Manor Wood Primary School

CARR MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th October 2001

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CARR MANOR PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 193735 Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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CARR MANOR 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. Carr Manor Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mrs L Bowles Headteacher Carr Manor Primary School Carr Manor Road LEEDS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Email address: info@carrmanor-pri.leeds.sch.uk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st April 1997 Carr Manor Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 28899 Mr G R Sims Registered inspector Information and communication technology The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 15181 Mrs M Hackney Lay inspector 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? 27899 Mrs G Beasley Team inspector Mathematics Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 12997 Mrs C Cheong Team inspector Foundation Stage Geography History 31862 Mrs J Coop Team inspector Science Music Religious education 27324 Mrs D Crow Team inspector Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs 13827 Ms A Waters Team inspector English How well are pupils taught?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

28076 Mr D Byrne Team inspector English as an additional language Equal opportunities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Lynrose Marketing Bungalow Farmhouse Six Mile Bottom NEWMARKET Suffolk CB8 0TU 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Carr Manor Primary School - 5 LONDON WC2B 6SE Carr Manor Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Carr Manor Primary School is situated in the north east of Leeds, about four miles from the city centre. At present, there are 419 boys and girls on roll between the ages of 4 and 11. It is much larger than most primary schools. The school does not have a nursery unit. Because of its good reputation, the school draws a significant number of pupils from more socially deprived areas which are outside the immediate catchment area. Independent analysis shows that the school’s population is in the top quartile of need across the whole city. Over half of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, mostly representing Black Caribbean, Black African, Indian and Pakistani heritage communities. Nearly 40 per cent have English as an additional language. These percentages are well above the national average. Just over 20 per cent of the pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is broadly average. A similar percentage of the pupils have been identified as

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

having special educational needs, which is about average. Five pupils have statements of special educational need. The attainment of children when they start school is similar to the Leeds average, but below the national average. In May 2001, the school was invited to become a Beacon School and assumed this status shortly before the commencement of the inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Carr Manor Primary School is a very good school, with some excellent features. The headteacher and her deputy provide excellent leadership and receive the wholehearted support and unstinting commitment of the staff. As a result, all aspects of the school run smoothly. The school is outstandingly successful in the way it integrates pupils from many different backgrounds and cultures. The overall quality of the teaching is very good, and pupils achieve standards, which are above the national average and well above the average for similar schools. Although the school receives an above average income, it provides very good value for money and fully justifies its status as a beacon school.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher and her deputy set very high standards, and their vision for a well-run, socially inclusive and high-achieving school is shared and promoted by all of the staff. • The school’s leaders are very good at self-evaluation and are committed to the principle of continuing improvement. They have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and formulate and carry out detailed plans to bring further improvements and rectify any weaknesses. • The teachers and support staff are committed, very hard-working and very good at their jobs. As a result, pupils receive a very good education. • The school’s commitment to and success in caring for its pupils in the widest sense and creating a socially inclusive and harmonious working environment is impressive. • Pupils from many different backgrounds and cultures, including those for whom English is an additional language and pupils with special educational needs, show very positive

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What could be improved

• The way in which information and communication technology is used as a tool for learning. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Carr Manor Primary School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has not only maintained the strengths noted in its last inspection in April 1997, but has also instigated a very good range of improvements which have made it an even better school than it was. The response to the key issues from the previous inspection has been meticulous. Lesson planning is thorough and now clearly identifies learning objectives. The school is very conscious of the differing needs and abilities of its pupils and, wherever possible, provides additional support and help for pupils who require it. As a result, the provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved significantly, and the pupils are now given every opportunity to make good progress in their learning. Weaknesses in the provision for design and technology have been rectified through developing teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject and ensuring that pupils receive good learning experiences in the subject. In the intervening four and a half years,

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

the school has gone well beyond the previously identified issues in its quest for improvement. All aspects of the school are reviewed regularly. The teaching is monitored at frequent intervals and teachers evaluate their own practice. As a result, the quality of the teaching has improved markedly and a high proportion of the lessons taught throughout the school is very good. The school is doing all it can to ensure that pupils achieve as high a standard as possible, and the school’s National Curriculum test results continue to compare very favourably with those of schools in similar contexts.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

all schools similar schools Well above average A Performance in:

