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Offham Primary School

Inspected — · published 5 Oct 2001 · URN 118308

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  • URN verified

    118308

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Praiseexcellenteffectivelyvery effectiveimprovedstrengthsvery wellvery higheffective
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  • What needs to improve1879w−13

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Full report text

OFFHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 5 th June 2001

p.1

OFFHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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.

p.1

OFFHAM PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Road Offham West Malling Kent

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Martyn Begbey

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

p.3

Team members

17976 Mr John Francis Registered inspector 1305 Mr Brian Rance Lay inspector 4099 Mr Rod Braithwaite Team inspector

p.4

Team members

Evenlode Associates Limited 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

p.4

Team members

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

p.4

Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Offham Primary School - 5

p.4

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Offham Primary School is a one-form entry primary with 171 pupils on roll, including thirty children in the Foundation Stage. There are more girls (98) than boys (73). This is fairly evenly balanced, except for Year 3, where there are ten boys and 18 girls, and Year 6 with five boys and 16 girls. The school has taken in many more pupils than have left the school over the last year. The area is generally one of higher than average income, with mainly owner-occupied housing. The proportion of pupils eligible for a free school meal is below the national average. Pupils’ attainment on entry is above average. The percentage of pupils on the register of special educational needs is above the national average. Most of these have moderate learning difficulties or speech and communication difficulties. Three pupils have statements of special educational needs, which is also above the national average. There are no pupils from minority ethnic

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

groups. There have been a number of changes since the previous inspection with the school growing by another two classes, from five to seven, taking the school population from 114 to 171, with the attendant pressures on accommodation. There has also been a significant change over in staff over the last two years with four new teachers joining the school.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Offham Primary School is a good and improving school with many strengths. Standards in most subjects are rising or being maintained at a high level through good quality teaching. The school is well led by the headteacher, and the governing body provide effective and knowledgeable support. There is a clear commitment to continuing improvement. The school provides sound value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• Standards in English and Mathematics are high, particularly at the end of Key Stage 2; • The quality of teaching and learning is good; • The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good; • The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body; • Relationships throughout the school are very good, pupils have very good attitudes to their work and behave very well; • The school and parents work well together.

p.6

What could be improved

• Standards in science, particularly investigative and experimental science, and information and communication technology; • The role of the co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating the work in their subjects; • The use of assessment to plan work that more accurately matches pupils’ prior attainment; • The provision for the highest attaining pupils. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since it was last inspected in March 1997, the school has grown considerably with significant changes in the number of pupils and staff. Nevertheless, most of the action points from the previous inspection have been addressed well, and the school continues to develop and is well placed to continue to improve. There has been a great improvement in the provision for children in the reception class. There are some issues that are still being developed and because of staff changes, progress has not been as rapid as it might have been, for example, the development of information and communication technology, some aspects of assessment, and the provision for the highest attaining pupils. These require further work. The greatest improvement is in the quality of teaching, which has resulted in improvements to standards in English in particular. Attainment in the core subjects of English and mathematics has improved in line with the

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

school’s own targets. In science, however, standards have declined. Offham Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

p.7

schools

1998 1999 2000 2000 English C A A* A* Very high well above average A* A mathematics A A A B above average average B C science A B D E below average well below average D E

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schools

At the end of Key Stage 2, standards of attainment in mathematics are above average, and in English are very high: in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Standards in English have continued to improve year-on-year. Work in pupils’ books shows consistent improvement and good progress over time. When the trend is compared with all schools, Offham has improved at a faster rate than schools nationally. Standards in science, however, have failed to match the levels of the other two core subjects and have declined significantly over the last two years. This is mainly due to insufficient emphasis on teaching pupils the skills they need through investigative and experimental science. Seven-year-olds attain average standards in writing, and above, and well above average standards in reading and mathematics. Very high standards are seen in the Reception class, where children attain well above the levels expected for entry into compulsory

p.7

schools

Standards in information and communication technology remain below the level expected for pupils of 11 years of age. However, the provision of a new computer suite will improve the facilities significantly and provide the school with the means of addressing many of the issues around the development of pupils’ skills in information and communication technology.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school and work. They are keen to learn and enjoy all aspects of school life. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons and around school is very good and often excellent. Pupils are unfailingly polite to visitors and behave well even when not directly supervised. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is very good. Pupils play and work well together and teachers encourage this through group work in lessons. Older pupils carry out any responsibilities well. Attendance Attendance is well above the national average. However, there are a significant number of pupils arriving late in the morning. These pupils often miss vital parts of the introductions to lessons and disrupt the education of those already there.

