St Mark's Primary School

ST. MARK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs. M. Fitzpatrick

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ST. MARK’S PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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ST. MARK’S 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. St. Mark’s Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lower Boston Road Hanwell 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: Mr. G. French

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 March 1997 St. Mark’s Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

24326 M. Fitpatrick Registered inspector English History What sort of school is it? How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9405 J. Philbey Lay inspector How high are standards? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 8696 A. Maula Team inspector Science Geography Special educational needs English as an additional language How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

10053 J. Simms Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art Design and technology

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Aspect responsibilities

22452 M. Farman Team inspector Music Physical education Religious education The foundation stage Equal opportunities St. Mark’s Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd. Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St. Mark’s Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 - 10

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11 - 14

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is about the same size as most primary schools with 249 pupils and a balance of boys and girls. Three-quarters of the school’s population is from a white European heritage and the remainder is made up of children from Indian, Pakistani, black African and black Caribbean heritage. There are 33 pupils who have English as an additional language, which is a high proportion compared with the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is below the national average; there are six pupils with statements of special educational needs, which are for specific learning difficulties or emotional and behavioural problems. The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is above the national average. The attainment of pupils on entry covers the full ability range and is average overall.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Mark’s is a very effective school. By the time pupils leave the school, standards are good and pupils achieve well as result of good teaching. The teachers are very well led by the headteacher in promoting the aims and improvement of the school. Together, the headteacher and staff provide a very happy secure environment in which learning thrives. The good standards, good teaching and very good personal development of the pupils support the judgement that the school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 2. • Very good teaching in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 2, enables pupils to achieve well. • It is very well led and managed. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Very good attitudes to learning are promoted, behaviour is very good and pupils are mature and responsible. • The partnership with parents and carers is strong and effective. • Very successful inclusion practices promote a high degree of harmony and friendship between pupils of diverse cultural backgrounds. • Very good links with the wider community support pupils’ learning and extra-curricular provision is very good. • High levels of care and guidance are provided for pupils.

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What could be improved

• The teaching provision in Year 2 to ensure that pupils achieve well at the end of the key stage. • The provision for a fire escape from the first floor classrooms. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made very good improvement since it was last inspected in March 1997. The key issues for improvement identified then have all been successfully tackled. The curriculum fully meets statutory requirements and planning for learning is good. The quality of teaching has improved significantly, with a much higher proportion of good or better teaching. Assessment procedures are now very good and are well used to plan appropriate learning for pupils. Behaviour is now very good and the school has very effective procedures for monitoring and promoting this. The role of subject co-ordinators has developed and there is an established programme for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school. As a result the school is well aware of its strengths and what it needs to do to continue to improve, including the review of the shared teaching of the Year 2 class. Consequently, it is in a very strong position to

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

continue its improvement and to raise standards even further. St. Mark’s Primary School - 8

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English C D B A well above average above average A B Mathematics C D A A* average below average C D Science E D C B well below average E

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Key

Standards in the core subjects, English, mathematics and science, have risen faster than in most schools in the past four years. The pupils’ performance in mathematics in the national tests in 2000, puts them in the top five per cent of achievement nationally. Pupils currently in Year 6 are achieving above the expectation for their age in English and mathematics and are in line with the expected standard in science. At Key Stage 2, pupils exceed the expected standard in history, music, religious education and physical education and they achieve the expected standard in all other subjects. Pupils are achieving well as a result of well planned lessons and very good teaching. The majority are good listeners and this makes a strong contribution to their learning and recall. In the national tests in 2000, the performance of pupils who were seven, was well below the national average and the average of

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Key

similar schools in English and mathematics. This was because of the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs who were in the class that sat the tests and the high turnover of teachers while they were in Key Stage 1. Pupils currently in Year 2 are attaining better standards, though they are still slightly below the expected standard in English, mathematics and science. In English there is a need to improve the teaching of letter sounds and to develop stronger reading habits. In other subjects of the curriculum pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve the expected standard and in music they exceed the expected standard as a result of specialist teaching in smaller groups. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress and are on course to achieve the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they enter Year 1. They achieve particularly well in physical and mathematical development. The

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Key

school set and exceeded its targets for the national tests in 2000. The targets for 2001 are realistically based on good assessment, but pupils look set to exceed them again.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The majority of children concentrate well and work at a good rate. A minority of pupils in Year 2 have less good attitudes and are easily distracted from work. This adversely affects their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Most pupils behave consistently very well in lessons, assemblies and round the school. Some pupils in Year 2 occasionally exhibit unsatisfactory behaviour. The school had two fixed term lunchtime exclusions last year.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good quality relationships pervade the school, making it a very pleasant place in which to learn. Pupils have a strongly developed sense of responsibility, are tolerant and supportive of each other.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Children like coming to school and arrive on time. St. Mark’s Primary School - 9

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

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

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

Teaching is a strength of the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge, high expectations and make good use of the assessment of pupils’ learning to plan the next stage. In over 98 per cent of lessons seen teaching was satisfactory or better; in 82 per cent it was good or better and in 29 per cent of lessons, teaching was very good or excellent. There was unsatisfactory teaching in an English lesson, where unsatisfactory behaviour by some pupils distracted others so that a larger proportion did not make enough progress in the lesson. Teaching in mathematics is good at both key stages because of teachers’ good planning and the brisk pace of lessons. As a result the majority of pupils have a good knowledge of number and good mental agility. The teaching of English is good overall, with very good teaching seen at both key stages. Teachers make good use of the National Literacy Strategy to structure their lessons. The pupils enjoy the format and willingly take part in question and answer

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

sessions, showing their enjoyment of the subject by their eagerness to answer questions and to volunteer to read to the class. Science teaching places good emphasis on developing pupils’ enquiry and collaborative skills. They are given many opportunities to learn from observation and experiment, which give pupils a good grasp of the subject. Music is well taught at both key stages by a subject specialist. Pupils learn at a good rate because of the teacher’s expertise and smaller class sizes. Pupils with special educational needs are well taught; their work is well planned and they are well supported. As a consequence they have good levels of confidence and achieve well. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve well because of the encouragement that they are given in speaking and listening activities and from their classmates. In the Foundation Stage, teaching is nearly always very good. Activities are well planned so that children progress at a good rate in all areas of learning.

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

The Early Years co-ordinator makes good assessments of the children and her high expectations are based on a good understanding of what they can achieve.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Activities are well planned and provide a good curriculum for pupils. The school’s very good extra-curricular programme and links with the community greatly enhance the breadth and quality of pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils’ individual education plans are based on good assessment of their learning needs. Teachers and learning support assistants provide very good support.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good teaching from the support assistant. Good support from class teachers and the support assistant and in most classes they are well supported by classmates.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils are given frequent opportunities to reflect on the impact of their actions on others, on social issues and their own and others’ achievements. As a result they have a very good understanding of themselves and their role in the community.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes very good care of its pupils through very good procedures for monitoring and supporting their intellectual and personal development. It is vigilant about health and safety, but there are issues about the provision of a fire escape over which it has no control. St. Mark’s Primary School - 10 The school has established a very good partnership with parents which makes a good contribution to pupils’ learning and to the resources and environment that they enjoy.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good leadership by the headteacher, who is ably supported by the senior management team. Co-ordinators work very well to support the school’s aim to raise standards. There are enough staff to teach the curriculum. Learning resources and accommodation are adequate, but there is need for a fire escape for first floor classes.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. All statutory requirements are met.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school makes good use of self-evaluation and internal monitoring. The school is concerned to get good value in what it does and what it buys.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Spending decisions are based on improving provision in order to raise standards. The impact of spending is monitored.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like coming to school. • The teaching is good. • Their children make good progress. • The school works closely with them. • Homework provision. • Extra-curricular provision.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents’ views of the school are overwhelmingly positive on almost all measures on the questionnaire. The team agrees completely with the parents’ positive views of the school. Homework provision is adequate and extra-curricular provision is very good. St. Mark’s Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children enter the nursery with average achievement overall. They achieve well in the Foundation Stage and are on course to reach the expected standards and in some areas exceed them in nationally recognised curriculum by the time they enter Year 1. While attainment on entry to Year 1 is often in line with the national average, there are exceptions to this. For example, the current Year 2 and Year 3 were both below the expected level on entry to Year 1 and this is reflected in the lower standards they have attained by the end of Year 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 2000, results in reading were well below the national average and well below the performance of pupils in similar schools (those having the same proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals). In writing, in the same tests, results were very low in comparison with the national average and in comparison with similar schools. The school’s performance in writing was in the lowest five per cent nationally. Since the time of the last inspection performance in the national tests has been erratic for pupils aged seven, though it has more often been in line with the national average than not in writing. The low performance in last year’s tests was owing to the high proportion, 40 per cent, of pupils with special educational needs in the group who sat the tests, and to the disruption to learning that they had suffered because of teacher absence. It is also important to note that evidence from the

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The school’s results and achievements

school’s baseline assessments show that there has been considerable variation in the level of attainment when different groups of pupils enter the school. The school has responded to this performance by allocating additional support to the class, now in Year 3, and they have made good progress since the tests.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The standards achieved by the pupils who are currently in Year 2 are an improvement on last year though they are still below the national average in both reading and writing. This is mainly because of their lower attainment on entry to Year 1, the effects of unsettled staffing when they were in Year 1 and the current difficulties in managing the behaviour of the class which contains a minority of disruptive pupils. Pupils’ reading skills are at the expected standard for higher attaining pupils but for the majority of the rest their lack of strategies for sounding new words holds them back in understanding what they read. Standards of speaking are at the expected standard for their age, but listening skills are below the expected standard. Writing is legible and the majority of pupils write in sentences but only the higher attainers consistently use the correct punctuation. For the majority of pupils spelling is below the expected standard.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. The results in the national tests for eleven-year-olds in English in 2000, were above the national average and well above the average of similar schools. The boys’ performance was much better than the national average for boys. Since the time of the last inspection there has been a steady rise in standards followed by a dramatic rise in 2000. This rise in 2000 was owing to the high proportion of high attaining pupils in the group who sat the tests and the emphasis that the school places on good assessment and planning for literacy, resulting in good teaching in the subject. In the current Year 6, standards are above the national average. Listening is very good, with pupils concentrating hard during whole class teaching and responding promptly and accurately to teacher’s questions. They speak clearly and add to class discussion with ideas of their own. The majority of pupils read fluently and with good understanding; they have good referencing skills,

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The school’s results and achievements

which they use in other subjects. Writing is above the standard expected nationally. Pupils’ handwriting is well formed, they write with good control in different styles showing an awareness of who they write for. Higher attaining pupils make good use of an extensive vocabulary and many organise their writing well in paragraphs. Lower attaining pupils produce clear, well ordered writing that is easy to follow.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. In the national tests in mathematics for seven-year-olds in 2000, results were well below the national average and the average of similar schools. There was no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. Over the last four years results in mathematics have been above the national average and the dramatic drop in performance last year was for the same reason as the St. Mark’s Primary School - 12 drop in English results noted above. Pupils currently nearing the end of Year 2 are working at below the standard expected of pupils who are seven. They understand odd and even numbers, can give addition and subtraction facts to twenty. Higher attaining pupils know the properties of some two-dimensional shapes. Few can count forwards and backwards in fives and tens or have any understanding of three-dimensional shapes.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Pupils’ performance in the national tests in mathematics in 2000 was well above the national average and very high when compared with the results of pupils in similar schools. Boys’ performance was well above the average for boys nationally. The dramatic rise in results in the 2000 tests was owing to the high proportion of higher attaining pupils in the group and to the school’s successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy that has helped to improve the teachers’ planning and the pace of lessons. Pupils who are currently nearing the end of Key Stage 2 are achieving standards above the national average. Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of number and good mental agility when solving problems involving number. They have an expected understanding of shape and measurement. All pupils have secure skills of applying their mathematical knowledge to solving problems, for example when