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STANDARDS

Science B C B A Well below average E The table of results does not give true justice to the considerable achievements of the school. Although the school’s results have not improved quite as much as the national trend, the nature of the school’s intake has changed markedly in recent years. The attainment of many children when they enter the Reception classes is below average. Over a third of the school’s pupils have English as an additional language. Many of the pupils who join the school in Key Stage 2 at times other than the normal time of admission have particular needs or exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school does well, therefore, to achieve results in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6, which are above the national average and which, when compared to similar schools, are well above average. Standards in all three subjects are better now than they were at the

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STANDARDS

time of the last inspection. Standards achieved by the end of Year 2 are very similar to those at the time of the last inspection. They reflect more closely the changing nature of the school’s intake. The results for 2001 were above the national average and well above the average for similar schools in reading and writing. They were below the national average, but close to the average for similar schools in mathematics. The school keeps a very careful track of pupils’ progress, sets itself challenging targets and then works hard to achieve them. The inspection findings show that children make rapid progress in the Reception classes, and they do well to achieve the expected goals in each area of learning by the time they start Year 1. Many children exceed these expectations in reading and in their mathematical Carr Manor Primary School - 9 development. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain above average standards in English, art,

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STANDARDS

geography, history and music. Standards in all other subjects are satisfactory. Problems previously experienced in Year 2 have now been solved, and pupils continue to make good progress, consolidating the gains made in the Reception classes. They are now making better progress in mathematics, and standards look set to improve. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve particularly well, and most of these pupils attain the nationally expected levels in reading and writing. By the end of Year 6, overall standards are above the national expectations in the key subjects of English, mathematics and science, and also in art and design, music and physical education. In all other subjects, pupils achieve satisfactory standards. In some subjects, such as design and technology and information and communication technology, this represents a marked improvement since the last inspection. Throughout the school, the emphasis placed on teaching literacy and

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STANDARDS

numeracy ensures that all pupils leave the school much better equipped to use and apply these essential skills than when they joined.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Most pupils have a very good attitude towards school. They respond positively to their teachers and try very hard to live up to the school’s high expectations. They are proud of their school and their achievements.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. The great majority of the pupils behave very well, both within lessons and around the school. The staff set very high expectations with regard to behaviour, and nearly all pupils try very hard to fulfil them. As a result, the school is an orderly and well-disciplined community. However, despite the teachers’ best efforts, a small minority of pupils in Year 3 frequently demonstrate unacceptable and challenging behaviour, which has a negative effect on their progress and disrupts the progress of others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils respond very well to the responsibilities they are given and show a good deal of initiative and maturity in the way they respond to adults and different situations. The social integration of pupils from many different backgrounds and cultures is excellent, and very good relationships with the staff and amongst pupils are evident throughout the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory. The level of attendance is close to the national average.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 and 2 Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Very good Very good 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. The overall quality of the teaching is very good. As a result, pupils learn very well throughout the school and achieve standards which are, comparatively, much higher than those displayed when they first entered the school. The school monitors teaching regularly and is always prepared to try new strategies, and the teachers show a readiness to reflect critically on how they teach. This positive approach has led to significant improvements in the quality of the teaching since the last inspection. In this inspection, for example, almost half of the lessons observed were very good or better, with pupils making good progress in

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

their learning. The teaching is equally strong in each section of the school. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is very good. These pupils are provided with very good quality individual education plans, which give clear and measurable targets Carr Manor Primary School - 10 for their learning. All teachers cater very well for the needs of pupils with English as an additional language, and the specialist work undertaken by the support staff for the younger pupils is particularly good. Children in the Reception classes receive a very good introduction to their schooling, with a particularly strong emphasis on developing their language skills and promoting their personal development. Throughout the school, the high expectations of the teachers and the positive response of the pupils have a very good impact on learning. The teaching of English and mathematics is very good and the basic