p.7

Aspect Comment

All of these remain strengths of the school and have been successfully maintained, and in some instances improved on, since the previous inspection. Offham Primary School - 8

p.7

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

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

p.8

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

No unsatisfactory teaching was observed and seven out of ten lessons were of good or very good quality: one lesson in the Reception class was of excellent quality. Here, the activities were carefully chosen and planning linked together all of the areas of learning: very effective questioning helped these children to develop their language skills. Good teaching is seen in all year groups in the school; however, the most consistently good teaching is seen in Reception and the Key Stage 2 classes (7 - 11 year olds). The teaching of English in literacy lessons, and mathematics in numeracy lessons, is of consistently good quality, and accounts for the improvement seen in standards. Pupils are keen to be involved, and during oral sessions in mathematics answer quickly and accurately. Teachers are clear about what they want from the lesson and share these objectives with the pupils. Teachers’ planning generally caters successfully for

p.8

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

the range of attainment in the classes. Where further development is needed is in targeting the highest attaining pupils to stretch them appropriately; this is not consistent throughout the school, and particularly in Year 2. However, in Year 6, very good provision was made for these pupils during a mathematics lesson. While teaching in science is sound, and good examples of experimental science were seen, teachers need to take more opportunities to develop pupils’ investigative skills.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and relevant and caters for all pupils. There is a good range of extracurricular activities, and educational visits and visitors to school enrich pupils’ education. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory and the additional support helps these pupils make appropriate progress. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is very good, and an improvement on the judgement given in the previous inspection. Good quality assemblies reinforce the development of pupils’ spiritual and moral development. In a school with no minority ethnic families, the school makes appropriate provision to give pupils an awareness of the diversity of cultures and religions found in Britain today. How well the school cares for its pupils

p.8

Aspect Comment

A caring ethos that includes all pupils is evident throughout the school. Pupils are well known to teachers, who provide a good role model for pupils in their manner and approach. The values of care and friendship are clearly evident. An area of weakness that remains is in the use of assessment by some teachers for planning future work.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The school works well with parents. Parents welcome the school’s approach to developing pupils as responsible members of the school’s society and see it as a positive strategy. Offham Primary School - 9 HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is well led by the headteacher with the support of the senior staff and is responsible for the very good ethos and direction to the work of the school. The many changes to staffing over the last few years have been well managed. Teaching, planning and pupils’ attainment are all regularly monitored. While the role of the co-ordinators is being developed, many are new to this and further work is needed to improve their skills. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is very knowledgeable, actively involved and clear in their priorities for the school. There are detailed and effective systems for monitoring, reporting on and evaluating the work of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance There are generally good systems in place for monitoring the work of the school through analysis of test results and classroom visits. Co-ordinators

p.9

Aspect Comment

have a clear view of what is needed to develop their subjects. However, there are few opportunities at present for them to follow these through effectively. The strategic use of resources The school’s budget is managed efficiently by the headteacher, the school’s finance officer. The governors’ finance committee has a very clear strategic view on the schools’ priorities for development. Parents make significant contributions to the school’s finances and these are used well.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The monitoring of teaching is effective, and assessment data is analysed to guide the work of the school. The work of the co-ordinators is developing but regular monitoring of pupils’ work needs greater rigour to ensure continued improvement. Careful consideration is given to all major spending decisions to ensure the school gets best value for money.

p.9

improved

• The standards the school achieves; • The good behaviour and attitudes of the children; • The caring nature of the school; • The good communications between school and home; • The improvement in the physical structures of the school. • Homework; particularly the demands made by projects; • The work for the highest attaining pupils; • The stability of the teaching staff

p.9

improved

The inspection findings support the positive views of the parents. The inspection team considers that in general, homework is appropriate, but recognises that many parents feel that projects, while not compulsory, place too much pressure on pupils to complete them. The provision for the highest attaining pupils, while improved since the previous inspection, is an area the school has still to address fully. While parents are rightly concerned about changes to teaching staff, and the impact this has on any school, these are often factors beyond the control of the school and the inspection team is not able to give an opinion on this. Offham Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards in English and Mathematics are high, particularly at the end of Key Stage 2

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. In English, test results for 11 year-olds over the last four years have shown a steady and consistent improvement from well below average in 1997 to very high attainment in 2000. These results put the school in the top five percent of all schools and have improved at a faster rate than schools nationally. Standards by the age of seven have remained high in reading, but have declined in writing from being well above average in 1998 to a level that is only in line with the national average for pupils of this age. When these results are compared with pupils in similar schools the picture is even poorer, with standards in writing being well below the average. However, the school recognises this and has put a programme in place to address these weaknesses through better planning. This is beginning to raise standards.