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The school’s results and achievements

they produce bar charts and graphs based on the data they have collected about land use in the local area. Pupils who have English as an additional language achieve well because of the good support they are given by teachers and classmates.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. In the teacher assessments for seven-year-olds in science in 2000, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level was very low compared with the national average. The performance of pupils in these assessments places them in the lowest five per cent nationally. This low performance in science is for the same reasons mentioned above in relation to English and mathematics. Pupils currently nearing the end of Year 2 are achieving below the expected standard. They show a growing knowledge and understanding of electricity in everyday life. They know how plants transfer water and can sort organisms according to shape and size.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. The performance of pupils aged eleven in the national tests in science in 2000, was close to the national average and above the average of other similar schools. The pupils’ performance in the subject has risen steadily in the last four years and is above the national trend. Standards for pupils who are currently in Year 6, are at the expected level for eleven-year-olds. They have sound investigative skills based on a structured approach to scientific enquiry. They know how to make predictions and how to set up an investigation. When their predictions are incorrect they are able to offer sensible reasons for why this is so.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Standards achieved by pupils in information and communication technology are at the expected level for their age by the time they are seven and eleven. Pupils in Year 2 access information from a CD-ROM to form a database about animals. They use the computer to enter information about teeth to make a bar graph. By Year 6 pupils use spreadsheets to calculate costs and have good understanding of how to insert formulae to make these calculations. Pupils are beginning to achieve well in the subject because the curriculum is well-planned and their teachers have secure knowledge of the programs they teach.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In religious education pupils are attaining in line with the locally agreed syllabus in by the time they are seven. By the age of seven, pupils know the similarities and differences between Christianity and other major faiths such as Islam. They have learned to respect religious objects and understand that holy books teach about truth and justice. By the time they are 11 pupils exceed the expected standard. They have a good knowledge of Christianity and other world faiths. They understand that people worship in different ways and that different points of view affect the way people live their lives.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Pupils on the register of special educational needs achieve well in relation to the targets set for them. Stages of learning are well planned for each pupil and progress is monitored and reviewed. In the lessons teachers plan carefully to provide work that ensures pupils with special educational needs can succeed and make progress. Pupils make significant improvement over time and this is seen in the standards reached by pupils in the current Year 3, and in the results of National Curriculum tests when pupils are eleven. In these tests, pupils often reach the expected standard for their age in English, mathematics and science. St. Mark’s Primary School - 13 12. Pupils who have English as an additional language are well supported in class by teachers’ planning to involve them directly in question and answer sessions so that they learn to listen closely and talk in the second language. In most cases teachers are careful to group pupils so

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The school’s results and achievements

that they have support from their classmates during activities. The provision for small group teaching is good and these pupils make good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. In other subjects of the curriculum at Key Stage 1, pupils learn at an expected rate, except in music, where because of small group teaching by a subject specialist learning is good. Pupils have above average levels of control when singing and above average skills in composing. In art they understand the idea of hot and cold colours. In history, they know about famous people such as Florence Nightingale and in geography they have an understanding of place and compare their own locality with an island. In design and technology, they join materials using different methods and understand the relationship between designing and making. In physical education, pupils show a good awareness of space when moving and understand the need to warm up and cool down during physical exercise.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. By the time they are eleven, pupils reach the expected standard in geography, where they know the effects of weathering and the physical characteristics of an area; in art, where they have an understanding of the work of other artists and use their observational skills to produce work in the style of famous artists and in design and technology, where they design, make and evaluate products for a range of purposes. In history, music and physical education, pupils exceed the expectations for their age. In history they have a good knowledge of different eras and know how to ask key questions to lead their enquiries about the past. They have well developed research skills and higher attainers know that there are different views of historical events. In music they improve their performance skills and can identify the different instruments in a piece of orchestral music. In physical education, pupils have well developed games skills, are skilled gymnasts and

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The school’s results and achievements

create and perform dance sequences very well.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. Literacy is promoted well at Key Stage 2, where there is strong emphasis on reading, with pupils given many opportunities to use these skills for research onto other subjects they study. Reading is not strongly promoted at Key Stage 1, where there is a need for more rigorous teaching and monitoring of reading skills. While teachers plan opportunities for pupils to consolidate their writing, these could be developed further in history, geography and science to extend their range of writing.

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The school’s results and achievements

16. Pupils are encouraged to use their numeracy skills in other subjects and these are well promoted across the curriculum. For instance, in science lessons younger pupils make a record of when they lose their teeth then use this information to create a graph. In design and technology pupils use measurement regularly and are expected to become more careful and accurate as they grow older. In geography they use co-ordinates to find places on a map.

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The school’s results and achievements

17. With the exception of last year’s drop in results, the school has sustained satisfactory standards in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 since the last inspection. Standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2 have risen faster than they have in most schools since the last inspection. This rise in standards is in part owing to a very high attaining cohort who made up Year 6 last year, but is also part of a pattern of improving provision within the school which meant it was equipped to meet the needs of such children. Since the last inspection there has been a very good improvement in the quality of teaching through monitoring and the provision of professional development, the curriculum has been much improved and now provides good guidance for teachers’ planning. The assessment procedures devised by the school are now very good, are well used and contribute strongly to the good rate at which pupils

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The school’s results and achievements

learn, particularly in Key Stage 2. The school met its targets for Key Stage 1 last year and exceeded its targets for Key Stage 2. It is well on course to meet the targets it has set for the current year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Most parents consider that the staff successfully maintain high standards of behaviour and the inspection findings support this view. Overall, behaviour in and around the school is very good and has improved since the last inspection. There is some unsatisfactory behaviour in Year 2. St. Mark’s Primary School - 14 19. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They behave very well around the school, in the playground and during assemblies. An example of this was seen whilst pupils were awaiting the start of an assembly, listening attentively to the recorder group playing Kumbiyar and spontaneously singing along. At lunchtimes, pupils enter and leave the dining room in an orderly manner and eat lunch politely. Pupils play happily together in the playground and, although a few parents had concerns regarding playground behaviour, no bullying was seen during the inspection. Two pupils have been excluded for a temporary lunchtime period. The school maintains proper procedures for

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive, overall, especially when the teacher has high expectations. For pupils who have English as an additional language their positive attitude and good behaviour contribute to their progress. They behave well and their relationships with peers and adults are very good. Children under five have very positive attitudes to learning; they move around the school confidently and work well with adults. Most pupils concentrate well. Their brisk pace of working and very good relationships, both with the teachers and with each other, help to promote good order. On a number of occasions, however, poor behaviour and lack of respect for their teacher is witnessed in Year 2. This, inevitably, has a detrimental effect on the quality of learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. All pupils, even the very youngest, answer questions confidently and join in discussions eagerly, offering their own ideas and listening very carefully to those of their fellow pupils. A good example of this was seen in a Year 3 religious education lesson, when pupils were discussing the faith of Abraham. Relationships throughout the school are very good. On many occasions, pupils work co-operatively in pairs and groups. For instance, a Year 5 group was seen working together sensibly on the computers. In a Year 3 geography lesson, pupils worked well together in small groups, looking at maps of the local area and noting well-known landmarks. Pupils respond politely when addressed; they are friendly and helpful to visitors and eager to show them round.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. The school impresses on new pupils and their parents the need to consider others and most pupils respond positively to this. Pupils respect and care for each other. There is a high degree of friendship and harmony between pupils of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. These harmonious relationships underpin the work of the school, have a significant impact on the pupils’ very good attitudes and, in turn, positively affect their progress in lessons.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good and teachers actively encourage pupils to be independent. Pupils display personal initiative in many ways. They take turns, for example, to return the registers sensibly to the school office. Pupils willingly help to tidy the classrooms, undertake designated monitoring jobs in the classroom and assist in assemblies and in the library. Older pupils undertake numerous responsibilities, such as helping in the school office at lunchtimes and keeping a watchful eye on the younger pupils in the playground. The members of the School Council are enthusiastic, mature and carry out their responsibilities assiduously.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

24. At the last inspection, the level of attendance was reported to be satisfactory overall, but below the national average. The current position shows notable improvement, with levels of attendance broadly in line with the national average. The level of unauthorised absence is slightly above the national average.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The quality of teaching in the school is good overall. During the inspection teaching was satisfactory or better in 76 of the 77 lessons seen. In over eight out of ten lessons teaching was good or better and in three out of ten lessons it was very good or excellent. In one lesson, teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory because of the teacher’s inadequate strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour. The quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection, when there was a much higher proportion of unsatisfactory teaching and a lower proportion of good and very good teaching. The improvements in teaching are owing to the emphasis the school has placed on monitoring teaching to identify strengths and weaknesses in provision; to the provision of appropriate and good quality professional development that the school has made for teachers and to the improvements that have been made in curriculum

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

planning and assessment procedures. The school is aware that the current shared teaching in St. Mark’s Primary School - 15 Year 2 is not effective in meeting the pupils’ needs and has plans to change the arrangement. The training related to the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has improved teachers’ knowledge and expertise in these subjects and this too, makes a contribution to the overall improvement in teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The quality of teaching for pupils in the Foundation Stage is very good. In all aspects of learning the activities are well planned, with the teachers and support assistants constantly providing challenges for the children, prompting them to move on. Because of the high quality provision, pupils make better than expected progress in mathematical knowledge, physical and creative development. In all areas of learning pupils achieve well and are on course to reach the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1 and are on course to exceed them in physical, creative and personal development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. At Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with some very good teaching seen. Only one unsatisfactory lesson was seen, where because of challenging behaviour that was not effectively managed, pupils did not make enough progress during the English lesson. In all other lessons pupils made at least the expected progress and in nearly half of the lessons seen they achieved well. Where teaching is very good, the teacher plans work that is suitable for all pupils in the class. For example, pupils in a Year 1 and 2 class were able to apply their new learning quickly to the tasks set by the teacher, because each one worked at an appropriate level. As a result, they consolidated what they had learned and were pleased with their efforts by the end of the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 2 is very good overall. It was good or better in 42 out of 45 lessons seen and very good or excellent in a quarter of lessons. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Excellent teaching was seen in a religious education lesson in Year 4, where very skilful questioning by the teacher enabled pupils to realise the significance of Easter and how the events would frighten the Apostles and test their faith in Jesus – “Without Jesus they would be lost.” In this lesson pupils learnt at a very good rate and achieved standards above those expected for their age. A notable strength of the teaching at Key Stage 2 is the strong teamwork and shared high expectations. These features undoubtedly raise pupils’ expectations of themselves and support them to take great pride in the work that they do.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers’ subject knowledge is good in most subjects and is well used for good planning in most lessons, especially for pupils in Key Stage 2. Very good subject knowledge in music was the basis of a very good Year 4 lesson, where the teacher’s very clear teaching of correct vocabulary led to rapid understanding and use of ostinato by the pupils, “It’s a repeated pattern of regular beats.” Good subject knowledge in history meant that the Year 3 teacher was able to engage the imagination of pupils with her vivid description of activities in the great hall. From this pupils gained good insights to life in Anglo-Saxon times which they were able to use effectively when they came to create riddles and stories to entertain the class in the same style. In this lesson pupils learnt at a better than expected rate because the teacher had such a wealth of information for them to draw on. In a Year 4 science lesson, the teacher made very good use of her

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

knowledge of the topic to pose challenging questions when pupils were grouping organisms. As a result pupils moved quickly to make decisions and clarify their understanding as the pattern within different groups became apparent.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. In literacy and numeracy lessons teachers make good use of time. Both subjects are effectively taught. Lessons begin with a review of previous learning through brisk question and answer, which is followed by an explanation of what will be learned in the lesson. Whole class teaching is constructed around good explanation and lively questioning. Pupils respond well to this, enjoying the pace and challenge and the opportunities that are provided for them to participate by reading, explaining or demonstrating for the class on the board. In the best lessons, the teachers return to the learning objectives in the course of the lesson to remind pupils what they should focus on. In all literacy and numeracy lessons pupils are given sufficient time to work independently and at their own rate to make the best use of time. Where teaching was unsatisfactory, in a Year 2 literacy lesson, the teacher did not insist on quiet and concentration during independent work with

