St Paul's CofE Primary School, Kingston Hill

ST PAUL’S C of E SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd - 23 rd January 2001

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ST PAUL’S C of E SCHOOL

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

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ST PAUL’S C of E 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 Paul’s C of E School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Princes Road Kingston Upon Thames

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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: The Reverend R de Vial

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1996 St Paul’s C of E School - 2

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Team members

22424 Kathryn Taylor Registered inspector 9537 Caroline Marden Lay inspector 2318 Martin Cox Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Paul’s C of E School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Paul’s is a two form entry Church of England, voluntary aided junior school for boys and girls aged from seven to eleven. The school is larger than the average primary school. There are currently 279 pupils on roll. The majority of pupils attending the school transfer from the neighbouring infant school. Pupils’ overall attainment on entry to the school is above average. Currently 63 pupils at the school are identified as having special educational needs, three of whom have a Statement of Special Educational Need. The proportion on the special needs register is average when compared with schools nationally. Forty-seven pupils attending the school come from minority ethnic backgrounds. Thirty-four pupils speak English as an additional language and nine pupils are currently at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils who are entitled to free school meals, just over 8 per cent of all pupils, is below

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

St Paul’s is a very good school. Pupils make good progress and attain high standards of work and behaviour. The teaching is good. The curriculum and the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good. The school is very well led and managed. There is a very good partnership between parents and the school. Parents make an excellent contribution which has a very positive impact on all aspects of the school’s work. Resources, including financial resources, are deployed very effectively. The staff, governors, parents and community members support each other well and work well together for the benefit of pupils. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school achieves high standards in English, mathematics, science and music. Some good work was also seen in other subjects. • The teaching is good which enables pupils of all abilities to make good progress. • The curriculum is very good. It contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and the community. • The information obtained from the assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress is used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the curriculum. • Relationships are very good and pupils have very good attitudes to school. • The leadership and management is very strong and determined and there is a constant drive to improve and extend what the school offers.

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What could be improved

• In some lessons, not all pupils participate fully during the whole class teaching sessions. • There is a lack of consistency in the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. 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 given very rigorous attention to the key issues and other points for development identified in the last inspection report of May 1996. Curriculum planning has been much improved to provide continuity in learning and clear learning objectives and to ensure that higher attaining pupils are consistently challenged. The curriculum has also been improved significantly to ensure it develops and celebrates well pupils’ understanding of the rich cultural diversity found in Britain and elsewhere. The National Strategies for literacy and numeracy have been effectively implemented, as have developments in information and communication technology. Assessment procedures and the use made of the assessments has been improved considerably. The teaching is better, with more focused attention now being given to assessment and to the needs of higher attaining pupils. Overall standards in English, mathematics and science by age eleven have been improving each year. There have been good

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

improvements to the building and grounds. All aspects of the school’s work have been continually St Paul’s C of E School - 5 strengthened and improved. The school has made very good progress since its last inspection and now achieves better value for money.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

science A A* A A well above average above average average below average well below average A B C D E

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Key

The table above shows that, in the tests in 2000 pupils’ overall results in English and science were well above the national average. In mathematics, pupils’ test results were very high, being in the top five per cent of all schools nationally. Results in all three subjects were also well above average when compared with the results achieved by pupils in similar schools nationally based on free school meals entitlement. A high proportion of pupils at this school attain the higher level, Level 5, in the tests; 57 per cent in English and 63 per cent in science. In mathematics, 49 per cent of pupils attained Level 5 and a further 6 per cent attained Level 6. Since the last inspection, the proportion of pupils attaining and exceeding the expected Level 4 in the tests has been steadily improving each year, from a good starting point. In work seen during the inspection, the high standards indicated in the tests are evident in work across the

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Key

school, although in the current Year 6 overall attainment levels are slightly lower than in the previous year. Some good work was seen in a number of other subjects; in information and communication technology, art, history and geography for example. Standards in music are very good and the standard of singing is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school and have very good attitudes to learning. They work hard and most sustain good levels of concentration. A minority of pupils across the school do not always listen as well as they should.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well in class and around the school. They show respect for each other and for school property.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good. Pupils of different abilities and from diverse social, cultural and religious backgrounds respect and relate very well to each other, to the teachers, support staff and volunteers in the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. The attendance rate is above the national average. The pupils enjoy school and are keen to attend. St Paul’s C of E School - 6