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are very good. Pupils have a wide vocabulary and teachers develop this through good questioning and an insistence on extended answers. This is seen very effectively at the earliest age where children in the Reception class showed a real keenness to be involved and answer questions during a science lesson. Most pupils throughout the school answer questions or offer comments during lessons and listen carefully to the answers of others. This is all part of the very good relationships and consideration for others that are seen throughout the school. Pupils feel confident about offering answers and opinions.

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Pupils enjoy reading and read well. They are developing a critical appreciation of a range of books, and work in literacy lessons is developing these skills well. In a lesson in Year 6 on different forms of poetry, pupils were able to recognise the pattern of rhyme and describe this in correct language, for example, ‘rhyming couplets’. Their understanding of the terms ‘simile’ and ‘personification’ was clearly shown in the examples they gave. Pupils have the skills needed to make the most of their reading and older pupils use these effectively for research in other subjects of the curriculum.

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The school has already identified writing as an area of relative weakness, and has developed a programme to remedy this. This is improving pupils’ attainment and progress. Work in Year 5 on persuasive writing, for example, showed how much progress they have made. Their work on identifying factors such as ‘ consequences’, ‘alternatives’, and ‘ specific examples ’ was at a higher level than would be expected for pupils of this age. Handwriting and presentation is at a uniformly high level, books are well presented and pupils take obvious care and pride in their work.

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Attainment in mathematics has been at a high level over the last three years for both seven and 11 year-old pupils. Work throughout the school shows how this is being maintained. Teachers’ good knowledge of the National Numeracy Strategy enables them to make appropriate demand on most pupils. In Year 6, higher attaining pupils calculated and drew co-ordinates using positive and negative numbers was at the level expected of pupils at least a year older. They were familiar with terms such as ‘ translation ’ and ‘congruent ’ and used these accurately when describing their work. Pupils in Year 1 showed good skills and knowledge when calculating by using ‘ near doubles ’ to work out answers quickly. The teacher built on this during the practical part of the lesson where pupils were measuring the capacity of plastic bottles using non-standard units. Having worked out how many cups it would take to fill a one-litre bottle, they then had to work out what

p.10

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Offham Primary School - 11 would be needed to fill a two-litre bottle. For the highest attainers this was extended to calculate the number needed to fill a ten-litre container. Those groups working on their own demonstrated the good relationships that can be seen throughout the school in the way they shared equipment and helped each other.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching and learning is good

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. There have been significant improvements in the quality of teaching since the time of the previous inspection. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed, and seven out of ten lessons were good, very good, or occasionally excellent. Good quality teaching was seen in all classes, although the most consistently good teaching was seen in the Reception class and in Key Stage 2 (7 - 11 year-olds). The newly qualified teachers demonstrated consistently good skills at a level that belied their inexperience.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Teaching in English and mathematics is generally good and results in the consistently high standards seen in these subjects. The way teachers involve pupils during the oral part of the mathematics lesson generates great enthusiasm and pupils respond keenly with generally quick and accurate answers. Their answers are generally quick and accurate. In literacy, pupils are taught not only the basic skills, but also how they can apply these across a range of subjects. Teachers are skilful at asking the sort of questions during lesson introductions and in the plenary session at the end of the lesson that will give them a clear picture of pupils’ level of understanding. Teachers are careful to use accurate technical vocabulary and expected pupils to respond in the same terms, as in the English lesson on poetry in Year 5, or the Year 6 mathematics lesson on co-ordinates.

p.11

WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Teachers prepare their lessons thoroughly, and are skilful at identifying clear learning intentions. These are shared regularly with the pupils to give them an understanding of why they are learning these things. Lessons have a brisk pace, which maintains pupils’ interest. A good feature of many lessons is where teachers organise pupils into groups, not only in English and mathematics, but other subjects. This is a successful way of providing well for pupils of all abilities, although not yet always stretching the very highest attainers. However, in Year 6, very good provision was made for these pupils during a mathematics lesson. While teaching in science is sound, and good examples of experimental science were seen, teachers take insufficient opportunities to develop pupils’ investigative skills. Learning support assistants and additional support services are used effectively and work well with the teachers.

p.11

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good

9. This is a significant improvement on the judgements at the time of the previous inspection when the organisation was judged to be weak and the work undemanding. The Reception class teacher is very knowledgeable about the needs of children of this age and prepares a wide range of well-planned activities to develop children’s learning, independence and social skills. The teacher’s expectations of the children are high and work is demanding, often exceeding what is expected for children of this age and much more in line with the attainment of pupils well through Year 1.

