fully aware of the children’s learning needs and match the activities carefully to challenge them.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

For example, in an activity related to the topic on water where the children were exploring the change in texture of powdered materials when mixed with water, the teacher adapted the questions carefully to match the different levels of each child’s language and understanding.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. The nursery is over subscribed and where possible children are admitted to the nursery at the beginning of the first term after their third birthday. They are settled in quickly and attend initially on a part-time basis. Full-timers stay for lunch in the main hall, which eases their later transition to the main school. All children make good progress including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. Adults help them sensitively to acquire new words and to practise their use of language. This results in significant progress being made in a short space of time. The standard of attainment on entry to the nursery is below the national average. The attainment of pupils on entry to the reception class presents a similar picture to that found in the previous report. It is as expected nationally in English and is slightly higher than expected in mathematics with many pupils achieving levels above the average for their age. The

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

reception class teacher takes full advantage of this firm foundation for learning and builds on the pupils’ positive attitudes developed in the nursery.

p.27

Personal and social development

65. Personal and social development is a strength of the early years curriculum and is promoted across all the areas of learning. There is good provision for children to make choices, to learn through play and to take part in adult led activities. Self-confidence and respect for others and the environment are strongly fostered. Children behave well, know the routines and respond appropriately to adults and to the varied learning opportunities. They feel safe and secure in the indoor and outdoor environments. Practical activity is encouraged and the children learn through experimentation and first hand experiences throughout the day. Although most operate independently during activities, they are also happy in one another’s company. This is particularly noticeable during their carpet time when children are encouraged to sit together with the adults who lead them in purposeful discussion, story and song. This supportive ethos promotes self-esteem and happy, outgoing

p.27

Personal and social development

66. Home-school links are excellent and well established. The early morning shared reading time for children and parents continues and is an excellent example of the partnership between the parents and the school. The nursery staff have created a well organised, happy, learning environment, which fosters very good relationships and standards. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 28

p.27

Language and literacy

67. The quality of the language and literacy curriculum is rich and varied. The nursery places effective emphasis on developing children’s language and communication skills. Adults frequently engage children in conversation and discussion, both planned and spontaneous. This was observed to good effect in role play where the teaching focused sharply on developing appropriate vocabulary as, when washing dolls’ clothes, reasoning with the children why they should be rinsed and pegged on a line to dry. Children listen attentively and gain confidence by talking about their own experiences. They are increasingly able to communicate their ideas and feelings, particularly about the books they enjoy. Younger children are happy to discuss the pictures and story line and handle books with care. Older children recognise and write their own names and know many of the letters of the alphabet by shape and sound and can readily point to a few familiar words in their favourite books.

p.28

Language and literacy

The skills learned in literacy provide a good foundation for English in the National Curriculum.

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Mathematics

68. The nursery provides a very good foundation for the development of mathematics and, by the age of five, a significant number of children are attaining above the level expected nationally. All children enjoy working with numbers and are familiar with a range of action and number songs and rhymes, reinforcing their knowledge and understanding of number sequences. Most children recognise independently numbers up to ten and can place them in order on a number line. They can distinguish different patterns and can follow a sequence thereby developing a basic understanding of shape and space. Practical activities such as counting the spoonfuls of powder into pots are often used well to promote mathematical understanding in everyday situations.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

69. Children in the nursery are encouraged to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world and they learn a satisfactory range of early science, geography, history and technology. In response to the water topic, for example, children demonstrated an understanding of the effect that blowing bubbles had on the surface of the water. Children’s skills in cutting, sticking and exploring the qualities of different materials are developed through the different technology activities undertaken. Photographic evidence and the recording of their experiences through early writing and painting captured children’s enjoyment at making stir-fry and eating it using chopsticks! Their work on exploring patterns in sand, custard powder and flour were also particularly successful. Adults encourage children to have a sensitive awareness to living things and their environment. Children ask relevant questions and are keen to know the answers. Nevertheless the children’s skills in using

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

information technology are underdeveloped because of the minimal use of computers.

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Creative development

70. Creative development is very good with musical and artistic aspects being dealt with most successfully. An excellent range of experiences provide opportunities for children to listen, observe and use their imagination through art, craft, music, stories and imaginative play. The use of song to promote language development is exploited successfully and the contribution to children’s language growth is substantial. Role-play is developed well and provides children with a medium to express their ideas and feelings in creative and dramatic ways. Most children are confident when handling paint and malleable materials. They show developing control when producing carefully considered patterns. In a printmaking activity with the nursery nurse, a group of children were engrossed in the task of making patterns on paper using coloured bubbles. Adults provided the children with simple techniques to give them greater control over the materials they were using. Stimulating displays

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Creative development

cover the range of activities and their visual impact invites the children to respond. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 29

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Physical development

71. At the time of the last inspection the children were confident in their physical activity and this aspect continues to be promoted successfully. The outside play area, which adjoins the room, provides good opportunities for the use of the larger apparatus. Children can climb with confidence and are developing the skill of balance. They have a growing awareness of space and of each other and demonstrate an increasing level of control and co-ordination when practising their skills in running and jumping into hoops. They develop their fine motor skills well when using pencils and brushes and handle small equipment sensibly.