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the result that noise levels distracted many pupils who made unsatisfactory progress as a result. In all lessons there is time given at the end of the lesson to sum up learning and check if learning objectives have been met. Pupils enjoy this format, working well within the routines and having a St. Mark’s Primary School - 16 good overview of their learning by the end of the lesson. A relative weakness is that insufficient time is given to teaching and practising reading skills at Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Relationships between teachers and pupils are very good overall, though where they are not so good, pupils sometimes show a lack of respect for both the teacher and for learning. Elsewhere these very good relationships help both teachers and pupils to create a very positive environment for learning. Pupils readily accept the value that teachers place on learning. Because of their high levels of support for their teachers, they work hard to please, listening closely at all times and giving support to peers when they need it. In the vast majority of lessons teachers give strong encouragement and praise to all pupils, taking care to acknowledge the efforts and successes of pupils who have special educational needs or English as an additional language. The very good relationships that exist are reflected in the very good attitudes and behaviour of pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Teachers use a range of activities and methods to interest and involve pupils in their learning. For example good demonstration by pupils in a Year 3 dance lesson leads to very good improvement by others who are able to imitate and build upon their work of their classmates. In many lessons, very good questioning by the teacher stimulates the pupils’ interest and motivates them to join in discussion and develop their ideas. The majority of teachers provide good resources to support learning and make use of computers to consolidate learning for pupils and to enrich their opportunities for research.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Assessment procedures are well developed and make a very good contribution to the quality of planning. Because teachers have good knowledge of the pupils in their classes, they provide work that is suitable for individuals and groups. In literacy, numeracy and science lessons pupils are seen quickly settling to tasks and not a moment is wasted because the work is easily understood by pupils who get started immediately. Similarly the work occupies pupils for the time allocated and there are very few examples of pupils finishing early because the work is not sufficiently challenging. Teachers make good use of the results of assessment to set targets for pupils and to track these through each term.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to the targets that are set for them, because teachers plan well and make very effective use of support staff. This was well illustrated in a Year 4 English lesson, where support staff and the teacher made very effective use of questioning with groups of pupils to help them clarify their ideas before writing. As a consequence, pupils wrote with good use of detail and were able to achieve as well as other groups in the class. The special educational needs co-ordinator has written very detailed individual education plans for pupils and these are of great benefit to teachers in their planning and the monitoring of pupils’ progress. Through the provision of in-class support, pupils with special educational needs are well integrated into the school community.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35. Pupils with English as an additional language are well supported in their speaking and listening during lessons by the teachers’ careful planning to integrate them in discussion and the patient and helpful attitude of classmates. Support for their writing is not always as strong, though they do make satisfactory progress in this aspect of their language acquisition. Where pupils are at an early stage of learning English they are taught out of their class by a bi-lingual speaker who provides well for their language development and they make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

36. Teachers set homework for pupils to match their growing maturity and independence. For older pupils more independent tasks such as researching topics or carrying out surveys helps them to prepare for the next phase of education.

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TO PUPILS?

37. The school has made considerable improvement since the last inspection which took a critical view of the range and quality of its curriculum. These issues have been addressed, and the planned curriculum is now broad and balanced. A well-resourced information and communication technology suite has recently been established to promote pupils' learning across the curriculum. St. Mark’s Primary School - 17 The opportunity for pupils to work in small groups reflects very good provision in subjects such as music.

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TO PUPILS?

38. Most subjects have been reviewed in the light of new national requirements for the curriculum. There is now a curriculum framework in place for each key stage with most subjects being supported by government recommended schemes and planning. This ensures that the curriculum meets statutory requirements and pupils' skills are built on systematically as they move through the school. English and mathematics are given appropriate priority and all classes have daily literacy and numeracy sessions. The strategies employed for development are good overall in literacy while those for mathematics are consistently good. There is good integration of subjects in the curriculum especially between the humanities, art and design and technology and mathematics and science. The principles of equality of access are incorporated in the curriculum, though lack of resources prevents pupils from having full access to information and

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TO PUPILS?

communication technology. The programme of religious education is consistent with the local agreed syllabus and visits to local places of worship enhance pupils' knowledge and understanding of major world faiths other than their own. Personal, social and health education are taught well. Pupils receive sex education and are made aware of the dangers of drugs. The provision of homework makes a sound contribution to pupils' learning and attainment.

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TO PUPILS?

39. Provision for pupils' special educational needs is very good. The school's policy reflects the requirements of the Code of Practice, which are carried out very effectively. Care and concern for pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language is particularly good. The guiding principle is that pupils will have their needs promptly met in the early stages. The teachers' direction of in-class or withdrawal support of pupils clearly acknowledges the school's policy that they should experience the full curriculum and, and at the same time, have their individual needs well catered for. Statutory reviews for pupils who have a statement of special educational needs are undertaken according to the Code of Practice. Links with parents and external agencies are well established and of good quality. Communication between class teachers and the special educational needs coordinator is frequent and effective.

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TO PUPILS?

She closely monitors the system and the effectiveness of its support for individuals. The thorough assessment of pupils’ needs are reflected in the quality of individual learning plans which enable pupils to make good progress. This regularly leads to some pupils being moved down a stage on the register and their skills improve. Learning support assistants make a good contribution to this process, and they are well deployed. The special educational needs provision is well resourced and very well managed.

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TO PUPILS?

40. A wide range of educational visits, extra-curricular activities and visitors enhance the quality of the curriculum. The quality of contribution made by the community to pupils' learning reflects the very good links that the school has established with various agencies. Parents and other volunteers from the community have worked on various projects within the school such as the design and technology project on Victorian Toys, and European and American links have raised the school's profile. Relationships with linked secondary schools are good and these contacts support pupils' overall progress.

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TO PUPILS?

41. A small number of the pupils who are learning English as an additional language are an early stage of learning English. These pupils receive support from their class teachers and support staff including the bilingual Learning Support Assistant funded under the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant. This enables many of them to make good progress over time. Their learning support is mainly in-class and follows the normal curriculum. There is emphasis on encouraging pupils' speaking and listening skills. Limited English occasionally prevents some pupils from participating fully in the education process, though they may have fairly well developed concepts associated with their learning they are not always able to record these. The school's integrated approach to meeting the needs of these pupils has been effective in overcoming some of these difficulties. This is evident in the commitment of class teachers and support staff. The pupils

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TO PUPILS?

respond positively to the support given, and they benefit from normal classroom strategies such as the effective use of questioning. Teachers generally explain new ideas in a way that facilitates learning for all pupils. All of this enables them to integrate well in the school community.

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TO PUPILS?

42. The school makes very good provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of its pupils. This is a very significant improvement since the previous inspection. The school St. Mark’s Primary School - 18 values the contribution of each individual within its community and this makes a positive contribution to the development of each person’s self-esteem.

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TO PUPILS?

43. The provision for the spiritual development of pupils is good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Children in the Foundation Stage of learning experience a wide range of activities that give them opportunities to reflect and wonder. They care for plants and fish, consider their needs and think about people who help them. The school provides a range of opportunities for reflection, both in lessons and in the daily act of collective worship. This enables pupils to think about the spiritual dimension to life. For example, in a religious education lesson, pupils explore and reflect on the meaning of friendship and betrayal. Pupils have opportunities to reflect during prayers in classroom and school assemblies. There are valuable opportunities for pupils to share different beliefs from world faiths, such as Christianity and Islam. The school incorporates spiritual opportunities naturally into many aspects of its life. Examples of this were

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TO PUPILS?

seen when pupils listened carefully to their schoolmates playing recorders in assemblies. They gave gasps of appreciation and left the hall quietly to the piano music, thus demonstrating the respect and value the school places on pupils’ achievements.

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TO PUPILS?

44. The provision for the moral development of pupils is very good, except in Year 2 where the inconsistency of approach between the teachers who share the class gives rise to different expectations of pupils. There has been very significant level of improvement since the previous inspection. The school is very effective in teaching pupils the difference between right and wrong. This begins on entry to the nursery class and develops rapidly as the pupils progress through the school. Work in assemblies provides strong support for the development of awareness about moral issues. For example, in one assembly the pupils reflected on and considered the impact of lying. They consolidate and develop their understanding through the very effective use of practical demonstrations. There is a strong code of acceptable conduct implicit throughout the school. All members of the teaching and non-teaching staff provide very clear role models. They ensure that

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TO PUPILS?

their dealings with issues are firm and fair and they are successful in promoting good behaviour. Pupils learn to understand moral issues about property when they look after and tidy away equipment. The school gives pupils many opportunities to realise that they are responsible for their own actions and the consequences of them. They learn from and respect the adults who work in the school.

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TO PUPILS?

45. The provision for the social development of pupils is very good. This represents a very significant improvement since the previous inspection. Children in the Foundation Stage of learning have many opportunities to develop independent attitudes to their work. Pupils have many opportunities to work co-operatively and collaboratively in lessons. In dance, for example, pupils in Year 3 work closely together when they create sequences of movement. This encourages very effective development of their awareness of inter-dependence. The school has a lively School Council, which gives pupils the opportunity to play an active part in the life of the school and to develop their concept of citizenship. Pupils have an effective involvement in the wider community. They raise money for a range of local and national charities. Pupils take part in sporting activities, perform to senior citizens and give concerts for families and friends. An important part

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TO PUPILS?

of the pupils’ social development is the popular residential visits. These develop further pupils’ group identity, their awareness of belonging to a community and their dependence on each other.

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TO PUPILS?

46. The school makes very good provision for the cultural development of pupils. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils have many opportunities to develop awareness of their own culture. They visit art galleries and museums and celebrate traditional Christian festivals. They also have opportunities to celebrate important festivals from cultures other than English. For example, during the week of the inspection, pupils in Year 6 recognised the significance of different festivals involving light. There are very good opportunities for pupils to appreciate cultural diversity through the wide range of books, artwork and music within the school. The school makes very effective use of work in English, religious education, geography, art and music to develop pupils’ awareness and understanding of a wide range of cultures, faiths and beliefs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

St. Mark’s Primary School - 19 47. The school makes very good provision for the education, personal support and guidance of the pupils. The school also provides a secure and calm environment, has a warm and friendly atmosphere and pupils are happy to come to school. Relationships between pupils and staff are very good and pupils confidently turn to staff for help and guidance, whenever needed.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school’s arrangements for promoting the welfare, health and safety of the pupils are very good and have improved since the last inspection. The member of staff responsible for child protection has been trained. Class teachers are aware that any concerns should be reported immediately. The school liaises effectively with outside agencies when necessary. There are appropriate policies to support health and safety. Two welfare assistants and lunchtime assistants take great care of pupils who are upset or feel unwell. The school has a number of qualified first-aiders and all accidents are methodically recorded and parents advised if necessary.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The inspection is concerned with two issues relating to health and safety, but over which the school has no control or power to bring about improvements. The two classrooms at the top of the building, used by pupils in Years 5 and 6, are accessed by two flights of stone staircase. The school, the parents and the inspection team are concerned that there is no provision of a fire escape by which these pupils could evacuate in case of fire on the ground floor. The other issue is the persistent smell from the pupils’ toilets. The school has tried to rectify this by laying new floors in the toilets, but this has not proved successful, as the problem lies with the drains beneath the floor. There is also a shortage of toilets for the boys and this situation can only worsen as the school numbers increase.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Pupils understand that good behaviour is expected. Procedures for promoting pupils’ discipline and good behaviour are very good but are not consistently applied in Year 2. Class rules are displayed in each classroom and the school’s code of conduct is prominent on the walls of the corridors. Class teachers praise pupils for good work and behaviour, and this works well. The school is organised in four houses and pupils are assigned to a house when joining the school. Pupils enjoy receiving merits and house points for effort. Class teachers nominate individual pupils to receive an award for good work or behaviour at the weekly, Gold Star assembly. The school has worked hard to ensure that there are systems in place for dealing with unsatisfactory behaviour, with parents being involved if necessary. Whilst some parents at the parents’ meeting were concerned about bullying, particularly in the playground, the majority of parents and pupils

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

interviewed were adamant that, if a problem with bullying is experienced, the class or headteacher will deal with it immediately and effectively.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. There are good procedures for monitoring attendance, absence and punctuality. The school has put in place good strategies for improving attendance by making parents aware of their relevant responsibilities through documentation. Attendance is recorded accurately and registration is efficient. Most pupils are punctual; the names of late arrivals are noted and appropriate action is taken.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The systems for monitoring and supporting personal development are very good and have improved considerably since the last inspection. All pupils are well supported. The teachers know their pupils’ strengths and weaknesses well and keep a close eye on their personal progress, especially that of pupils with special educational needs. Pupils are involved in setting their own targets and in assessing how their work could be improved. The school offers many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility. These range from minor responsibilities, for example classroom tidying in all groups, including the nursery, through to major items, such as membership of the School Council and helping in the school office. In particular, pupils in Years 5 and 6 are allocated many tasks, which they undertake cheerfully and as a matter of course. Pupil’s personal development is enhanced through school outings and an annual residential visit for pupils in Year