p.11

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good

10. To check on what children already know, the teacher used a question and answer session at the opening of the lesson very effectively. The activities planned built on this, and the plenary session at the end of the lesson was used very effectively to check on the gains children have made in their knowledge and understanding. Throughout all activities, the adults constantly seek to enrich children’s vocabulary and improve their speaking and Offham Primary School - 12 listening skills. For example, a discussion about the weather was used well to improve pupils’ speaking skills through the teacher modelling answers for them.

p.11

The provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good

11. All activities are designed to make maximum use of teaching and learning time. Registration time is used very effectively to reinforce good attitudes, and develop children’s mathematical skills through counting in ones, two’s and tens. The introduction to the science lesson also made very effective links with literacy through reading, speaking and listening. The story was chosen well to illustrate the life cycle of a plant, and the teacher’s good questioning skills encouraged children to give extended answers. Attainment was high and through this success, children become enthusiastic learners at an early age.

p.12

The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body

12. The long-serving headteacher has a very good knowledge of the school, and is responsible for the very good ethos and the focus on standards. While there is no deputy headteacher, the senior management team is effective. They analyse test results and performance data well to evaluate strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. Teaching and learning are monitored regularly, and the information from this is used well to bring about improvements to the quality of teaching and standards of work. The governing body is very well informed and have their finger on the pulse of the school. They have good systems for monitoring the work of the school and their committees are very effective in their role. Through their knowledge and drive they have worked with the headteacher to bring about many of the improvements to the fabric of the school. Long-term strategic planning is a strength of the school’s leadership.

p.12

The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body

Relationships throughout the school are very good, pupils have very good attitudes to their work and behave very well

p.12

The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body

13. The very positive attitude of the pupils comes through in all aspects of their work in school. There is a well-defined ethos that underpins all of the work of the school. The expectations for good behaviour are the same from Reception to Year 6, and pupils rise to this. Behaviour is very good in lessons, around school and at break times. Pupils relate well to each other and are unfailingly polite, not only to adults but to each other, for example, pupils in Year 1 sharing equipment and asking if one would “ pass my pencil, please ”. Teachers encourage this and build well on it through the group work in lessons. The inspection certainly confirms parents’ views that pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good.

p.12

The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body

The school and parents work well together

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The school is well led by the headteacher and the governing body

14. Parents are very supportive of the school: it is seen as “the jewel in the village’s crown” . Along with the assistance given by the Parent Teacher Association much has been achieved, particularly in providing high quality facilities for the school, such as the money raised for the building extensions and the computer suite. Many parents also give significant amounts of their time to the school through assisting with extracurricular activities, clubs and sports, for example. Many others help out regularly in school working with teachers in all classes. The parent representatives for each class are a valuable means of communication and provide an effective additional link between the school and parents. All involved have the best interests of the children at the heart of their work. Offham Primary School - 13

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in science, particularly investigative and experimental science, and information and communication technology

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

15. Standards in science have failed to match the levels of English and mathematics and have declined significantly over the last two years. This is due mainly to insufficient emphasis on teaching pupils the skills they need through experimental and investigative science, and teachers lack expertise in this area. Although in many of the lessons seen, there are encouraging signs that teachers are now much more aware of the need to develop pupils’ skills and concepts as well as their knowledge, much remains to be done. For example, there remains insufficient provision of enrichment and extension work for the many high attaining pupils in order that they can develop their skills further through more open investigations.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

16. Standards in information and communication technology are below the level expected for pupils by the age of 11. This represents a worsening picture since the time of the previous inspection. The curricular demands on all schools have increased significantly but in this subject, the school has failed to keep up with these. Many of the shortcomings in the past stem from the lack of equipment available. However, the provision of a new computer suite will improve the facilities significantly and provide the school with the means of addressing many of the issues around the development of pupils’ skills in information and communication technology.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

17. There is evidence throughout the school of pupils using information and communication technology to support their work in many areas of the curriculum, but this is still an area for further improvement. Younger pupils in school can program a floor robot to follow a given path, but less evidence of pupils in Key Stage 2 using control or sensing equipment. Many of the staff previously trained in information and communication technology have left the school, and newer staff are waiting for their training.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The role of the co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating the work in their subjects

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

18. While the role of the co-ordinators is being developed, many are new to this, and do not yet have all of the skills they need to carry out the role effectively. Nevertheless, they generally show a clear understanding of the needs of their subjects, and have put many strategies in place to address some of the identified weaknesses, for example, in writing. Some of the lack of progress arises from the turnover of staff and the consequent lack of continuity and consistency of approach.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