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ENGLISH

72. At the time of the 1997 inspection, English results at both key stages were at or above what was expected of pupils nationally. This remains a finding of this inspection report. The school has secured some improvements in this subject which is now well co-ordinated. The quality of teaching is improved and achievement in speaking and listening has improved at Key Stage 1 with inappropriate behaviour no longer a barrier to learning.

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ENGLISH

73. By the age of seven, attainment in English, when measured by the 1999 national tests, was well above national expectations. Standards were very high when compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. The school met its achievement target in 1999 with all pupils reaching the expected levels in reading and writing. The school is likely to meet its achievement target for 2000. These results were a significant improvement on the previous year’s results, especially in writing.

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ENGLISH

74. By the time they reach the age of eleven, attainment, when measured by the national tests in 1999, was below national expectations. However, standards were well above those of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. However, the percentage of pupils achieving the higher levels was well below the national average. The results for this key stage nevertheless show an annual improvement. The school reached its achievement target for 1999 and the indications are that it will do so again in 2000.

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ENGLISH

75. The attainment of pupils at the end of both key stages has been improved through additional support, focusing upon reinforcement and revision for the national tests.

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ENGLISH

76. Attainment upon entry to statutory schooling, as measured by baseline assessment, is in line with the borough average. Pupils in the current Year 2 class are attaining at the expected levels for their age, with some pupils attaining above the expected levels. The needs of the higher attaining pupils however, are not met consistently. With the exception of pupils in the middle of the key stage, pupils listen well to the teacher and each other and enjoy opportunities to express their ideas and present their work to their peers. They speak confidently and are developing a sense of audience. Pupils express an enjoyment of reading and are able, from the beginning of the key stage, to recognise single letters and some simple whole words. By the end of the key stage they develop a good phonetic knowledge and are able to decode accurately, use the pictures and knowledge of what they have read of the story to help them read new and unfamiliar words. The majority of

p.29

ENGLISH

pupils read fluently and expressively and can talk about and retell stories.

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ENGLISH

77. In the reception class pupils learn to shape letters and develop effective spelling strategies. Through the careful teaching of handwriting they learn to leave spaces between words. They are also developing knowledge of the use of capital letters and full stops. By the age of seven, pupils are beginning to join letters and are developing a clear style of writing. They are using their knowledge of spelling patterns to write words and can use simple dictionaries to support their spelling. They are able to retell stories showing a developing understanding of book conventions such as using The Good Shepherd Primary School - 30 large letters and words to denote emphasis. There is little evidence of pupils writing regularly sustained stories or practising their writing in other subjects of the curriculum to help them move to the higher levels. Most pupils make satisfactory progress although pupils in the middle of this key

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ENGLISH

stage do not make as much progress as they should. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, as do those supported through the Reading Recovery programme and Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant provision.

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ENGLISH

78. Pupils in the current Year 6 class are achieving the expected levels for their age, with some pupils attaining above this. The needs of the higher attaining pupils are not met consistently. Pupils in Key Stage 2 are confident speakers and are aware, when speaking to an audience such as when performing in school assemblies, of the need for clarity of speech and appropriate pace of reading and speaking. They listen actively to the teacher and each other and, when given the opportunity, engage in debate and discussion. The majority read with fluency and accuracy and are often able to read unfamiliar words with ease, although they do not always know their meaning. They are able to retell the story, express preferences and recognise the difference between types of text. They are less able to summarise the main points of a text, make deductions about sub-text or justify their opinions or viewpoints by referring back to the text. Most pupils express an enjoyment for reading

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ENGLISH

and indicate that they read at home. They are able to suggest what kind of reader they are and make simple suggestions on what they might do to improve. For example, ‘I’m an OK reader and I need to read more at home.’ Reading concentrates on the requirements for attaining the expected level and there is little evidence that teaching or target setting is moving pupils beyond this.

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ENGLISH

79. A similar picture emerges in writing. Pupils have opportunities to write letters, play scripts, pamphlets and poetry. They practise aspects of writing such as the development of character, direct speech and paragraphing, but have too few opportunities to pull this altogether into a piece of extended, sustained writing. They are able to edit their work, improving spelling, punctuation and grammar, which they do very well. They are less able to improve the quality of the writing in terms of clarity, consistency and style. Pupils towards the end of the key stage, for example, when looking at a piece of writing which did not make sense, suggested improvements only to spelling and punctuation. They made no attempt to correct the sense. There is also little evidence of pupils practising their writing in other subjects. Writing in the foundation subjects, for instance, is often work sheet based and mechanical, such as a comprehension or cloze procedure exercise. Pupils

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ENGLISH

make satisfactory progress in upper Key Stage 2 but pupils in the lower classes do not make as much progress as they should. The rate of progress for talented pupils is too slow. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make good progress because their specific needs are met through the extra support that they receive.