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Teaching of pupils: Aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall 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 7-11 years

In all of the lessons seen, the teaching was at least good and in three lessons in every eight the teaching was very good. The basic skills are taught very well. English, mathematics, science and music are taught particularly well. What makes the teaching at this school effective is the teachers’ good knowledge of the subjects they teach, the fact that they know their pupils well and therefore plan work that matches the needs of pupils of all abilities.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is very broad and well balanced and gives good attention to all of the subjects, enabling pupils to develop a range of skills and talents. The number and range of extra-curricular activities is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils’ needs are identified early and pupils are supported well by their class teachers, the special needs co-ordinator and additional support staff. Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need are also supported well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The relatively small proportion of pupils who are at an early stage of learning English are supported effectively both by their class teachers and through additional focused teaching.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils’ spiritual development is central to the school’s Christian ethos and is also supported very well through work in subjects such as music, art, science and English. The school has a very strong moral code based on respect and concern for others. Pupils’ social development is fostered very well. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. The school celebrates and promotes well pupils’ understanding and appreciation of the rich and diverse cultural traditions found within the school, in Britain and elsewhere.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The teachers and support staff know the pupils very well. The strong sense of community and shared values supports this aspect very effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Parents make an excellent contribution to the school. They give very generously of their time to help in school and in fundraising, as well as participating in school and community events. They contribute significantly to improving the building. For example, 80 parents recently redecorated the school. Parents have very positive views of the school and value the staff. All of this contributes very well to the school’s provision and is successful in ensuring pupils develop and maintain the very good attitudes to school and learning. St Paul’s C of E School - 7

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and a very clear educational direction. She is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher. The headteacher and deputy headteacher work very well as a team and, importantly, their own teaching provides very good role models. Teachers with subject and management responsibilities carry these out very conscientiously, monitor work in their subjects effectively and provide good support for their colleagues.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities very well, including that to ensure the school holds a daily act of collective worship. They are very involved in the school, bring a range of expertise to it and monitor and support its work very effectively. Their role in communicating with parents is highly effective.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. There are excellent systems to monitor the impact of all aspects of the school’s work and to determine where improvements can be made. There is a constant drive to raise standards and to enable pupils to reach their full potential.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Resources are used very well to meet very clear educational priorities and to enhance the learning environment for staff and pupils. Good use is made of specific grants.

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Aspect Comment

There are enough teaching and support staff. The accommodation is very attractive and extremely well maintained and cleaned to a very high standard. However, classrooms sizes are small and outdoor play space is limited. The school is well resourced.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The high standards achieved by pupils and the progress which their children make. • The quality of teaching and high expectations. • The leadership and management of the school. • The fact that their children enjoy school. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible and achieve good standards of behaviour. • The way the school works closely with parents and keeps them informed about their children’s progress. • The range of activities provided outside of lessons. • The level of homework given. • Parents feel comfortable to approach the school with questions or problems. • Some parents feel that class sizes are too large. • A few parents are concerned about bullying and the way the school deals with this. St Paul’s C of E School - 8 The inspection findings confirm parents’ very positive views. In relation to class sizes, these are quite large. However, pupils are frequently arranged into smaller teaching groups for work in English,

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

mathematics and science and when working on practical activities. Procedures for dealing with bullying are firmly established and all pupils are also given written advice on the subject. No bullying was seen during inspection, although incidences of boisterous play from a small minority of pupils at one break time were seen. St Paul’s C of E School - 9