19. Curricular planning is more secure and the schemes of work in place are providing sound guidance for teachers. However, systems to monitor teachers’ planning and pupils’ work are not yet in place and consequently co-ordinators in some subjects do not yet have a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses in standards or provision. The school’s development plan shows that time is to be created for co-ordinators to monitor their subjects more effectively through regular classroom visits, support and advice to teachers and scrutiny of pupils; work. This will need to be rigorous and will be vital if the school is to continue to maintain its strengths and develop and improve on the areas of weakness.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The use of assessment to plan work that more accurately matches pupils’ prior attainment Offham Primary School - 14 20. Some weaknesses in assessment and the use of the information from assessment remain from the previous inspection. The analysis of test and assessment results is now done well and used effectively for target setting. In this aspect, significant progress has been made. The system of ‘tracker children’ is giving a better view of progress overall. However, there are a number of aspects of assessment that need further refinement, for example, the moderation of work samples by teachers to reach agreement on the levels attained by pupils is still to be fully developed. The major area of weakness that remains is in the use of assessment by teachers for planning future work. This includes day-to-day assessment following lessons, marking, and evaluation at the end of units of work. For example, the

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

unsatisfactory match of work to pupils’ prior attainment in Year 2 has led to a drop in standards over time. Further improvements in this aspect will be dependent on the co- ordinators identifying assessment opportunities in the schemes of work and medium-term planning. The accurate identification of pupils’ levels of attainment will enable teachers to focus the work more accurately to individual’s needs.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The provision for the highest attaining pupils

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. This area links very closely with the paragraph above on assessment. While teachers are providing work suited to the needs of individual pupils, particularly in English and mathematics, this still requires further refinement. The highest attaining pupils, some of who show high levels of skill or knowledge are not always being sufficiently challenged. There are good examples to be seen in mathematics. High attaining pupils in Year 6, were appropriately challenged with extension work at the level of the average pupils a year older, and in Year 1, the range of practical activities involving capacity was prepared carefully to support the lower attaining pupils, while extending the highest attainers in planning and recording their own investigations. However, in some classes, for example, in mathematics lesson in Year 2, all pupils completed the same work regardless of their prior attainment. Provision for the highest attaining pupils was an area for development

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

following the previous inspection, and while some progress has been made, further work is needed to monitor this aspect more closely and act on the information gained to raise expectations further.

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• science, by focusing more on closely on experimental and investigative science;

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• information and communication technology, through providing the necessary training for staff and bringing the computer suite into use as soon as possible to enable pupils to be taught the necessary skills;

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the role of the co-ordinators to enable them to monitor standards throughout the school and act on the information they gain; Offham Primary School - 15 (3) Improve the use of assessment to more clearly identify what pupils can do, and monitor use of this closely through evaluating teachers’ planning;

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Improve the provision for the highest attaining pupils through more detailed assessment and planning to provide a greater level of challenge. Offham Primary School - 16

p.15

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 14 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

7 14 50 29 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 171 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y R – Y

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 41

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.16

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Offham Primary School - 17 % % School data 3.8 School data 0 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Offham Primary School - 18 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 2000 11 17 28

p.17

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.18

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Boys 9 8 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 14 16

p.18

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

Percentage of pupils School 89 (80) 79 (80) 89 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.18

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 8 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 16

p.18

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 86 (80) 89 (87) 89 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.18

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

The data for Key Stage 2 is not included as the year group only contained ten pupils. Offham Primary School - 19

p.18

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage Black – African heritage Black – African heritage Black – other Black – other Indian Indian Pakistani Pakistani Bangladeshi Bangladeshi Chinese Chinese White 144 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.19

Qualified teachers and classes: Y R – Y 6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.4 Financial year 2000

p.19

Qualified teachers and classes: Y R – Y 6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20 Average class size 24 £ Total income 362,098 Education support staff: Y R – Y 6 Total expenditure 364,687 Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 2,133

p.19

Qualified teachers and classes: Y R – Y 6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 111 Balance brought forward from previous year 19,384

p.19

Qualified teachers and classes: Y R – Y 6

Balance carried forward to next year 16,795

p.19

nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Offham Primary School - 20 Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.19

nursery

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.20

nursery

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.20

nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent. Offham Primary School - 21

p.20

Questionnaire return rate

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

Strongl y agree Tend to agree Tend to disagre e Strongl y disagre e Don’t know

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

My child is making good progress in school. 45 45 8 0 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

Behaviour in the school is good. 52 44 4 0 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 15 45 30 7 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 38 42 10 6 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 56 35 2 7 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 54 36 8 2 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

The school works closely with parents. 36 48 11 5 0

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

The school is well led and managed. 42 43 8 4 4

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 45 45 8 0 1

p.21

Questionnaire return rate

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 42 44 11 1 1

p.21

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