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ENGLISH

80. Pupils enjoy English lessons and reading is a source of pleasure to the majority. Behaviour and attitudes in lessons are at least satisfactory and often good. They listen and respond well in lessons and sustain their concentration throughout the lesson. They enjoy presenting their work and discussing their learning but many are too dependent upon the teacher and have not been encouraged to think for themselves and develop independent learning skills.

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ENGLISH

81. Teaching in English is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use the literacy hour well in both key stages to develop pupils’ knowledge of formal English, including grammar, spelling and punctuation. Pupils’ phonic knowledge and handwriting skills are carefully developed from the reception class and pupils achieve a good standard. Teachers model reading and writing, although sometimes the guided writing is too teacher-led and does not help pupils to develop independent writing skills. Teachers use questioning effectively to check knowledge and establish correct and subject specific vocabulary. Teaching is most effective when teachers use questioning to develop and extend pupils’ responses. Teachers’ planning sets out the objectives for learning and ensures an appropriate match of work for the lower attainers. However, planning does not take sufficient The Good Shepherd Primary School - 31

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ENGLISH

account of the needs of higher attaining pupils and there is a lack of challenge. The home school reading link in Key Stage 1 promotes a love of reading and the development of effective reading practices. Homework in Key Stage 2 is used well to support what pupils have learned in the classroom. Teachers deploy their support staff effectively to support lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. The work of the support assistants is good and makes a significant impact upon learning and progress. The teaching of the additional literacy support assistant is particularly effective. She is skilled in developing pupils’ self esteem through positive, focused feedback and encouraging the full participation of the group.

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ENGLISH

82. Teachers have begun to set targets for pupils in Key Stage 2 but this practice is still developing and the school acknowledges that it needs refining. Currently, teachers are not linking effectively teaching, marking and target setting as a strategy for raising achievement, nor are they sharing the targets with pupils. Marking is regular and positive and promotes progress through focused feedback to pupils. This is supported by individual conferencing with pupils. The conferencing, however, focuses on aspects of national testing and not sufficiently on the needs of the individual pupil. The intensive support that the school receives for literacy has helped effectively to implement the strategy, improve subject knowledge and improve the quality of teaching. This, in turn, has improved the progress and attainment of pupils in both reading and writing to acceptable levels. Insufficient teaching of process skills however, combined with insufficient opportunities to write in

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ENGLISH

other subjects have imposed a limit on attainment for eleven year-olds. The under use of information and communication technology to support and enhance the development of writing skills is also a factor in the inconsistency in rates of progress.

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ENGLISH

83. The school has purchased a substantial number of books and materials to support the National Literacy Strategy, and overall the school is adequately resourced. Each classroom has a reading area which provides a good range of fiction texts but the range and quality of the non-fiction texts is limited. The school has a small, central library which is under-resourced and is not used well by staff or pupils.

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ENGLISH

84. English, as a subject, is well managed. The co-ordinator has conscientiously and carefully used the financial resources available to provide high quality materials to support the literacy strategy. She has provided invaluable support and staff training. She has a clear picture of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses and plans to secure improvements.

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MATHEMATICS

85. At the time of the 1997 inspection the standards attained by pupils in mathematics in the end of Key Stage 1 national tests were broadly in line with national averages. This level has been maintained with standards being close to the national average in the 1999 tests. Ninety percent of pupils reached the expected level for their age, of which seventeen percent gained a higher level. Apart from the anticipated low results in 1998, Key Stage 1 has successfully maintained levels of attainment close to the national average. When comparing the performance of pupils here with those in schools with similar contexts, the results are above average.

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MATHEMATICS

86. The year on year national test results in mathematics for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 have been slightly more variable although, again, results are broadly similar, if a little lower, than those achieved in 1997. The 1999 results are close to the national average with sixty-eight percent reaching the national expectation of Level 4 although fewer talented pupils reached the higher Level 5 in relation to national figures. Conversely, when compared with schools with pupils of similar backgrounds results show the school is doing very well. 87. Entry assessments of five year olds show that their attainment in mathematics is above average and that, in the early part of Key Stage 1, the pupils are developing good skills in mathematics. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 32 However, many of the pupils in the middle of Key Stage 1 mark time and have weaker numeracy skills with only a basic understanding of mathematical vocabulary. The attainment of pupils