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school achieves high standards in English, mathematics, science and music. Some good work was also seen in other subjects.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school attains high standards in the National Curriculum tests in English and science. Standards in mathematics are particularly high, falling within the top five per cent of all schools during the past three years. In the tests in 2000 in English, 91 per cent of all pupils attained at least the nationally expected level and, in mathematics and science, 96 per cent of all pupils did. A high proportion of pupils attained the higher level, Level 5, in the tests; 57 per cent in English and 63 per cent in science. In mathematics, 49 per cent of pupils attained Level 5 and six per cent attained Level 6. Pupils’ attainments in the tests in all three subjects were also well above average when compared with those achieved by pupils in similar schools nationally based on free school entitlement. Test results are improving each year and are consistently above the national average and those attained by schools in similar contexts.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The high standards attained in English, mathematics and science tests were evident in the work seen across the school during the inspection period. For example, in their mathematics work, pupils throughout the school showed a varied and systematic approach to solving problems and a very good knowledge of and confidence in the use of number facts and operations. Throughout the school, pupils’ writing is lively and interesting and shows good use of vocabulary to involve and motivate the reader. A particularly good example of this was seen in the very good quality of poetry written by pupils and compiled in an anthology to mark a recent celebration of Poetry Week. The poems are very well written and show good use of literary techniques such as rhyme, alliteration and personification. In science, a sample of pupils’ work from across the school showed that they increasingly develop their ability to plan and carry out experiments and investigations and that they

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

have a good knowledge of scientific vocabulary and facts. This was also demonstrated in a lesson in Year 6 when pupils were discussing the forces which act upon objects.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. The school achieves high standards in music. The standard of singing, as seen for example when all pupils come together for assemblies, is excellent. The school’s achievements in music are also well documented in the local press and as pupils are involved in musical events and competitions. For example, the choir took part in the Schools 2000 concert at Fairfield Hall in Croydon, pupils took part in La Boheme at the Royal Opera House and performed at the Millennium Dome, a lunchtime concert at Kingston Baptist Church and a Millennium Civic Service in Kingston Parish Church.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. Pupils achieve well in competitive sports events. For example, last year the school won the borough trophy in cross-country running and reached the finals in netball, the five-a-side football and cricket competitions.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Work in other subjects seen during the inspection also shows good levels of attainment. For example, there is some good work in information and communication technology linked to work in geography seen in Year 4. Pupils have good keyboard skills and control the mouse effectively. They know how to use the email facility. Pupils also demonstrate a good understanding of the similarities and differences between life in an Indian village and their own lives in Kingston. In art, there is some good work across the school as seen for example in the batik work, observational drawing, collage and clay work. Pupils attain well in history. In a lesson in Year 5 on Ancient Greece, they showed a good understanding of events in that period and were able to empathise with characters of the time. By the time they leave the school, pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of the different periods of history they have studied and of the order in which events

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

occurred. They recall well the very interesting and varied activities they took part in on ‘history days’ and ‘history weeks.’ St Paul’s C of E School - 10 The teaching is good which enables pupils of all abilities to make good progress.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. In all of the lessons seen the teaching was at least good and, in three lessons in every eight, the teaching was very good. A strength of all of the teaching seen is that teachers know their pupils current levels of attainment well and have clear and challenging targets for what pupils need to learn next. Lessons are very well planned and teachers make it clear to pupils what the purpose of the lesson is. They choose varied activities to make learning more interesting and meaningful. Homework is used very well to support pupils’ learning and is very relevant to class work. Classrooms are well organised and attractive with a good mix of displays of information and pupils’ own work. The quality of marking in pupils’ books is good and identifies clearly the strengths in pupils’ work and where improvements need to be made.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. The teaching seen in mathematics, science and music is particularly good. In all of the mathematics lessons seen, teachers demonstrated a very good understanding of the subject and of the methods recommended in the National Numeracy Strategy. This is very effective in enabling pupils to develop confidence in problem solving and an agility with mental calculations. A particular strength is that the work set challenges the higher attaining pupils and supports lower attainers, including those pupils with special educational needs. This is the case both in class based lessons and in those lessons where pupils are taught within sets based on prior attainment levels. Teachers’ questioning is very good. A relative weakness in some mathematics and other lessons is that teachers need to do more to engage a minority of pupils who do not volunteer to answer questions. Occasionally more attention could also be given to exploring the reasoning and thinking