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Assessment was a key issue in the last report. It is now very good. All of the many issues raised then have been addressed and pupils now benefit from good assessment systems, which track their progress well, particularly in English and mathematics. Good, accurate assessment provides a secure basis of information on which teachers now plan their teaching. The improvements include the good baseline assessment from the Foundation Stage, which informs the targets set for pupils in Key Stage 1. Regular testing in writing, spelling and reading, as well as published tests in mathematics, provide detailed assessment of pupils’ progress across these two subjects. St. Mark’s Primary School - 20 Science and other subjects of the curriculum are beginning to develop rigour in their assessment of pupils’ standards and progress. Tracking of pupils’ attainment in the core subjects provides information on which to base the setting of targets. Pupils' personal development is also

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

assessed with useful input from pupils themselves, to produce personal targets, for example, about behaviour. Other factors also form the basis of careful assessment about how pupils should best be taught. The evaluation of groupings in last years Year 2 led to changes to improve groupings when these pupils joined Year 3. The school actively seeks to use assessment information as a tool to raise pupils' attainment further. Because there is no one in the school qualified to carry out assessment for pupils who have English as an additional language there is little evidence to suggest that the analysis of these pupils' language needs is based on any objective assessment. This means that teachers are not given clear guidance about the specific needs of individuals’ learning needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Parents’ views of the school are overwhelmingly positive and links between the school and the parents are now excellent. Parents confirm that their children enjoy coming to school and are pleased with the progress they make. They generally feel that behaviour is good and have nothing but praise for the school’s standards of pastoral care. Parents are pleased with the quality of teaching and recognise that the school expects their children to achieve their best and effectively helps them to mature. Parents who responded to the questionnaire, those who attended the meeting and parents interviewed on inspection week were unanimously appreciative of the commitment of the headteacher and of his aims and expectations for their children. These positive views are confirmed by the inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. A small minority of respondents to the questionnaire have minor concerns about the school’s performance in two areas. They feel that pupils do not get the right amount of homework and did not agree that there is an interesting range of activities outside lessons. These minority concerns were not confirmed by the inspection. Parents are advised of homework procedures and older pupils receive an appropriate amount of homework. Homework for younger pupils is less structured in some classes, but they do have occasional homework tasks, in conjunction with projects, and take their reading books home regularly. The school provides sufficient out of school activities, although most of these are connected with sport and music. From time to time, other activities are provided, such as woodwork and computer clubs. The extra-curricular activities are judged to be very good and better than in most similar schools.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The school recognises that liaison between home and school is most important and has worked hard to maintain and improve the positive relationships and communication with parents outlined in the previous report. The quality of information provided for parents is now very good. The building of good relationships with parents starts before children enter the school. The nursery brochure is friendly and readable. The school’s prospectus is an attractive document, both welcoming and professional, and clearly written for parents and pupils to understand. There is some evidence of pupils' home languages being promoted. The bilingual Learning Support Assistant offers Urdu and Punjabi, two of the major languages spoken by pupils learning English as an additional language. The school has well-established links with minority ethnic parents. This contributes to bilingual pupils' attainment and progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The annual governors’ report is very informative and meets statutory requirements. Parents are most appreciative of the high quality newsletters that keep them informed of specific school events, activities and requirements. The ‘update’ pamphlet informs parents of the progress of the new school building project. Parents are also encouraged to read the notice board situated in the playground. Fact sheets, containing information on class work and current topics, are sent to parents at the beginning of each term to make parents aware of what their children are learning in the classrooms and how they can help at home. The school has a website which the parents can access to read newsletters and information about current homework.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The school has had curriculum meetings to raise parents’ awareness in reading, writing and mathematics. Parents and pupils have also been consulted, through questionnaires, on their views on behaviour in the school and how it could be improved. The school holds regular, well- supported parents’ meetings to discuss pupils’ progress and actively encourages informal contact St. Mark’s Primary School - 21 at any time by parents. Parents are emphatic that, should they have any concerns, the class or headteacher will see them immediately. The annual report to parents on pupils’ progress sets out what the class has studied, tells parents what their children know, can do and understand and evaluates performance clearly in all the core subjects and, to a lesser extent, in other subjects. The report outlines targets for the future and provides space for formal parental comment.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in the life of the school and they complete a home/school agreement. Currently, a good number of parent helpers and other volunteers work effectively to broaden pupils’ experience in school. They help in class with activities such as reading, art and general classroom assistance and they support school outings. Others help with developing the school’s environmental facilities. The headteacher was active in forming a Parent Partnership Group. Those parents interested had the opportunity to learn more about the workings of the school. They were invited to go into classrooms, observe activities and give feedback on their views. Parents give their full support to school productions and are invited to year group assemblies and special celebrations, such as the harvest festival. There is an active and enthusiastic parent school association, which raises substantial funds through various activities,

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

such as the Christmas Fair, karaoke evenings, quiz nights and children’s discos. This hard working committee has provided the school with resources, such as the play tables and play hut in the playground and new staging for the hall. Pupils also enjoy the whole school outing, organised and funded by this association.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The headteacher provides very good leadership for the school. Since the time of the last inspection he has been ambitious in his development of the school, providing the vision and direction for it to develop its strengths on a number of fronts. The scope and quality of improvement in the school have been very good. All issues identified at the last inspection have been successfully tackled. There have been significant improvements in the curriculum which now meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, the quality of teaching is very much improved, procedures for assessment are now very good and there are very effective systems for monitoring and improving the behaviour of pupils. There has also been very good improvement in the standards achieved by pupils at Key Stage 2, which are now above the national average in English and mathematics and in history, religious education, physical education and music. The

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school’s links with parents and the community have improved and are now very good, creating a successful partnership working for the benefit of the children.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Through the example of his own work and in the high professional expectations that he has of staff, the headteacher gives a clear lead for development of the school. His very supportive leadership style has won him the confidence of teachers, parents and governors all of whom work hard to meet his high expectations. The very strong sense of community, which pervades the school, reflects the headteacher’s commitment to creating a strong family atmosphere where all feel valued and included. In all of his work to raise standards on a broad front, the headteacher has been ably and loyally supported by the deputy headteacher, the early years co-ordinator and the science/assessment co-ordinator, who together make up the school’s senior management team. They are each expert in their areas of responsibility and have worked very hard to bring about very good improvements in these. The deputy headteacher carries a wide range of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

responsibilities and currently manages these very well alongside his commitment to teaching the Year 6 class. Together with the headteacher, the senior management team has succeeded in convincing colleagues of their ability to contribute to the successful development of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The delegation of subject responsibilities to subject co-ordinators is another successful development since the last inspection. All co-ordinators are now clear about their responsibilities and their accountability for standards in their subject. They share an understanding of how the school monitors standards and improves provision for learning. Collectively and individually they support the school’s aim to raise standards for pupils and support each other well to do this. The co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science monitor teachers’ planning and teaching as well as standards of pupils’ work and there are plans for this monitoring of teaching to be extended to the science co-ordinator. Co-ordinators for the foundation subjects have revised curriculum plans to bring them in line with new requirements and they monitor planning and pupils’ work. All co-ordinators take their role seriously and the impact of their expanded role is

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

St. Mark’s Primary School - 22 apparent in the improved curriculum provision, the rising standards and the improved quality of teaching.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The special needs co-ordinator provides very good leadership. She supports pupils and colleagues well through the provision of very detailed and appropriate individual education plans. She has established very good links with parents and the outside agencies to provide further support for pupils and advice for teachers. The impact on special needs provision is well monitored with a focus on how well it is supporting pupils to improve. The effectiveness of the provision is seen in the regular removal of pupils from the register when their learning needs have been met.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The school is very successful in meetings its aims to help its pupils to do their best academically in a happy, stimulating, and caring environment. It is not able to fully meet its aims for a safe environment, because, despite vigorous efforts, it has not been able to convince the local authority of a need for a fire escape from the first floor classrooms. In all other aspects of pupils’ safety and well-being the school meets its aims. Throughout the school at all levels there is a very strong sense of commitment to meeting these aims. The headteacher and staff are very effective in recognising and celebrating the efforts and achievements of pupils. Because of their example these attitudes are reflected in the children who are quick to acknowledge and praise each other’s efforts. As a result the school is a happy, stimulating environment in which learning thrives. The evidence from parents’ questionnaires and the parents’ meetings shows that parents are

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

overwhelmingly supportive of how the school promotes its aims and values.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The governors of the school have a very good knowledge and understanding of the school’s strengths, its performance in relation to other schools and what it needs to do to continue to improve. They are closely involved in the strategic planning through the work of the various committees. They are well aware of the measures that the school is taking to improve provision and are preparing for the expansion of the school following the completion of the building programme currently underway. Governors share the headteacher’s strong commitment to high standards and are keen to ensure that finances are effectively deployed to provide the best resources and appropriate accommodation. From their links with subject co-ordinators, parents and visits to the school they have a good picture of how the school’s priorities are formed and how developments against the school’s targets are progressing. Many members of the governing

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

body bring specialist knowledge as well as dedication to their service of the school and this makes a significant contribution to the high level of planning seen in its work. In all aspects of its work the governing body fully meets statutory requirements.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The school has an appropriate number of staff with a good balance of experience and expertise to teach the early learning goals in the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2. The learning support assistants also have a range of qualifications, experience and expertise that benefits the pupils. Since the last inspection the school has gained Investor in People status which demonstrates its effective commitment to developing staff expertise. The school has made good provision for the professional development of its staff and this is reflected in the very good improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection. The school has good procedures for the induction of newly qualified teachers including the provision of a mentor, who monitors and supports the work of new teachers. There has been some turbulence in staffing in Key Stage 1 in the recent past and the effect of this is reflected in the behaviour of some

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

classes in the key stage. The behaviour of pupils in Year 2 is particularly challenging and the shared teaching arrangement has not been successful in providing consistent strategies for managing pupils’ behaviour. The school is aware of this and is about to review arrangements for the future to ensure that subsequent Year 2 classes are provided with stable staffing which will allow them to achieve well.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The school’s accommodation is adequate for the needs of the curriculum. The teachers make very good use of display to enhance pupils’ learning and to brighten the environment. At present outdoor facilities are cramped while the extension to the school is built. The school has managed this reduction in playground space well by re-arranging playtimes and making appropriate arrangements at lunchtime. The playground has been considerably improved since the last inspection with the provision of large play equipment, seating and planted areas. This work has been done in partnership with parents who have given generously of their time and money to improve the school for their children. There are two concerns about accommodation arising form the inspection over which the school has no control. One is the absence of a fire escape for pupils St. Mark’s Primary School - 23 in classrooms on the first floor. The other is concerned with the offensive smell that is emitted

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

from the pupils’ toilets due to faulty drains beneath the building. The school has tried unsuccessfully to have these matters dealt with but without success. There has been very good improvement in the provision for outdoor play for the Foundation Stage since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. Resources for learning are adequate in all subjects. In English there is a good range of reading books, both to support literacy lessons and to promote pupils’ reading. Resources for mathematics are of good quality and give good support to pupils’ learning. The provision of a dedicated suite of computers for class teaching is having a positive impact on standards in information and communication technology especially in Years 5 and 6. Teachers make good use of the resources available to them to stimulate pupils’ interest and to motivate them to learn. There is a shortage of resources in history and geography for pupils in Key Stage 1 which restricts the range of learning opportunities for the pupils. The school is aware of this and both subjects have the improvement of resources in their current action plans.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. Financial planning is very good. The governors’ finance committee is well informed of the school’s priorities and its recent spending patterns. The headteacher and governors are concerned to get the best value in what they buy and what they do. They make very effective use of the funds available through careful planning and thorough research of supplies and services. The school is careful to consult widely among parents, pupils and the community when it is planning developments, and takes their views into account. Specific funding for special educational needs and for pupils with English as an additional language is well used to provide good support. Procedures for financial control are very good and are very well managed by the school secretary, who has a thorough understanding of the importance of monitoring spending and of keeping clear and accurate records. At the last school audit in 1999, there were a small number of minor issues

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

all of which have been addressed. Taking into account the quality of teaching, the standards pupils achieve and the very good reflection of the school’s aims in its work, the school is judged to give very good value for money.