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MATHEMATICS

presently in Year 2 is in line with national averages and is just above national expectations in numeracy. The positive impact of the short oral and mental activities, at the beginning of lessons, is evident in pupils’ growing confidence and fluency in handling numbers. Most pupils add and subtract accurately numbers to twenty, using a range of appropriate strategies. They can explain how they arrived at the answers and have a very good grasp of what the digits represent in two and often three digit numbers. They can count and order numbers up to one hundred but cannot always apply this knowledge to real life situations. They are also less familiar with other aspects of mathematics including different measures and problem solving activities such as sorting shapes by reference to their properties.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Currently, at the end of Key Stage 2, the standards of attainment of most pupils in Year 6 are in line with national expectations, with a higher number of pupils above the expected level than last year. Pupils apply the four number operations with confidence, working with increasingly large numbers including negative numbers. They know the names of different angles and fractions of a right-angle turn and have grasped the concept of anti-clockwise to enhance location. They understand the geometric properties of different shapes and can use appropriate language to classify the shapes, for example, recognising those that have reflective symmetry. Higher attaining pupils are not yet able to work independently on problems that pose a challenge. Furthermore, pupils do not have enough experience of handling data across the key stage and little use is made of information communication technology for accurate recording. Therefore many pupils miss the

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MATHEMATICS

opportunity to present data in a variety of forms such as charts, tables and graphs.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Since the last inspection, good progress has been made in improving the provision for mathematics. The school has implemented successfully the national numeracy strategy and this is beginning to contribute to the pupils’ improving levels of attainment and the rate at which they learn. However, this is not yet always assured right across the school. By the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are making satisfactory progress and this is an improvement on the limited development of mathematical skills and understanding noted at the time of the last inspection. The learning needs of most pupils are met appropriately at the end of Key Stage 2 although the rate at which pupils learn is better in the older classes. The work of higher attaining pupils, particularly in Key Stage 2, is not always demanding enough. 90. Pupils with special educational needs are set work, which takes good account of their specific needs, ensuring that they make appropriate and, in the case of those given additional support in Key

p.32

MATHEMATICS

Stage 1, good progress against their individual education plans. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are supported very well and they, too, make good progress. Mathematics homework reinforces effectively what is learned in school.

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MATHEMATICS

91. Almost all teaching is at least satisfactory but there is scope for greater challenge. The most effective teaching, in the classes with the youngest and oldest pupils, is very good because teachers have good subject knowledge enabling them to stimulate and make demands on pupils to extend their learning at a brisk pace. Relationships in these classrooms provide a confident and positive atmosphere in which pupils flourish. The majority of teachers plan well and make good use of the numeracy framework to establish progression. Lessons have clearly defined learning objectives, which are shared with the pupils and referred to during plenary sessions to ensure that the intended learning has been understood. Marking is consistent and is effective in improving pupils’ work. The individual targets given to each pupil as a result of the assessments are beginning to ensure that progress is tracked, although there is still room for improvement. The most prevalent weakness in

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MATHEMATICS

teaching is the lack of independent, demanding, problem solving activities to challenge the higher attaining pupils. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 33 92. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are generally good and they enjoy the subject. The whole-class mental mathematics sessions are helping the pupils to become more confident with computation. Pupils listen and participate well in whole class introductions and questioning and they respond well to the activities set for them, generally taking a pride in their work. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and relate well to each other although there are limited opportunities for them to work collaboratively or on their own initiative.

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MATHEMATICS

93. The co-ordinator has ensured the effective implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. The subject is managed well and the staff development programme has been effective in preparing teachers for the challenges of the strategy. The school receives intensive numeracy support from the borough and this has helped raise the confidence of teachers in tackling classroom organisation. Focused monitoring by the co-ordinator has supported teachers in their teaching of the subject. Data analysis is undertaken but is not yet used rigorously to highlight strengths and areas for further improvement. The level of resourcing is good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. However, information communication technology is not used effectively to raise standards, largely because there are insufficient computers for pupils to use.

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SCIENCE

94. Standards have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with national averages by the end of both key stages. This is due to an improvement in the consistency and quality of teaching supported by the implementation of an improved scheme of work. There has also been a stronger emphasis on revision and preparing pupils for tests. The results for seven and eleven year-olds in the 1999 national tests were above the national average and well above those of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. Over the past four years the improvements made are in line with national trends. On the other hand, the results for pupils attaining higher levels were below national averages in the tests for seven and eleven year-olds.

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SCIENCE

95. Pupils currently in Year 2 have a sound foundation of knowledge and understanding across the science curriculum. They use correctly scientific vocabulary in their written work and orally. Reception pupils know that snails are living things and talk confidently about the different body parts and their function. Year 1 pupils know that there are different sources of sound and are beginning to understand how sounds travel. The standard attained in skills of scientific enquiry is less consistent. When given the opportunity, pupils measure accurately and can compare their results with each other. Most Year 2 pupils, for instance, carefully measured their hand spans in their study about similarities and differences in humans. Most pupils can record their work using tables and diagrams and structured frameworks provided by the teachers.