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

behind incorrect answers offered by some pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. In the two science lessons seen, teachers had very good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. This enabled the pupils to make very good progress. Good attention was given to developing pupils’ skills in planning and carrying out experiments and the plenary sessions were used very well to consolidate and round off the lesson.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. The teaching of music is very good because the school is fortunate enough to have the services of an extremely talented specialist music teacher. She teaches all classes and also runs extra curricular activities including the choir and orchestra. She helps on school productions and prepares pupils to take part in a variety of school and church services and activities within the local and wider community. As a result, pupils make very good progress and the standards in music are very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. The teaching of English in the lessons seen is good. Good attention is given to developing the basic skills of handwriting and spelling. In a handwriting lesson in Year 3, pupils were taught the correct posture, pencil grip and pencil control as well as how to form and join their letters correctly. This is particularly important, as a number of pupils do not hold their pencil correctly, which makes writing more tiring than it should be. Many teachers also provide good role models for pupils in this area because their own handwriting is very neat and legible.

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

11. The curriculum is very rich and diverse and gives very good attention to all of the subjects. This breadth of the curriculum is something that parents particularly appreciate. At the meeting prior to the inspection, they commented that the very broad range of experiences provided helps their children to develop as well rounded individuals. Inspection evidence supports this view.

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

12. The development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills is rightly emphasised but this is not at the expense of the development of pupils’ skills across the range of subjects. The fact that the overall curriculum is well planned to make effective links between subjects maximises the use of the St Paul’s C of E School - 11 available teaching time. Pupils’ writing is developed well across the curriculum, for example to record their work in science and history and to highlight major school events such as visits or when visitors come to the school. Pupils’ mathematical skills are also developed well through work in other subjects. A good start has been made in ensuring information and communication technology is being incorporated into all subjects and this is a priority area for development. 13. The richness of the curriculum greatly enhances pupils' spiritual, moral and social development and makes an excellent contribution to their cultural development. Pupils’ spiritual development is

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

fostered very well, both through assemblies and the religious education programme and through their work in subjects such as music, science, art and literature. Pupils are encouraged to reflect on their own experiences and those of others and to celebrate and enjoy the beauty of the world and human achievements.

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

14. Pupils’ moral and social development is given a high priority and is central to the school’s aims and religious character. The school’s aims emphasise courtesy, consideration, compassion and care and these are reflected in all aspects of the school’s work, including the example set by adults working at the school. The rewards systems used in the school and the personal health and social education programme also make a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. The school’s involvement in community activities and participation in local sporting and musical events adds much to pupils’ social development. Pupils learn to value what they have through the experience of giving, for example, through fundraising for charities and when entertaining the senior citizens at the Evergreen Club. The school also has a very long tradition of financing a school on the outskirts of a town in Uganda. The long and very well established links between the two

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

schools and the wider communities brings much to enhance the lives of the pupils in both schools. Without the funds raised by St Paul’s, there would be no local school for the children of Nyabikoni. The pupils in St Paul’s benefit greatly from their contacts with pupils there, as the experience brings another dimension to their lives. Regular letters between pen friends, photographs and visitors to the school in Nyabikoni who bring back news and relay messages, all contribute to pupils’ academic and personal development.

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

15. The school’s excellent provision for extra-curricular activities makes a very good contribution to pupils’ cultural and social development. Activities include booster classes in English and mathematics, sporting activities such as cricket, football and athletics, art, chess and modern foreign language classes and a range of musical activities including the choir and orchestra. Pupils regularly go out of school on visits to museums, galleries and places of interest and pupils in Year 5 have the opportunity to take part in a residential visit to the Isle of Wight. Many visitors are also invited into the school to work with pupils, for example, poets, theatre groups and dancers. Many parents and volunteers also contribute, helping with reading and organising special events such as history days, Poetry Week and productions. Parents readily come in to school to share their skills and expertise with pupils, as seen, for example, when some parents regularly help pupils to

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

produce the school newsletters. Through all of the extra-curricular activities, pupils have opportunities to work with a variety of adults and with pupils from different classes and from different schools, which adds to their social development.