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

70. To continue to raise standards and improve provision in the school, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve behaviour and standards at the end of Key Stage 1 by reviewing the deployment of staff in Year 2 to ensure that pupils have consistent expectations made of their behaviour and their learning is not disrupted ( paragraphs 3, 18, 27, 82, 88, 97 );

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Provide a fire escape from the first floor classroom ( paragraphs 49, 67 ).

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

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

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the assessment of learning needs for pupils who are an early stage of learning English ( paragraph 53 );

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Take steps to eradicate the offensive smell from the toilets and provide more toilets for boys ( paragraph 49 );

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) Further improve resources for information and communication technology to give pupils more access to computers ( paragraphs 38, 124 ).

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35 St. Mark’s Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 224

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 45

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 54

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 33

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 17

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St. Mark’s Primary School - 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 13 16 29

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 10 9 10

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 66 (86) 62 (84) 69 (91) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 10 7 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 10 9

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 62 (86) 69 (91) 55 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 22 7 29

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 83 (68) 93 (71) 93 (71) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 69 (68) 79 (68) 62 (68) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St. Mark’s Primary School - 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 13 Black – African heritage 1 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 7 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.26

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.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.6 Financial year 1999-2000

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.3

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 624909

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9.0 Expenditure per pupil 2498

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 100 Balance brought forward from previous year 38,844

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 32,020

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1.0

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. St. Mark’s Primary School - 27

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 53 3 0 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 28 62 5 0 5

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 23 48 18 2 9

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 51 8 0 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 28 3 0 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 41 56 2 0 1

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 52 41 5 0 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 52 44 2 0 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 36 54 2 2 6

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 31 46 10 3 10 St. Mark’s Primary School - 28

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. The school admits children to the nursery, on a part-time basis, in the September after their third birthday. Children transfer to full-time education in the reception class in the September after their fourth birthday. Most children in the reception class attend the school’s nursery before they enter full-time school. The nursery makes very good provision for the children’s all round development and education. There is a specifically designated outdoor area for use by the children in the nursery and reception class. This assists their physical development and awareness of space well. The outdoor provision represents a very good level of improvement since the previous inspection. The reception class builds very well on the work of the nursery. The curriculum for children under five promotes the early learning goals of the new Foundation Stage very effectively in all areas of learning.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. The nursery and reception class teachers plan very closely together to ensure that there is a good level of continuity between the classes. They give the children a firm foundation and smooth transfer to work at Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum. All the members of staff who teach children under five have a clear commitment to raising standards. They attend in-service training courses and plan work together. They develop close and effective relationships with parents and carers, so that the children see that the important people in their lives share an interest in what they do. These links ensure that children’s transition from home to school is smooth and painless. The reception teacher has effective links with Key Stage 1 teachers, which ensure the continuation and development of the Foundation’s Stage very good practice.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. The record keeping system is very clear and informative. It gives all members of staff a well- informed base for the planning of their work. The school effectively uses an assessment procedure on entry to assess the children’s level of development and achievement, which gives a clear indication of the children’s ability in language, mathematics and their social development. Parents contribute to this assessment. Thus, the members of the nursery staff have a clear knowledge of what children know and can do at home. All members of staff use this knowledge to plan future work on the basis of the children’s existing ability. They set clear and specific targets for individual children and revise them on a regular basis. These targets form an important part of the Foundation Stage annual report to parents. The reception teacher continues to use and add to the records from the nursery. The vast majority of children are likely to meet the

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

expected levels in all areas of learning. Most children are likely to exceed the expected standards in their physical, personal, social and most aspects of their creative development. The nursery and reception classes provide a good and effective level of support for children with special educational needs. They successfully promote understanding and clarity in speaking for the children who have English as an additional language. All members of staff ensure that the children have full and equal access to the areas of learning.

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

74. Provision and teaching for the children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good. All members of staff promote this area very effectively, throughout the foundation curriculum. The nursery and reception staff are consistent in their dealings with the children and provide very good role models. They treat children politely, courteously and with respect. A direct result of this is that children grow to trust the staff and are polite with adults and each other. Children settle quickly and happily into the security of the nursery and make very good progress in developing their personal and social skills. They are confident when moving around the nursery and share and take turns amicably, for example, when using outdoor equipment and books. Children are enthusiastic and clearly enjoy their work in the nursery and reception classes. They co-operate cheerfully with each other and with adults as they take care of classroom equipment and tidy up

p.28

Personal, social and emotional development

after themselves. They continue this rapid rate of progress in their personal development as they move into the reception class. Here, children work very well both independently and together. All children persevere to finish their tasks and take pride in their work. They quickly understand the routines of school life and move quietly and confidently around the school. By the time they are St. Mark’s Primary School - 29 five, most children, including those with special educational needs, are likely to exceed the expected levels in the development of their social skills.

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

75. The teaching and provision for the development of communication skills, language and literacy is good. There is a suitably wide range of books in the nursery and reception classes to meet the needs of the children. Progress in these areas of learning is good and reflects the findings of the previous inspection. The members of the nursery staff ensure that children learn the correct way to hold and handle books and to enjoy looking at pictures. The reception class teacher continues to develop this good work and teaches letter sounds and word building. This gives children a very good basis for reading. All members of the early years’ staff provide opportunities for children to realise the importance of language across all areas of learning, as when children refer to labels in the cafe. Thus, children are encouraged to read and write and, by the time they leave the reception class, many can write simple, correctly structured sentences. All adults give good

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

support to children who use the role-play areas. As a result, children make rapid progress in their ability to share ideas, experiences and feelings as they act out real life situations. The members of staff teach children how to hold and use pencils correctly, which helps to improve their early writing skills in a range of activities designed to encourage their hand and eye control. This makes a positive contribution to their development. Children with special educational needs receive effective support, which increases their ability to read and write clearly. The reception class teacher uses the literacy strategy very effectively to develop further children’s listening, speaking and reading skills. All members of the reception staff extend these skills very well through their careful selection of books and stories and their use of precise and clear speech. This assists children who have English as an additional language very well and they make good

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

progress. The vast majority of children make good progress in their learning. These children are likely to meet the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1.

p.29

Mathematical development

76. The teaching and provision for children’s mathematical development is very good. Most children make good progress in consolidating and developing their number skills. The strength of this provision lies in the way in which members of the nursery and reception staff develop these skills through a carefully structured programme of work. This includes the use of construction activities to develop awareness of space and control skills. Children become interested in number through these activities and develop a secure understanding of shapes. All members of the staff make interesting and imaginative use of the outdoor play area to reinforce work in number. There is a good and effective level of support for children with special educational needs. They make good progress in developing their knowledge of numbers. By the time they enter the reception class, most children have a rapidly developing range of mathematical skills. The members of the

p.29

Mathematical development

reception staff continue to build well on and develop these early skills. Children have a session of structured number work each day. Most children count and order objects to 20 and above. They know and recognise the place of numbers on a number line. They use correct mathematical language to describe processes, such as ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. Children develop further their mathematical learning through the use of the computer. They quickly learn to arrange geometric shapes to create pictures. This gives them an increasing awareness of how to organise shapes and control movement. Children consolidate, build on and develop their early mathematical experiences well. Most children are likely to meet the early learning goals by the time they begin National Curriculum work in Year 1. This reflects the findings of the previous inspection.

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. All members of staff promote and develop the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world very well. Teaching is very good and children make good progress. They have many opportunities in the nursery and the reception class to explore the natural and man-made world. For example, children in the nursery investigate the differences between different kinds of fish as they feel, look and smell. This provokes much thoughtful conversation and discussion. For example, one child says, as they feel a flat fish: “That’s rough. The other’s smooth” (a trout). This quality of response is a direct result of the careful and sensitive teaching. Children in the Foundation Stage St. Mark’s Primary School - 30 develop an effective level of awareness of the passing of time. They compare themselves as they are now with photographs of themselves as babies and remark on the changes. Such work enables children to develop a good understanding of growth. Children in both classes use

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

computers as a matter of routine. They work carefully and accurately at sequencing objects and creating pictures, thereby developing an understanding of how to use the keyboard and mouse for accurate control. Children print out work with assistance. There is a good level of development in all areas of this aspect of learning. Most children are likely to meet the expectations of the early learning goals by the time they begin work in Year 1.

p.30

Physical development

78. The nursery and reception teachers make very good provision for the children’s physical development. Teaching is very good and children make good progress. They have access to pencils, crayons, scissors and glue from the beginning of their time in the nursery. This increases their ability to use and control tools. Most are already at the expected standard when they enter the reception class. All children in the Foundation Stage develop their climbing and balancing skills effectively. They have opportunities to run, jump and skip and use wheeled toys with an increasing awareness of space. There is a secure area for outdoor activities for children in the nursery and reception classes, so that the children have regular opportunities to increase their confidence in a wider space. The school has a suitable selection of large apparatus for children in the Foundation Stage to use in the school hall. All adults interact well with the children and take

p.30

Physical development

every opportunity to support and extend the children’s physical skills and development. Children achieve above average standards in all areas of their physical development. This reflects the findings of the previous inspection.

p.30

Creative development

79. All members of staff support the children’s creative development effectively. Teaching is very good and the children make good progress. All staff have high expectations of what the children will achieve. They enthuse and motivate the children to work hard and to learn new skills and techniques. Children make good progress in both classes as they learn, use and develop basic techniques. This enables them to use and control materials effectively. They apply paint to paper confidently and learn the techniques of printing very quickly. There is not enough emphasis on the use of different thickness of pencils to develop mark-making skills. This restricts fine pencil work as the children progress through the school. In the reception classes, children develop well their ability to measure and cut accurately. Skilful teaching ensures that they make good progress in shaping and assembling materials. They evaluate their work carefully and suggest

p.30

Creative development

how to improve it. Children sing a variety of songs from memory and use percussion instruments correctly and confidently to maintain rhythm. Most children are likely to exceed the level of skill necessary to reach the early learning goals. Standards are similar to those at the previous inspection.

p.30

Summary

80. The provision for the Foundation Stage is very good and has many strengths. The greatest of these strengths is the quality of teaching. The level of progress children make in their early years at school reflects the consistently high quality of teaching. All members of the support staff work very effectively together to promote learning. They have a clear understanding of the needs of young children, suitably high expectations of what the children should achieve and how they should behave. They give children challenging and interesting tasks, which consolidate and increase their knowledge and understanding. All the members of staff use language very effectively to develop and improve children’s language skills. They speak precisely and clearly. This ensures that all children, including those who have English as an additional language, make good progress in developing their speaking skills. All members of staff place a suitably strong

p.30

Summary

emphasis on the teaching of specific skills, for example, how to use pencils, paint and musical instruments. They encourage all children to work independently and to make choices. An example of this is seen in the work children do on the computer. The quality of teaching is an improvement since the previous inspection. The appointment of a new co-ordinator for provision in the Foundation Stage is having a positive impact on the level of provision and the quality of teaching. St. Mark’s Primary School - 31

p.30

ENGLISH

81. In the national tests for eleven-year-olds in 2000, the pupils’ point score was above the average of all schools and well above average in comparison with similar schools. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level 5 was well above the national average. Boys’ results were better than girls though both groups achieved better than the national average. These very good results reflect an improvement in performance in the last four years, particularly for boys. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2000, pupils’ performance in reading was well below the national average and well below that of similar schools. In writing, pupils’ performance was very low, placing it in the lowest five per cent of results nationally. There were no significant differences in the results of boys and girls. These results are not characteristic of the school’s performance in the past four years, when results in reading and writing have been in line with the national

p.31

ENGLISH

average. The poor results last year are due to the high proportion of pupils, 16 out of 29, who had special educational needs. It is encouraging to note that this group has continued to respond to the good support the school provides and that the vast majority have shown very good improvement since the tests last year.

p.31

ENGLISH

82. Standards in the current Year 2 class are slightly below the national average, overall. Standards of listening are below the expected level for pupils aged seven. Many pupils have poor concentration and are easily distracted, with the result that they do not learn and recall what they are taught during whole class teaching. Their speaking is better and is at the expected standard for their age. When pupils are sure of what the question is, they are able to speak clearly and confidently. Pupils who are seven in the mixed Year 1 and 2 class achieve better standards in listening because the behaviour and general tone of the class is much more supportive of good learning because they consistently have high expectations made of them by the teacher.