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SCIENCE

96. Most pupils in the current Year 6 have a good knowledge across all three areas of science. Year 3 pupils have a good understanding of the structure and functions of parts of plants. They know what conditions seeds will need to grow. Year 4 pupils know that there are a wide variety of insects and that these are, in turn, only one group of “minibeasts”. Year 5 pupils know that the rotation of the earth results in night and day and are beginning to understand how the tilt of the earth’s axis and pathway around the sun causes summer and winter. Standards in the range of enquiry skills are satisfactory overall. Pupils can make logical predictions based on their scientific knowledge and they follow instructions correctly. They are developing an understanding of the importance of fair testing but find difficulty in applying this to a real situation. Year 6 pupils could predict what kind of sugar would dissolve fastest using their understanding of what happens when a solid dissolves.

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SCIENCE

They found it more difficult to plan how they would test this. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 34 97. Progress is satisfactory overall in both key stages. Most pupils make good progress in the acquisition of knowledge. The pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language at an early stage of fluency make good progress overall because they are well supported by class teachers and support staff. The higher attaining pupils made sound progress in Years 2 and 6 due to targeted support. However, overall progress for this group of pupils is limited.

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SCIENCE

98. Pupils’ progress in the development of understanding and the range of enquiry skills is satisfactory but rates of progress are uneven across and within each key stage. This is a result of their previous limited experience of carrying out experimental work. Pupils can predict what might happen using secure scientific knowledge. They understand the idea of setting up a fair test but find it difficult to devise and implement such a test. Pupils’ scientific skills are hindered by their under-developed application of numeracy and information and communication technology.

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SCIENCE

99. Teaching has some good features and is satisfactory overall. An effective scheme of work and sound policy supports teachers’ planning, which is generally good. Learning objectives are clear and usually include the skills to be taught as well as the knowledge to be imparted. There is a strong and appropriate focus on teaching pupils to use the correct vocabulary. For example, Year 4 pupils were encouraged to explain that a habitat is not just the place that an animal lives but is the “natural” place. Lessons are well structured and teachers use questioning effectively to gauge pupils’ understanding. The lesson with a small group of Year 1 pupils using the materials from the Key Stage 1 Cognitive Acceleration in Science Education (CASE) project was effective because teaching was well supported by the precise aims and guidance for questioning pupils. Pupils’ work is marked regularly and consistently. Some guidance is given on how pupils might improve their

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SCIENCE

work although this is not always linked to the target setting process. Where teaching is very good, pupils have been given more opportunities to develop skills of independence, by using, for example the teaching expertise of a local secondary school. The predominant weaknesses in science teaching are linked to the low level of challenge for the higher attaining pupils and tasks which are often too teacher directed and supervised. Few opportunities are provided for pupils to have hands-on experiences and to work independently. This limits progress in understanding and skills. More use needs to be made of numeracy and information and communication technology.

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SCIENCE

100. Pupils enjoy practical work and are eager to contribute to class discussions. They work well together and share resources when given the opportunity. Behaviour in lessons is good and pupils are generally attentive. Those pupils in the reception class showed a high level of concentration and sense of wonder when observing snails. In the only lesson where behaviour was unsatisfactory, this was linked to inappropriate activities which did not engage the pupils. Year 6 pupils were delighted to be called “good scientists” and thrilled to be going to use secondary school science equipment in a laboratory. However, most pupils generally lack confidence in using equipment and solving problems.

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SCIENCE

101. Effective management and leadership has ensured that teachers’ expertise in assessing pupils’ work is better than that found at the time of the last inspection. However, more use needs to be made of day-to-day assessment to plan for meeting the needs of all pupils, especially the higher attainers. Resources for pupils to develop their scientific skills are inadequate.

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ART

102. Art was identified as a key issue for action in the 1997 inspection report and focused development since then has improved significantly the quality of provision and the standards achieved. So much so that display is now a strength of the school. The last report indicated that the pupils’ attainment in art in Key Stages 1 and 2 was below that expected for their age. Currently, pupils’ attainment is in line with that found nationally for both key stages. Most pupils can demonstrate the knowledge, skills and understanding expected of them when they reach seven and eleven years old. Little direct The Good Shepherd Primary School - 35 observation of teaching of art took place during this inspection. Evidence was gained therefore, from a variety of sources including interviewing the co-ordinator, the teachers’ planning, discussing and viewing pupils’ work in the classrooms and throughout the school.

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ART

103. The good progress made in the early years is consolidated across both key stages. Evidence of pupils’ progress can be seen in the stimulating displays, photographic evidence and in pieces of finished work. These reflect the pupils’ developing maturity and demonstrate their increasing ability to use a widening range of materials and techniques not found at the time of the last inspection. For example, the work on interpreting Rousseau’s famous painting of tigers in a tropical storm is particularly impressive and covers a wide range of media. Greater attention is paid to providing varied opportunities for pupils to explore and learn about the elements of art that promote skills development. Pupils use this in their own work although they still exercise little choice over the medium to be used in their interpretations. To some extent, the curriculum still lacks the planned opportunities for more independent work in exploring and researching.