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

16. The school celebrates and promotes well pupils’ understanding and appreciation of the rich and diverse cultural traditions found within the school, in Britain and elsewhere. Pupils’ cultural development is greatly enhanced through the contribution of in-depth studies of periods in history and through geography topics and those in religious education. The very good range of activities provided to celebrate the cultural elements of Chembakoli and events such as The Roman Feast, Tudor Week and Victorian Week all make a very good contribution to pupils’ understanding. The curriculum includes opportunities to learn about the different styles and genres in art, music and literature. In art for example, pupils learn about the work of Lowry, Hockney and Warhol. Pupils listen to music and learn songs from various cultural traditions. Regular whole-school activities such as Poetry Week and musical events and drama productions also contribute to this aspect

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and cultural development and is greatly enhanced by the contribution of parents and

very well. French also adds a European dimension to pupils’ understanding. St Paul’s C of E School - 12

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

17. The deputy headteacher has worked extremely hard to develop and implement the very good assessment procedures. The information provided by assessments of pupils’ attainment and progress is used well to analyse trends and to monitor the progress of different groups of pupils, for example, the progress of boys and girls, pupils from different ethnic groups and those pupils who speak English as an additional language. In this way, the school is able to ascertain where resources need to be targeted and to ensure that the school is enabling all of its pupils to make good progress.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

18. Assessment also identifies clearly what it is that pupils need to learn next. A particularly impressive example of this practice is seen in the regular marking and moderation of all the pupils’ writing by a volunteer who was once a teacher at the school. The results of this marking show the precise level each individual pupil is currently attaining and provides a very clear statement about what the pupil now needs to accomplish to attain the next level. All pupils are given personal targets in relation to their work in English and mathematics. These targets are also communicated to parents on a regular basis. This helps everyone involved in teaching and supporting the child to know what major developments are needed. Importantly, it also helps the pupils to take responsibility for their own learning and to be involved in assessing their own progress.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

19. Detailed analysis of data is an important means by which individual teachers, curriculum co- ordinators and senior managers evaluate the impact of teaching and the curriculum. Senior managers are, therefore, well informed about any staff training and development needs and about how the curriculum might need to be developed and extended.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

Relationships are very good and pupils have very good attitudes to school.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

20. There are very good relationships throughout the school. Boys and girls and pupils from different social and cultural backgrounds relate very well to each other, to their teachers, and to support staff and volunteers in the school. All of the adults who work at the school provide very good role models for pupils because they have very good and supportive relationships with each other. Pupils’ involvement in the community and in extra-curricular activities makes a very positive contribution; it strengthens relationships across the school and also provides many opportunities for pupils from different classes to work together.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

21. Pupils enjoy school and they have very good attitudes to learning. This is evidenced in the good attendance levels and in the way in which pupils come into school in the morning, quickly settling down to work. Pupils work hard and show interest and the vast majority sustain good levels of concentration throughout lessons. When working in groups or pairs, pupils co-operate and collaborate very well. They show initiative and take responsibility for their learning and for carrying out tasks in class and throughout the school. Pupils’ commitment to school and their learning is also evident from the very high participation in after school-activities.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

22. Pupils behave very well in class and around the school. At assembly time, pupils enter and leave the hall very quietly and sensibly. They listen very attentively and respectfully to those conducting assembly and contributing to it. In the dining hall, pupils behave very well. They enjoy the opportunity to converse with their peers. They are also very courteous and helpful towards visitors.

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used well to set targets for pupils and to adapt and amend both the teaching and the

23. On a wet lunchtime during the inspection, behaviour was very good. Pupils in Year 6 also carried out their monitoring roles very well and other pupils showed respect for the monitors. Older pupils are very welcoming to new pupils when they join the school. The youngest pupils say how helpful the mentor system is to them; they always have someone to discuss any difficulties they might have and to help them with a problem. St Paul’s C of E School - 13

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The leadership and management is very strong and determined and there is a

constant drive to improve and extend what the school offers.