p.31

ENGLISH

83. Standards in reading are below what is expected for pupils who are seven. Most pupils read familiar words fluently and higher attainers have several methods for working out unfamiliar words. However, many pupils do not have good understanding of what they have read and have difficulty retelling in their own words. For average and lower attaining pupils, weak knowledge of how to sound out words prevents them from making progress in extending their reading vocabulary. The weaknesses found in reading are in part due to staffing changes in Key Stage 1 in the past two years, when a number of supply teachers have been employed and partly because not enough time has been devoted to teaching and practising reading skills. Evidence from reading records shows that a number of pupils are not heard reading regularly enough at home for them to consolidate and improve their reading skills.

p.31

ENGLISH

84. Pupils’ handwriting is legible and they are taught to form their letters properly. The majority write in sentences but do not regularly use capital letters and full stops. Evidence of longer pieces of writing shows pupils write familiar stories, and that higher attaining pupils introduce detail and ideas of their own. By the time they are seven, pupils’ writing is below the expectation for their age, especially for higher attainers, who are not using a range of punctuation or sentence formation. For the majority of pupils, spelling is below the expected standard.

p.31

ENGLISH

85. Standards among pupils who are eleven are above the national average. Listening skills have been well developed and are very good. Pupils follow long explanations and instructions during whole class sessions and their prompt and accurate answers to questions shows they have been following the teacher closely. In the many class discussions observed, pupils develop their own and others’ ideas, explain their viewpoint or use evidence from what they have read to explain what the writer’s attitude to a subject might be. Year 5 pupils displayed great confidence when discussing the events in “A Thief in the Village”. By the end of the key stage pupils’ speaking skills are above average and make a good contribution to the development of their thinking.

p.31

ENGLISH

86. Reading standards are above the national average. Pupils have good strategies for understanding new words and are encouraged during class reading of books to use these and to suggest the meaning of these words to others. Pupils read fluently and with very good understanding. In a Year 4 lesson, pupils were pressed by the teacher’s searching questions to explore the deeper meaning of the story and how the actions of a group of boys affected another boy. As a result their understanding of what was happening in the story was extended and they learnt how the writer achieved his effects. Throughout the key stage, pupils read a good range of books for pleasure and are encouraged to read different styles of books and those from other cultures. By St. Mark’s Primary School - 32 the time they are eleven pupils have good referencing skills and they make use of these for researching other subjects such as science, history and geography.

p.31

ENGLISH

87. By the time they are eleven the vast majority of pupils reach the expected standard in writing, a good proportion reach higher than expected standards and overall writing is above what is expected nationally. Pupils’ handwriting is well formed and neat. Standards of written presentation are good, demonstrating the pride that the majority of pupils take in their work. Spelling is accurate, even for uncommon words, reflecting the impact of the reading that pupils do, and punctuation is correctly used. By Year 6 pupils have had the opportunity to write for a wide range of purposes. Both average and higher attaining pupils show a good sense of the audience they write for and adapt their writing to suit. Pupils show great enjoyment in their writing and often write extended pieces by the time they are eleven. Two boys whose enthusiasm for cartoon writing was encouraged by the Year 6 teacher have produced a very polished comic for

p.32

ENGLISH

publication. The quality of this and other writing pupils do, is enhanced by the thorough preparation of reading the work of published writers which helps pupils recognise the key features of a particular style. Pupils’ good knowledge and understanding of language, which comes from the well planned reading they do, is used to good effect by pupils of all abilities.

p.32

ENGLISH

88. The quality of teaching at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory overall, with one lesson of very good teaching seen and one lesson which was judged to be unsatisfactory. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use this to plan appropriate work for the majority of pupils. Teachers follow the format of the National Literacy Strategy, giving whole class instruction and using brisk questioning to challenge pupils to think and consolidate their learning. In the very good lesson seen in the Year 1 and 2 class the teacher’s firm insistence on good listening meant that pupils gained a very good understanding of “The Rainbow Fish” and were able to tell their own versions confidently to the class when asked to do so. Where teachers are not so firm in their handling of pupils who disrupt, as in the Year 2 class, then learning suffers as pupils lose concentration and make poor use of time.

p.32

ENGLISH

89. At Key Stage 2, the quality of teaching is very good overall and all teaching is at least good. Teachers make good use of assessment procedures to get to know their pupils and their needs well. They have very good subject knowledge and make good use of the advice and support given by the subject co-ordinator to develop methods and strategies to support their pupils’ learning. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good and often excellent, inspiring pupils to work hard to please their teachers who make generous use of praise to acknowledge their efforts. Lessons are very well planned. Pupils of all abilities are challenged and motivated by the work set. Very effective questioning in a Year 5 lesson led to very good development of understanding of the story, with pupils eager to predict what might happen next and keen to volunteer to read when the teacher challenged them to adopt the appropriate dialect. A Year 4 lesson

p.32

ENGLISH

demonstrated the very good use teachers make of time by structuring and pacing the lessons well. At an apparently unhurried pace the teacher moved the pupils through a thorough analysis of the story, allowed them to share their first hand knowledge of tropical climates and draw comparisons between these and the climate in England. The pupils were then able to make use of this information in some good writing and all were well pleased with the progress they had made by the end of the lesson.

p.32

ENGLISH

90. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because teachers make good use of their individual education plans to provide appropriate work and because they work very closely with special educational needs support teachers and assistants. Support teachers and assistants have a good knowledge of the pupils they support. They use good methods to help pupils make progress and have very good relationships with pupils giving them good encouragement and praise for their efforts.

p.32

ENGLISH

91. The effectiveness of this support has been especially noticeable in the current Year 3 class when there is a high proportion of pupils with special needs. Since sitting the national tests in 2000, when the standards achieved were very low, pupils in this class have made very good progress as measured by re-testing at the end of the autumn and spring terms and many are approaching the expected standard. Pupils who have English as an additional language, make good progress overall. They receive good support from the language support assistant with written English and from teachers who are careful to include them in question and answer sessions so they have the opportunity to develop speaking to larger groups. St. Mark’s Primary School - 33 92. Leadership in the subject is good. The National Literacy Strategy has been well implemented and the co-ordinator has ensured that the school has a very good supply of good resources. She has

p.32

ENGLISH

developed assessment procedures in line with the school’s policy and where staffing has been settled, as in Key Stage 2 these are used to very good effect in planning for pupils’ learning. The co-ordinator has been active in providing teachers with strategies and methods to improve the quality of teaching and learning. There is at present a very effective spelling strategy being developed at Key Stage 2 where it is undoubtedly having a positive effect on standards by motivating pupils to learn new and difficult words. Since the last inspection standards have risen at Key Stage 2, there has been very good improvement in assessment and record keeping and the quality of teaching has improved.

p.33

ENGLISH

93. Literacy is promoted well at Key Stage 2, where there is strong emphasis on reading, with pupils given many opportunities to use these skills for research onto other subjects they study. Reading is not so strongly promoted at Key Stage 1, where there is a need for more rigorous teaching and monitoring of reading skills. While teachers plan opportunities for pupils to consolidate their writing, these could be developed further in history, geography and science to extend their range of writing at both key stages.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

94. In the 2000 national tests, the attainment of pupils aged seven in mathematics was well below both the national average and the average of similar schools. The attainment of eleven-year-olds in the national tests in 2000 showed a very significantly different picture. Year 6 pupils' attainment in 2000 was well above the national average, and very high compared with both national and similar schools' averages. Boys did particularly well in mathematics in 2000, well above the level of all boys nationally.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

95. In the current Year 2, attainment is still below average in all aspects of mathematics, although some aspects, particularly pupils' understanding of number, have improved since 1997. The below average standards are due to lower prior attainment of the pupils and several staffing changes over the last two years. Pupils' attitudes and behaviour in the Year 2 class also have an adverse effect on their progress. In the current Year 1, where pupils’ prior attainment was higher and very good teaching is having a positive effect on pupils' progress, attainment is in line with expectations. Where teaching is stronger, most pupils make good progress in their mathematics lessons and can operate successfully the numerical calculations of addition, subtraction and so on to an appropriate level.

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MATHEMATICS

96. Key Stage 2 presents a completely different picture of attainment. Here, standards overall are above national expectations by the end of Year 6. It is in Years 5 and 6 where pupils’ attainment moves up significantly. In both classes, the balance of attainment is above average, with indications that the current Year 5 will attain very highly by the end of Year 6. The range of ability in Year 6 is skewed towards above average, particularly amongst boys. Number work is the strongest aspect, with average standards in pupils' understanding of shape, space and measure. This was evident amongst pupils both when doing mathematical problems and in other lessons, such as design and technology. The application of mathematics to problem-solving is also average by Year 6. Examples of a sound application of mathematics were seen in a Year 5 project about the local environment, where they had gathered data about traffic flow and land

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MATHEMATICS

usage and used pie-graphs and bar-charts to produce easily understood presentations of information to argue their case for change to the local authority. This is one of many examples of the good cross-curricular use of mathematics to support other subjects. It is pupils' use and understanding of number and algebra which pushes their overall attainment to above average. Many have a very good understanding of the functions of multiplication, division, addition and subtraction, which they can apply to whole numbers and fractions or decimals, as in a Year 6 lesson about percentages, working out discounted sale prices of goods. Pupils use calculators very sensibly, but are good at mental arithmetic and can mentally check whether their calculations are "right". 97. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are very positive. Almost all pupils have developed an enjoyment of number work, and apply themselves confidently to their lessons. In most lessons, pupils work

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MATHEMATICS

together very well, helping each other and clarifying points between themselves harmoniously. St. Mark’s Primary School - 34 98. Teaching is good overall. It is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Some lessons seen at both key stages were very good and all were satisfactory. This represents a huge improvement from 1997, when a high proportion of unsatisfactory mathematics teaching was noted. Teachers now use the National Numeracy Strategy very sensibly, taking advantage of the slight modifications made to fit the needs of the school more closely. Most of the criticisms made in the last report have been addressed. The teachers plan their work well and good structure now exists in all lessons observed. The balance of time used for the plenary and individual-working sessions in lessons gives all pupils good opportunities to consolidate and to practise their skills and knowledge. Pace in most lessons is good. Teachers now assess pupils' work well and track

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MATHEMATICS

their progress across the years effectively. Teachers’ assessments were accurate for the national tests in 2000 and teachers currently have good knowledge of where their pupils are in terms of levels of the National Curriculum. This again is a big improvement over the situation described in the last report. Most teachers create a good learning ethos and promote positive attitudes as a result of their own increased confidence in teaching the subject.

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MATHEMATICS

99. Overall, the school's improvement in the teaching and learning of mathematics has been good. Information and communication technology is used well, particularly in Years 5 and 6, where computers are readily accessible outside the classrooms. The subject is well managed and is adequately resourced to meet the requirements of the curriculum.

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MATHEMATICS

100. Pupils are encouraged to use their numeracy skills in other subjects and these are well promoted across the curriculum. For instance, in science lessons younger pupils make a record of when they lose their teeth then use this information to create a graph. In design and technology pupils use measurement regularly and are expected to become more careful and accurate as they grow older. In geography they use co-ordinates to find places on a map.

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SCIENCE

101. Teacher assessment of standards at the end of Key Stage 1 placed pupils well below the national average. Standards of pupils' attainment in science at the end of Key Stage 1 are below the national average and are in line with the national average at Key Stage 2, with a minority of higher attainers working towards higher levels of attainment by the time they leave school. This reflects the last inspection findings for both key stages and is an improvement on the teacher assessments in 2000. The dip in 2000 national test results for Key Stage 1 is because the proportion of pupils with special educational needs was high and they had experienced several changes in teacher during the key stage. The trend since 1998 has, in fact, been one of steady improvement in pupils’ performance at the end of their respective key stages. There is no significant gender difference in pupils' learning, and pupils with special educational needs and

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SCIENCE

those learning English as an additional language make good progress.