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ART

104. Pupils respond positively and most express their ideas with growing confidence. However, opportunities to experience clay and three-dimensional work are limited. The quality of teaching in the few lessons seen was satisfactory and in one, very good. Here, subject knowledge and high expectations ensured the lesson met its objectives. Pupils are encouraged to look critically and empathetically at World War 2 photographs and appraise the emotions represented in the faces of those at war. Close observational drawings were produced of their partners’ facial expressions depicting fear and sadness. All lessons are well planned highlighting careful preparation. Visiting artists enhance the provision further and good use is made of support staff in ensuring that these sessions move at an appropriate pace.

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ART

105. An experienced teacher, who has relevant subject knowledge and enthusiasm to support less confident colleagues, manages the subject very well. Effective leadership has been instrumental in driving up standards across the school. Art activities are planned carefully to support the work in other subjects and the cross-curricular work linking art and history is particularly successful. Little evidence exists, however, of teachers assessing the quality of the finished pieces and refining the technical competencies of the pupils. There is useful documentation and adequate resources to support the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. Only one design technology lesson was seen during the inspection. Judgements are made on the basis of evidence from pupils’ previous work, displays, teachers’ plans and discussion with teachers and pupils.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. Standards attained by seven and eleven year-olds are below those expected for pupils of their age. Whilst there have been minor improvements since the last inspection, most noticeably a wider range of materials are being used, development has been slow. There are pockets of good practice, for example, Year 2 pupils designed and made sandwiches using their knowledge of healthy diets. In the reception class pupils used their knowledge of materials well to decide which were suitable for building houses for the “Three Little Pigs” but these are the exceptions rather than the norm. The quality of the few pieces of finished work is of a satisfactory standard but the results are often too teacher controlled. For example, older pupils made attractive collages using paper to illustrate a Roman aquaduct but there was little opportunity to design or evaluate the finished pieces. Progress is unsatisfactory because pupils are given insufficient planned opportunities to work to the required

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

depth and develop their problem solving skills. They have little experience of using tools other than The Good Shepherd Primary School - 36 scissors and cooking equipment. Pupils’ understanding of how things work is limited. Their numeracy and information and communication technology skills are also under-utilised.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. The limited teaching seen was good. In the lesson seen, reception pupils were encouraged to think about what particular properties of a material make it suitable for building a house. Learning objectives were clear and pupils were enabled by good questioning to evaluate the effectiveness of the houses they had constructed from wooden blocks. Pupils with special educational needs were well supported by effective use of classroom support staff. Generally, pupils have positive attitudes to their work and share resources and ideas well. However, they have too few opportunities to develop the full range of skills and work independently.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. The scheme of work is at an early stage of implementation. Daily and half-termly planning is generally satisfactory but the impact of the newly adopted scheme of work on pupils’ attainment and progress is not yet evident. There is no policy and the headteacher is currently acting as co- ordinator. Resources are inadequate for pupils to experience the breadth of study of the design and technology curriculum. Teachers have insufficient guidance to help them assess accurately the quality of pupils work.

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GEOGRAPHY

110. No teaching of geography was observed during the inspection. Judgements are made on the basis of evidence from pupils’ previous work, displays, teachers’ plans and discussions.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. By the ages of seven and eleven, pupils are attaining satisfactory standards. The provision of a scheme of work and more effective co-ordination have ensured that improvements have been made since the last inspection. Pupils have studied topics such as rivers and settlements, the changes in rural and urban environments, land use and climates. There is little recorded evidence other than work sheets. However, by the ages of seven and eleven pupils know geographical facts and are secure in reading and understanding maps. They have developed knowledge of their own and other environments and can begin to distinguish the important features. They have developed some geographical vocabulary, but this is not well developed. The systematic development of geographical skills is not secure and rates of pupils’ progress are uneven.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Teachers’ planning is linked to the scheme of work and specifies clear learning intentions and the teaching of appropriate and relevant vocabulary. Teaching, however, focuses on the transmission of content rather than the development of skills and techniques. This inhibits pupils’ ability to reflect upon their learning and become independent learners.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. The co-ordinator has raised the profile of the subject and has provided reasonable information to support teaching. She has monitored planning to ensure that the scheme is implemented consistently. There are adequate resources for map work but overall resources are inadequate to support the curriculum and promote the skills of geographical enquiry.

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HISTORY

114. Pupils are achieving the standards expected of them by the ages of seven and eleven. The younger pupils develop an understanding of chronology by reflecting on their own experiences of growing up and through the study of famous people, such as Queen Elizabeth the First, and historical events such as the first moon landing. They gain a basic understanding of the differences in the way people lived through looking at Victorian costume and comparing events such as Victorians visiting the seaside with their own experiences. By the age of eleven, pupils have a clear understanding of time through their study of the Tudors, Victorians, Romans and Greeks. They develop ideas about what The Good Shepherd Primary School - 37 it was like to live in the past through the content of the curriculum and the majority has a very good recall of historical facts. Opportunities to investigate history through artefacts and other sources

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HISTORY

are however, insufficient. As a result pupils are not developing their skills of historical enquiry. This is impeding their progress across the year groups. Although historical texts are used within the literacy hour, writing is not used to extend their understanding nor practise their writing skills.