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The leadership and management is very strong and determined and there is a

24. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and a very clear educational direction. There is a very determined and continual drive to raise standards and to improve and to extend what the school offers. The headteacher is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and he has brought a number of additional strengths to the school. Although the school is successful in attaining high standards, the school achieves much more than this. Importantly this is a school where all pupils’ efforts, achievements and progress are celebrated. The achievements of children with special educational needs are as equally valued as those of pupils whose attainment exceeds the nationally expected levels. St Paul’s is a very happy school with a strong sense of community and shared purpose.

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The leadership and management is very strong and determined and there is a

25. The headteacher and deputy headteacher are very rigorous in their monitoring and evaluation of the teaching, learning and the curriculum. They ensure that financial resources and staff are effectively deployed to maximise the impact on pupils’ attainment, progress and wellbeing. Very good use is made of all the staff’s expertise including the use of setting arrangements and specialist teaching in some subjects. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have complementary skills and they work very effectively together. This teamwork underpins, and is central to, all aspects of school leadership and management. This is a school where everyone shares their talents and expertise and supports each other to improve the quality of education. There are very high expectations of teachers’ performance and appropriate staff development is given a high priority. Importantly, the headteacher and deputy headteacher both teach and they lead by example since both have very

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The leadership and management is very strong and determined and there is a

26. The co-ordination of subjects and of special educational needs is good. Co-ordinators support colleagues well and successfully monitor and evaluate the work in their subjects. Staff also share their expertise readily across the subjects coming together as group to support each other if they have something to offer.

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The leadership and management is very strong and determined and there is a

27. The governors’ contribution to school management is very good. Governors work very well with the staff whilst ensuring that they also hold the school accountable through regular monitoring. The governors’ links with parents through the communications working party is also highly successful in bringing together the views of staff and parents.

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In some lessons, not all pupils participate fully during the whole class teaching

28. In a number of lessons seen during the inspection, in the whole class teacher input, a small but, nevertheless, significant minority of pupils do not listen well nor do they always volunteer to answer questions posed by the teacher. These same pupils, however, regain concentration quickly when working independently or in groups. On some occasions, teachers need to do more to insist on absolute concentration and participation and to respond to pupils who go off task. The staff are aware that this is sometimes the case and that it is an area that could be improved.

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Consistency in the use of information and communication technology across the

29. The school has identified in its school improvement plan and the information and communication technology (ICT) development plan, the need to ensure that ICT is consistently and appropriately used to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum. A good start has been made. Some good use of information and communication technology was seen during the inspection, as part of work in mathematics, art and geography lessons for example. The size of classrooms poses some practical difficulties, as they are too small to have computers up and running actually inside of them. Shared areas outside of classrooms are used very well for computer sessions and there is St Paul’s C of E School - 14 very good support provided by the specialist support assistant, usually in the afternoons. Through this additional provision, the pupils’ skills in ICT are developed to a standard that is at least satisfactory. The school will need to continue to explore ways of using the relevant equipment,

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Consistency in the use of information and communication technology across the

especially during mathematics and English lessons, which are largely taught in the morning sessions. In this way, pupils will have more opportunities to apply their skills in ICT to their work in other subjects. This will maximise pupils’ understanding of the usefulness and relevance of information and communication technology applications to everyday life and learning St Paul’s C of E School - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) Ensure that in whole class teaching sessions all pupils are fully involved, listen and contribute. (Paragraphs 7, 27)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) Continue to explore ways and take action to incorporate the use of information and communication technology across the curriculum. (Paragraph 28) St Paul’s C of E School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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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.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 279

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 25

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 63

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 34

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Paul’s C of E School - 17

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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 34 33 67

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 30 32 32 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 31 32 32

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 (96) 96 (94) 96 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 30 30 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 29 31 31

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (88) 91 (90) 93 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Paul’s C of E School - 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 5 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 14 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.9 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3– Y6 Total expenditure 513,033

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1,859

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60 Balance brought forward from previous year 49,224

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 50,224 St Paul’s C of E School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 49 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 51 47 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 56 7 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 53 8 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 26 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 68 31 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 54 42 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 22 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 59 40 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 64 29 4 0 3

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