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SCIENCE

102. Many Key Stage 1 pupils know and understand the impact of electricity in everyday life. Higher attainers know the positive and negative ports of batteries, though they have not yet learnt the relevant vocabulary. Younger and less able pupils can draw and label some familiar devices, which run on batteries. In their work on investigating materials, higher attainers and some pupils of average ability at Key Stage 2 demonstrate an understanding of how mixing materials can cause a change and they know which changes are reversible and irreversible.

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SCIENCE

103. The quality of learning is good and pupils throughout school make good progress both in lessons and over time. Some younger pupils in Year 3 learn about water travelling up plants from the roots. Others classify organisms according to observable features such as shape and size. Others identify different conditions associated with habitats and which animal belongs to which habitat. All of this enables pupils to think through scientific processes, and some make sensible predictions, giving reasons for their answers. Pupils, generally, produce written records of their findings fairly neatly. This is, however, not the case with a minority of pupils in both key stages, including those having special educational needs or learning English as an additional language. These pupils have difficulty in explaining and recording their learning without support.

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SCIENCE

104. The quality of teaching is good and impacts positively on the quality of learning. Most teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and this enables them to use questioning effectively to St. Mark’s Primary School - 35 enhance pupils' participation and promote their learning. This, for example, led to an interesting discussion in Year 6 when pupils were engaged in finding out what happens to some solids when mixed with water. Teachers also encourage pupils to explain their thinking to help them clarify their understanding. This was observed in several lessons involving experiments relating to growing plants, grouping organisms according to observable features and identifying conditions associated with habitats. Most teachers place appropriate emphasis on investigative skills and use a wide range of resources that hold pupils' interest. They have high expectations that pupils should work hard and behave well. Pupils throughout the school have positive attitudes to

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SCIENCE

science. They respond to investigative work with enthusiasm, and practical activities are especially beneficial to pupils with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language.

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SCIENCE

105. The school offers a broad and balanced science curriculum. The scheme of work has been reviewed in line with the national scheme. This ensures that as pupils move through the school they progress systematically in their learning.

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SCIENCE

106. Pupils are assessed regularly and there is an appropriate record keeping system. This works effectively for the most part in influencing what pupils do next. The subject is well resourced and managed. Improvements since the last inspection include an emphasis on the use of school grounds and the introduction of formal assessment and work sampling. The planning of work for pupils of different ability could occasionally be more focused, and the monitoring of provision more rigorous. Opportunities are also limited for the use of computers in science lessons. The subject leader has already identified most of these areas for development in the current development plan.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. Pupils' attainment in art, at the end of both key stages, is in line with national expectations, as it was at the time of the last report. In Key Stage 1, their art work in the Year 1 and 2 class, depicting seasons and ideas of hot and cold colours, using collage and painting, is effective. In Year 2, pupils' collages of vases of flowers show that these skills are typical for the age group. These pupils have also produced some good, abstract artwork, using the computer. Colour work is stronger than sketching and pure drawing, where some attainment is weaker than usual.

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ART AND DESIGN

108. At Key Stage 2, standards are also average. Pupils begin to have a better understanding of the work of famous artists as they are introduced to their work. Year 3 pupils’ drawings of their heads and shoulders in a class picture show appropriate development of drawing skills, which have improved during the year. An abstract painting project based on the work of Miró in Year 4, links the practical and theoretical aspects well. Here, too, pupils’ skills in direct observation are developing well. Other Year 4 pupils have made observational drawings of chairs and designed chairs suitable for their favourite storybook character. Good links with design technology exist, for example, pupils have made model chairs for their chosen characters. By Year 6, pupils' drawings and colourings of cans and candy-wrappers show sound development of their use of line, shape and proportion. Pupils’ work on folded-paper masks shows appropriate coverage of the three-

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ART AND DESIGN

dimensional aspects of their curriculum, as well as good links with other aspects of the curriculum, in this case, history and Greek theatre. Similar examples of cross-curricular links are found in the Year 3 pupils’ painted clay tiles, based on Roman mosaic designs. In a Year 5 lesson, pupils' stitching skills to prepare for tapestry making were developing satisfactorily.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. Teaching in art is good. Teachers are using a published curriculum, which covers an appropriate range of media and scale, giving pupils a suitably structured experience as they move through the school. Most teachers are now confident to teach the curriculum, an improvement on the time of the last report, when many were not. They are well supported with resources and by the use of learning support assistance in classes where needed. The best lessons are taught with great enthusiasm and vigour, with teachers encouraging pupils to experiment and try out new ideas. Teachers’ planning is well-informed by the schemes of work derived from the published source, and teachers take care to ensure that tasks are achievable by pupils of all ability levels. Thus, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in art.

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ART AND DESIGN

110. Subject management is good. The few issues raised in the last report have been resolved and resources for the subject remain good. St. Mark’s Primary School - 36

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Attainment in design and technology matches the national expectation at the ends of both key stages. At the time of the last report, standards were below expectations and the report was highly critical of most aspects of the subject. Pupils' progress was poor, with some regression of skills described. This situation has been redressed, with pupils making appropriate progress in many aspects of the subject at both key stages. The school now uses a published scheme of work to cover the requirements of the National Curriculum, so pupils' progression is assured through much better planning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. At Key Stage 1, the development of pupils' designing and making skills is being encouraged appropriately, supported by sets of skills-development cards. Teachers and pupils use these, for example, to ensure that their standards of construction match the standards expected. A project seen in the Year 1 and 2 classes showed pupils learning joining techniques, for paper using staples and, with fabric, using stitching. Here, some pupils realised that their hands were not strong enough to operate the stapler, and most understood the problems arising if their staples were placed too far inside the perimeter of the glove puppet they were making. Year 2 pupils also have a satisfactory understanding of the relationship between their designs and what they are making.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. In Key Stage 2, progress continues to be satisfactory in most aspects of design and technology, and attainment at the end of the key stage matches expectations. Many of the pupils' projects combine the art and the design and technology curriculum, with aspects of both, particularly of design, common to both areas. The "chairs" project in Year 4 is one example. All of these aspects are sound. The Egyptian mummies project in Year 4 is a further example. Here, life-sized casts were made, still to be seen on display. Masks also show three-dimensional work from the same year. Musical instruments, being constructed in Year 5, are being designed to accompany puppet plays to be performed to the infant classes. Standards in all these projects show satisfactory levels of design and construction skill for the pupils’ ages. Year 6 pupils, observed in a lesson at the start of a new electronics-based project to produce burglar alarms, had previously

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

designed and made slippers, some of very high quality, having dismantled shoes to establish how they were made. In all aspects of design and construction, skills are average at the end of Year 6. Pupils are weaker in the evaluation aspects of the subject. They do too little recording of their decision-making processes as they move through a project, so have little concept of the need to evaluate or to use their evaluation to modify designs or constructions. Recording of the whole process, from identifying the problem or need, through the design phase, to modification, evaluation and re-construction, before final evaluation, is not well established, as a result, pupils' understanding of the complete loop is not fully understood from an early age.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Pupils' attitudes to design and technology are extremely positive. Even the youngest pupils in Key Stage 1 were thrilled to find that they were going to make their glove puppets in that lesson. By Year 6, pupils are very keen on the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Teaching is satisfactory at both key stages. Teaching in some lessons is good. Teachers are much more confident than at the time of the last report in teaching both the design and making aspects of the curriculum. They now need to include the evaluation and modification aspects more consistently. Classes are usually well organised, with teachers and pupils greatly benefiting from the help of support staff, especially in the Year 2 class, which would otherwise be very difficult for one adult to oversee effectively. Here, overly lively behaviour in a lesson seen was greatly improved by the intervention of support staff. A greater degree of formal assessment of pupils’ work is also required as a future development for the subject. The new curriculum co- ordinator has made a very effective start on providing illustrated support materials to aid the development of key design technology skills. Greater monitoring is now needed of the ways in

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GEOGRAPHY

St. Mark’s Primary School - 37 116. No geography lessons were observed in Key Stage 1. The evidence on which judgements are based includes scrutiny of teachers' planning, pupils' work - particularly that on display, and discussion with staff and pupils.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. Standards of attainment are in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. This represents an improvement in the attainment of Key Stage 2 pupils since the last inspection, which judged attainment to be below expectation. The majority of pupils observed make good progress in developing their geographical knowledge, understanding and skills. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have basic map reading skills as reflected in a contrasting study of their locality and the Isle of Struay with particular reference to some physical features. Younger pupils have started recognising features of places on a map. They know different types of transport and that different weather conditions need different clothes. Older pupils in Key Stage 2 demonstrate, as part of a 'river' project, an understanding of how conditions on the school site are affected by the weather. Higher attainers can record their findings using appropriate vocabulary such as ‘drainage’, ‘valley’

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GEOGRAPHY

and ‘source’. Pupils in other year groups use maps and photographs to identify physical and human features of places near and far such as Champakolli, a village in India. A minority of higher attainers have produced some work of high quality as part of their individual project on India.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. The quality of teaching observed at Key Stage 2 was good, with some very good features. Strategies employed by most teachers enhance pupils' motivation whilst clarifying learning objectives. Teacher intervention ensures a purposeful discussion takes place, extending and consolidating their map reading skills. Teaching is characterised by good subject knowledge, high expectations and effective management of pupils. All of this had a positive impact on the quality of learning. Most pupils concentrated well, showing high levels of participation. They were cooperative and very well behaved. Effective questioning led to consolidation of the use of appropriate geographical vocabulary associated with map reading. There is no significant gender difference in pupils' learning, but pupils having special educational needs and those at early stages of learning English as an additional language make relatively slower progress particularly

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GEOGRAPHY

119. The projected geography curriculum is broad, if not balanced. The school has adopted the national scheme, though formal procedures for assessment are not yet in place. The subject has some cross-curricular links, but since it alternates with history Key Stage 1 classes were not timetabled for geography during the inspection. There is also an insufficient focus on written work in the subject. The subject leader has drawn up an action plan, highlighting areas for development including new national orders, updating topic boxes, reviewing a commercial resource file and the use of computers and resources which need upgrading, particularly at Key Stage 1. Her role is, however, under-developed in monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning in the subject.

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HISTORY

120. By the time they are seven pupils’ knowledge and understanding in history are typical for their age group. Pupils recognise the distinction between past and present. They understand why things were different in the past and how they differ from today. In Year 1, pupils compare visits to the seaside at the beginning, middle and end of the century. They recognise the different dress worn and the changes in transport and pastimes. In Year 2 pupils learn about famous people such as Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole and how they changed conditions in hospitals.

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HISTORY

121. By the time they are eleven pupils have better than expected enquiry skills and are able to organise and present information about the past in lively and interesting ways. Many of the topics they study are used for dramatic presentations, puppet or light shows. They do much practical work based on their researches about the past and produce pottery and jewellery in the style of the Egyptians and Greeks. Year 4 pupils used their knowledge of the mummifying process to produce a ‘mummy’ of one of their classmates. Pupils have a good understanding of chronology and can locate different events in different eras. They ask relevant questions about the past and make good use of books and CD-ROMs to research answers to these questions. While pupils have some opportunities to write about the past, these are not fully exploited and the application of their writing skills in the subject could be further developed.

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HISTORY

St. Mark’s Primary School - 38 122. In the lessons observed teaching was good overall at both key stages. Pupils achieve well in history lessons at Key Stage 1 when the teacher uses challenging questions to refresh their knowledge of Florence Nightingale and when the planned tasks match their literacy skills. At Key Stage 2, teachers plan a good range of activities for pupils which ensure that they are eager to research and use information to present their view of topics in an interesting and lively way. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning shows that they have good knowledge of the topics they teach. Clear objectives are shared with pupils so that they have a clear understanding of the learning intentions. In all lessons, very good relationships between teachers and pupils make learning enjoyable. Discussion at the beginning and review at the end of lessons is effectively used to assess what pupils know, can do and have learned.