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HISTORY

115. Pupils have a positive attitude to history. They respond to teachers’ questioning quickly and appropriately and work independently and collaboratively on tasks. The listen well and settle quickly to the task, sustaining concentration throughout the lesson. They are, however, often passive and are given few opportunities to actively participate in discussion or undertake independent research.

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HISTORY

116. Improvements to teaching have been made since the last inspection. Teachers now have good subject knowledge and teaching effectively promotes pupils’ knowledge of historical facts. Planning is good and linked to the scheme of work. Lessons are well managed and proceed with good pace. Teachers use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and support them appropriately during the task. However, teaching is less effective when the lessons planned require enquiry skills that pupils have not yet mastered. Imprecise teaching and inappropriate tasks do not help develop historical understanding. Whilst most pupils are able to determine facts, they are unable to draw conclusions.

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HISTORY

117. The subject is supported by trips to museums and places of interest. The co-ordinator has improved the provision and has a clear picture of strengths and weaknesses in relation to the subject. The level of resourcing is just satisfactory but lacks sufficient artefacts and resource materials to encourage and promote pupils’ skills in historical enquiry.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

118. Three lessons were seen during the inspection. Judgements are made on the basis of evidence from pupils’ previous work, displays, teachers’ plans and discussion with teachers and pupils.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

119. The standards attained by seven year-olds are below the national expectation for their age. Standards attained by eleven year-olds are well below average. In Years 4 and 5 standards are higher but still below the expectations for the pupils’ ages. Since the last inspection, pupils have been using a wider range of resources including roamers and CD-Roms. Pupils have a clearer idea of how computers can help them. However, their ideas are still limited by the slow progress they make in their development of skills. Standards remain below average because of inadequate resources, infrequent opportunities to use information and communication technology in other subjects and some weaknesses in teachers’ expertise.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

120. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can word process simple sentences with adult help. Most pupils can use the keyboard and its functions for capital letters, full stops and spaces. They are beginning to use the return key to set out their poems in the appropriate format. Reception pupils have used a roamer to show the shape and dimensions of the classroom. Year 1 pupils have word processing skills of a similar standard to those in Year 2. Overall, progress is unsatisfactory and uneven. Pupils do not make the gains they should. There was no evidence of pupils using any graphics packages or any programs to support numeracy.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

121. As they progress through the school, pupils develop their skills in a wider range of applications but progress remains too slow and inconsistent. Word processing skills are limited to basic editing. Pupils’ skill in using a mouse is very variable and generally underdeveloped. By the end of Key The Good Shepherd Primary School - 38 Stage 2 the most competent pupils can load CD-Roms and follow on-screen instructions but they do not have a secure understanding of the importance of selecting information and using it to further their studies. For example, Year 6 pupils were studying the 1930s for a history project and, whilst they found this interesting, they did not know what to do with the information they had found out. Conversely, Year 4 pupils have made good progress in their use of databases. Here the higher attaining pupils had a good understanding of how the graphics package could help them to analyse

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

and present data. They could select the correct program and use it with little adult help. Year 5 pupils also have a more secure understanding of the correct terminology for using databases to record data.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

122. When given the opportunity, pupils enjoy using computers. They share well with each other and treat resources carefully. Most pupils lack confidence and are unwilling to try to solve problems independently of the teacher. Teaching in the few lessons seen was satisfactory or better. Tasks were appropriate and carefully explained and introduced to the whole class. While small groups of pupils took turns to use the computers the rest of the class carried out related, similar activities. However, although the daily and half termly planning is sound, pupils have not been given sufficient opportunities to reach the required standard. Teachers and classroom support staff have had some training this year but the level of teacher confidence is still variable and some still need more guidance for managing pupils’ learning to increase the rate of progress.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

123. The co-ordinator carried out an audit of pupil attainment at the start of the school year and clearly understands that standards are too low. She has identified staff training as a priority for action. Teachers’ plans are now monitored and resourcing is slowly improving. However, the action taken since the last inspection has been too slow. There were difficulties with the reliability and quality of hardware but the school did not make sufficient use of available funding early enough. The current resources are of an appropriate quality but insufficient for use across the curriculum. The school has identified rightly, in next year’s school development plan, the need for the subject to be developed and provision improved. Nevertheless, the weaknesses in this area still restrict pupils’ learning entitlement.

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MUSIC

124. Music lessons were observed in reception, taken by the class teacher. A visiting singing teacher, a choral animateur, working for the borough took lessons for all other year groups.