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HISTORY

123. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and knowledgeable and is committed to raising standards in the subject. At Key Stage 1 this will be supported in the coming year with the addition of new resources, where a shortage of pictures and objects from the past currently restricts pupils’ learning. Teachers’ planning and the standards of pupils’ work are monitored by the co-ordinator. Since the last inspection, standards have improved at Key Stage 2. The scheme of work has been reviewed to ensure that it meets the new requirements for the curriculum. The use of educational visits and visitors has increased and has had a positive impact on the quality of learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. The school has made very good progress in the teaching of information and communication technology since the last report. Standards then were well below the national expectation. The curriculum now includes two effective methods of teaching. Pupils have discrete lessons where they learn specifically about computer skills and develop their understanding of the opportunities provided by information and communication technology. They also have far more opportunity to use computers in their classrooms as adjuncts to other subjects. The latter requires further development and is impeded at present by the school having fewer powerful computers than it needs for pupils' greater access. The hardware and software the school possesses are used very well. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 now matches the national expectation. Pupils in a Year 2 class were learning as a class how to access information from a CD-ROM to form a

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

database of selected characteristics of animals. Individuals could use the mouse properly to select from a menu to find what they needed and recorded it appropriately for later use. Pupils in the mixed age Year 1 and 2 class also recently used the computer to input information to generate a bar graph connected with numbers of lost baby teeth. All aspects of pupils' information and communication technology knowledge and skills are now in line with the expected standards for seven-year-olds by the end of Year 2.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. By the age of eleven many pupils' computer skills match the expected standards. Many pupils have computers at home, which allows them greater practice than the relatively limited access they have to hardware in school. All pupils have information and communication7 technology on their timetable, operating on a weekly rotation with music. The scheme of work they now follow ensures that all aspects of the subject are covered in lessons and, given the relatively limited amount of time they have for the subject, progress is good. Pupils in Year 5 were using spreadsheets well to calculate the cost of items for a party. Their understanding of how to insert formulae into cells was good. Some Year 6 pupils were observed working independently on the computers in a mathematics lesson. They were adept at all aspects of accessing and at using the mathematics "games", of changing programs, scarcely needing the assistance of the teacher.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Pupils in most years use the school's "Roamer" and program its movement effectively. Although not seen in use, the resulting plots of pupils' programming were displayed, and pupils spoke with great enthusiasm of their projects using it.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Pupils’ attitudes to their use of information and communication technology are overwhelmingly positive. They are keen to get to and use any computer when given opportunities, but understand that, with few machines available, they often have to wait their turn, or, because of technical failure, must do a task another way. Pupils are remarkably tolerant of these situations, accepting that a computer is not working and readily settling to use calculators, for example, instead of the computer to work out the cost of the party in Year 5. Their behaviour is often excellent, with very good examples of co-operation and group work observed. St. Mark’s Primary School - 39 127. Teaching is now good. From the extremely weak position described in the last report, teachers have reached a stage where most teaching creates very effective learning and good degrees of confidence amongst pupils. Teachers have benefited greatly from training in their own use of

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

computers and now pass this confidence on to pupils. The scheme of work provides a good structure from which teachers can work and good support materials are available. Where they have to use their classrooms to teach, good use is made of these preparatory activities. In Year 4, for example, pupils were producing the formatted information needed to insert into a database based on their questionnaire about individuals' characteristics, eye colour, siblings, religion and so on. Improvement in all aspects of the school's provision for information and communication technology, as well as the teaching and learning of the subject, has been very good.

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MUSIC

128. Standards in music exceed those expected for pupils of seven and eleven years of age. The school is continuing to maintain the above average standards identified at the previous inspection. Pupils play recorders well and develop a good level of skill in playing musical instruments through the tuition of visiting music specialists. This enriches the music provision for all age groups. Participation in the school choir and school productions makes a positive contribution to the further development of pupils’ skills in performing, listening and speaking. The scheme of work covers all elements of the National Curriculum. The school provides good procedures for assessing pupils’ progress in performing, in composing and in their knowledge and understanding of music.

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MUSIC

129. The younger pupils demonstrate above average levels of control when they sing. They know how to use pitch, rhythm and dynamics in their singing. Most pupils have above average skills in composing and in playing percussion instruments. Skilful teaching ensures that pupils learn to identify which instruments play sustained and short sounds. Pupils confidently explore and organise sounds to create and repeat patterns. As pupils progress through the school, they continue to maintain high standards in making music. All pupils concentrate and work very well in response to the lively, confident and enthusiastic teaching. Pupils identify correctly different instruments playing within orchestral pieces of music. For example, one boy identified the harp playing in ‘Venus’ and several identified the brass instruments in ‘Mars’. The skilful teaching moves them on to a thoughtful and mature appraisal of the feelings evoked by listening to Holst’s

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MUSIC

‘The Planets’ Suite’. All pupils practise to improve their performance and take great delight in performing to one another. The good quality and effective support for pupils who have special educational needs promotes successful achievement. These pupils work alongside their classmates and take pride in celebrating their achievements.

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MUSIC

130. The very good quality of specialist teaching ensures that pupils’ learning is of a high quality and maintains high standards. The teacher ensures that pupils consolidate and develop their musical knowledge and skills well. Direct teaching of singing and playing techniques ensures that pupils develop and improve their performing skills. It helps pupils to build on their skills and they quickly learn to maintain an accurate beat against rhythmic playing. Pupils work hard to improve their skills of composition and make good progress in recognising, composing and playing rhythms. They understand and use musical terms accurately. Teaching is enthusiastic, lively and interesting. It makes music enjoyable and fun and pupils respond very well to music throughout the school. They show much respect for the efforts of others. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, persevere and work with determination to succeed. They co-operate

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MUSIC

well together and with adults in lessons. Pupils enjoy music and are enthusiastic about their work.

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MUSIC

131. There are opportunities for the pupils to use information technology to support their work in music. They have access to CD-ROMs, which enables them to carry out independent research into musical instruments and the lives of composers. Resources for music are from a range of cultures, western and non-western. Staff and pupils make very effective use of them.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

St. Mark’s Primary School - 40 132. By the age of eleven, pupils attain standards that are above those expected nationally. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection when standards did not meet national expectations. Pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. The school places great value on the work pupils do in physical education. Clear evidence of this appears in the quality of pupils’ and teachers’ work in lessons. The school teaches all aspects of the subject, including swimming and athletics, and teachers and pupils are enthusiastic. There is a wide range of extra-curricular sports provision and the school has many successes with its sports teams. Pupils derive much benefit from extra help in coaching from a variety of organisations outside the school. The school is continuing with its outdoor and adventurous provision to maintain a good balance in its curriculum. These factors make a

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

significant contribution to the standards pupils achieve. This represents very good improvement since the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. By age seven, the pupils achieve standards that meet those for most pupils of this age. This reflects the findings of the previous inspection. All pupils practise to improve their performance and achieve satisfactory standards in games’ skills. By the age of eleven, pupils achieve well in all areas of physical education. They have well-developed games’ skills and apply their knowledge of gymnastics to their dance performances very well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. From the age of six, the pupils appraise their own and others' performances and suggest ways to improve. They practise, improve and repeat sequences of movements to each other. The older pupils show a high level of maturity in their actions, for example when collaborating in teams to develop and practise skills in rounders and cricket. They discuss the strong and weak points of their work. Pupils understand the effect of exercise on the body and the need to warm-up before taking exercise. Most pupils have good ball control skills and work well together in teams. They throw, pass and catch balls correctly and apply these skills very effectively when playing actual games.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in developing an awareness of the use of space. They develop their ability to devise and improvise movements very well when they create sequences of movements in gymnastics and dance lessons. All pupils in Year 4 make good progress in learning how to swim. They meet the expectations for most pupils of their age in this aspect of physical education.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. The quality of learning in physical education lessons is good. All pupils work with a sense of purpose and want to achieve. They are eager to learn new skills and apply their learning well in games and dance. The quality of teaching makes a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. Pupils at both key stages have very positive attitudes to their work in physical education. They work with much enjoyment and enthusiasm, as well as with very high levels of concentration. Pupils behave very well in lessons, both in the hall and when moving to and from the hall. They work quietly, collaboratively and co-operate very well with each other and their teachers. Relationships are very good and pupils help and support each other well, particularly when practising agility skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. The overall quality of teaching is good. Teaching in four out of ten lessons is very good, with the majority seen at Key Stage 2. Teachers give clear explanations to pupils and take care to ensure that they understand the purpose of their work. The organisation of lessons is good. All teachers prepare lessons carefully to provide a suitably balanced programme of skills progression. They have a good level of subject knowledge and understanding and are confident in the teaching of physical education. They have suitably high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and lessons move at a brisk pace. Teachers demonstrate skills well and have a good understanding of skills development in physical education.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. A clear policy and scheme of work give an effective level of support to teachers. The co-ordinator works with other classes within the school and monitors the teaching of physical education carefully. There is careful assessment of performance to ensure that new work builds on previous knowledge and ability. The school’s physical education programme receives very effective support from the good range of extra-curricular activities the school provides. These include sporting activities, which are open to all pupils regardless of age or gender. St. Mark’s Primary School - 41

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. There has been a rise in standards throughout the school since the previous inspection. By the age of 11, most pupils achieve standards that exceed the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. This represents a very good level of improvement from the unsatisfactory standards at the previous inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. By the age of seven, pupils’ standards meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The pupils learn to respect and appreciate the similarities between different religions in their work on special books and special places. They identify the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. The pupils know that the Bible is a special book for Christians and that the Qu’ran is a special book for Muslims. Careful teaching ensures that pupils show a suitable level of care and respect for religious artefacts. Most of the pupils make links between religions. An example of this is their developing ability to make inferences related to their understanding of Islam, based on their knowledge of Christianity. Pupils in Year 2 understand that the Bible and other holy books teach people about ‘truth’ and ‘justice’. The pupils recognise that many religions have a welcoming ceremony in which they give an infant a name. The teacher makes effective

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

use of different beliefs to illustrate this point.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. By the age of eleven, the pupils achieve standards that exceed the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The vast majority of pupils have a good knowledge of Christianity and other major world religions. They identify similarities and differences between Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism. By Year 5, the pupils have above average understanding of the different beliefs. For example, they explore similarities between the stories of Musa and Moses and compare Islamic and Christian codes of conduct. Skilful questioning enables the pupils to apply these to their own lives and to realise that different points of view affect belief. They understand that people worship in different ways, as they explore the principles of an Anglican Church and a Gurdwara. By Year 4, the pupils show a mature level of thought and reflection as they consider the meaning of friendship, trust and betrayal. The teachers build on this

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

understanding as the pupils progress through the school. This ensures that, by Year 6, the pupils have a very clear understanding of the value of experiences that cannot be bought.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. Pupils enjoy their work in religious education. The teachers make the lessons interesting and ensure that they are relevant to pupils’ needs. This ensures that the vast majority of pupils work hard and achieve well. Some pupils in Year 2 have immature attitudes to their work. The teacher has to spend time dealing with behaviour and this slows progress in learning. The older pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and think carefully about issues. They show a good level of respect for the ideas and opinions of others and are confident in sharing their thoughts. The pupils are enthusiastic and eager to put forward their own ideas. They discuss feelings and emotions at a mature level, prepare thoughtful questions and co-operate well together. They relate well to their teachers and to each other. The pupils who have English as an additional language receive effective support. This ensures they are able to join in discussions confidently.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Pupils enjoy the level of challenge in their work. They pupils respond very well to the opportunities for quiet contemplation they have during lessons. For example, a boy in Year 6 said, at the end of a period of quiet contemplation, “Can we do that again, please, Sir?” This level of response is a very significant improvement since the previous inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. Overall, teaching is good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching in the lessons observed. One third of teaching for the older pupils is very good. One third is excellent. This is a very good level of improvement since the previous inspection. The teachers are confident in the subject and prepare their lessons thoroughly. They give careful thought to providing a calm and reflective atmosphere in the classroom for the teaching of religious education. This ensures that the pupils have correct information and there is a clear sense of purpose to their work. Planning follows the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and gives a good level of attention to the defined areas of learning. The school provides a suitably wide range of opportunities to enable pupils to become aware of the religious element in life. This includes the provision of quiet areas in the playground. The teachers encourage pupils to reflect on their own experiences and to relate them to those of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

other people. The teachers and pupils are sensitive to sacred religious artefacts and treat them with respect and care. St. Mark’s Primary School - 42 145. The school’s scheme of work gives teachers clear guidance and suggestions to assist their teaching. Teachers keep records of the areas of work that pupils cover. The procedures for assessing pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. Resources for the teaching of religious education are good. There is a relevant collection of a wide range of artefacts and a good supply of quality books. The pupils and teachers make good and effective use of these resources. There has been a rapid improvement in all aspects of religious education since the previous inspection.

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