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MUSIC

125. The overall standards achieved by seven and eleven year-olds are satisfactory and in line with those expected for pupils of their age. The standards achieved in singing are very good. Pupils sing tunefully with good attention to pitch, tone and dynamics. They show a good understanding of phrasing and have been taught to produce quality sound, well. Pupils in both key stages are able to sing in unison, both accompanied and unaccompanied and in two parts. By the age of eleven they are able to sing a medley of tunes in three parts, sometimes with a descant. Pupils know a large repertoire of songs and are skilled in listening to both words and melody. For example, Year 6 pupils learning an African song for the first time picked it up very quickly and were able to sing it successfully in a very short time. Pupils in reception develop skills in rhythm and dynamics and in handling untuned instruments.

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MUSIC

126. The performance skills using tuned and untuned instruments are not as good. By the age of eleven, pupils are able to keep a simple beat to accompany songs and handle the instruments correctly. They accompany sensitively, paying attention to loudness and softness. They are taught to play the recorder by a visiting tutor and are able to read musical notation, follow the score and interpret it musically. Pupils’ achievement in composing and appraising is just satisfactory. It is not as good as The Good Shepherd Primary School - 39 it could be, considering pupils’ obvious enjoyment of music, their excellent listening and singing skills and the number who can read music because of recorder lessons. The school gives these elements insufficient attention. For example, throughout the week, music was played for entering and leaving assembly but no reference was made to it either to highlight the composer or to raise

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MUSIC

127. Pupils enjoy music and participate sensibly and enthusiastically. Pupils of all ages are well motivated, interested and responsive. They listen well and are keen to improve their performance. Recorder players in Key Stage 2, for example, were able to identify where improvements could be made to their playing and persevered in attempting to achieve them. Each pupil’s attitude and response to music has a positive and significant effect on the progress made.

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MUSIC

128. The teaching of music in reception is good. Careful planning and high expectations ensure that good foundations in listening and performing are established. The quality of teaching by the specialist teachers is consistently good and sometimes excellent. The recorder tutor effectively teaches the rudiments of notation and rhythm and encourages pupils to evaluate the quality of their performance and to consider the way in which certain pieces need to be played. She also instils an enjoyment in music making and performance. The teaching of the choral animateur is very well structured to ensure a progression in singing skills, with each song or activity within the song systematically building in degrees of difficulty. Her enthusiasm for singing is communicated effectively to pupils. High expectations and brisk pace promote a pupil response that enables good or very good progress to be made during lessons.

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MUSIC

129. The subject is currently managed by the headteacher. Although a new music scheme has been implemented for classroom teaching, it has not been in place long enough to have an effect upon standards, particularly in composing and appraising. There are insufficient, untuned percussion instruments and unsatisfactory resourcing for tuned and pitched instruments. This gap was indicated in the previous inspection report. The provision of tapes and compact discs and the machines on which to play them is also unsatisfactory. This affects the school’s ability to develop pupils’ skills in listening to, and appraising, music.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. Pupils’ standards of attainment in physical education are below those expected for their ages at both key stages. The satisfactory standards, found in Key Stage 2, at the time of the last inspection have not been maintained. Pupils regularly participate in games but there are fewer opportunities to experience movement and physical activity through gymnastics and dance. Pupils’ attainment in swimming is satisfactory with the majority of pupils being able swimmers by the time they leave school. At present pupils in Year 3 attend the local pool on a weekly basis.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Across both key stages pupils do not make the progress expected in physical education. This is due to a lack of teacher confidence and expertise in introducing pupils to the wider physical education curriculum as well as a limited focus on developing the basic skills required to improve pupils’ performance in gym and through dance. In Key Stage 1, most pupils demonstrate basic actions of travel and they talk about linking actions together but few understand the concept of a sequence of movements. They can demonstrate their basic ball skills but have little co-ordination. In Key Stage 2, pupils show a growing awareness of others when working in groups although they are not always as tolerant with each other as they should be when using apparatus. Older pupils do not always understand how to use equipment sensibly and safely. When given the opportunity most pupils of all ages work with enjoyment. Older pupils recognise the value and importance of exercise

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

in their lives although there are limited activities to test their understanding. The Good Shepherd Primary School - 40 132. The quality of teaching in physical education is varied but is unsatisfactory overall. Where it is effective, particularly in swimming when qualified instructors are taking sessions, there are clear learning objectives and appropriate activities involve the pupils. However, class teachers’ limited knowledge and understanding of the subject result in tasks that rarely challenge the abilities of the class. Some teachers use demonstration to influence the quality of performances but the opportunities for pupils to evaluate and assess their own movement and that of others are not developed sufficiently throughout the school. There is a strong emphasis on safe practice and consequently sessions are heavily teacher directed, often at the expense of purposeful activity.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. Currently there is no co-ordinator to manage and monitor the subject effectively although it is understood an appointment has been made for September 2000. Resources are satisfactory for gymnastics but rarely used. Equipment to support games and dance is unsatisfactory. The school takes part in the local football competition and occasional, qualified visitors develop pupils’ understanding of rugby and football skills. Regular extra-curricular activities are limited to the football club on one evening a week.

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