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

skills of literacy and numeracy are also promoted effectively through work undertaken in other subjects. The teaching of reading is given a high priority, and the school has successfully put into place a good range of strategies to develop pupils’ writing. The mental element of numeracy lessons has resulted in a good improvement in pupils’ arithmetic skills, although in some lessons the more able pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. This is also the case in science where pupils do not have enough opportunities to plan and carry out their own investigations independently. Specialist teaching in music and art and design lessons enables the pupils to achieve good standards in these subjects. The teaching of information and communication technology skills has improved and pupils acquire good skills in using computers, but teachers do not yet make enough use of technology within the teaching of other subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school fulfils statutory requirements and provides pupils of all ages with a good range of learning experiences, which are enriched through a very good range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors to the school. Particular emphasis is given to developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. There is not enough depth to the curriculum in history and geography in Years 4, 5 and 6.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good, with much improvement since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by the learning support assistants and are provided with appropriate work. Individual education plans provide clearly focused targets, and pupils’ progress is monitored carefully and effectively. The special educational needs coordinator ensures parents are kept fully informed of their children’s progress at all times.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. The quality of care and support provided is of a very high standard, particularly for pupils up to Year 3. The school makes strenuous efforts to ensure these pupils receive the necessary support to enable them to have full access to the curriculum, and helps them to make very good progress in all aspects of their education. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Excellent. The school does a huge amount to make sure that all pupils develop a thorough understanding and respect for different faiths, values, cultures and beliefs through everything that it does. Teachers help pupils to develop moral values and social skills, particularly through the school’s programme for personal, social and health education.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Excellent. The pastoral care and attention given to pupils’ welfare, health and safety is of a very high standard. This is a very caring community, in which the needs of every individual pupil are given high priority. The school has very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and keeping careful track of pupils’ progress. How well the school works in partnership Excellent. The school works hard to involve all parents in the education of their children, particularly those for whom English is Carr Manor Primary School - 11 with parents an additional language. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. Many parents make a very good contribution to children’s learning both at school and at home.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher and her deputy have very high expectations, are good at sharing their vision for the school and securing the commitment and cooperation of all staff. Their leadership is of a very high quality and permeates all aspects of the school. Subject coordinators also fulfil their roles well and, in many cases, very well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governors fulfil their statutory obligations very well. They are not only very supportive of the school, but have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses which has a good impact on the management of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school evaluates its own performance really well. The staff are committed to the principle of continual improvement. All aspects of the school are monitored and evaluated regularly, carefully and perceptively. The school’s analyses lead to detailed development plans. Wherever problems occur, the school thinks creatively about how to solve them.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Excellent. The school’s finances are managed very efficiently as is the school administration. The headteacher and governing body are exceptionally active in monitoring, evaluating and challenging spending. Good use is made of specific grants and other funding. The school has a strong commitment towards all aspects of the principles of best value.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Adequacy of staffing, accommodation and learning resources Very good. The school is very well staffed, particularly with regard to the number and quality of the support staff. The accommodation is very good and provides a stimulating learning environment. In most subjects, resources for learning are good, but the school does not have enough up-to-date computers. This prevents teachers making regular use of technology in their normal lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Parents are very pleased with the overall quality of education their children receive. • The school supports their children well and enables them to achieve high standards. • They like the attitudes and values promoted by the school and the good standard of behaviour. • The school makes every effort to involve parents and they feel welcome in school. • Most parents feel the school has got the approach to homework right • They have a very high regard for the quality of leadership and the commitment of the staff • The very few concerns expressed by a small number of parents were not representative of, or directly conflicted with, the positive views of the vast majority of parents. Carr Manor Primary School - 12 The inspection team endorses wholeheartedly the positive views expressed by nearly all parents. The team could find no evidence to support the very few concerns expressed by a

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

small minority of parents. This is a very good school, which is open and receptive to parents, and offers pupils a very good quality education. Carr Manor Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and achievements

1. In the National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 1 1 for the year 2001, the school’s results were above the national average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics. When compared to the results of schools in similar contexts 2 , they were well above average in reading and writing, and average in mathematics. Nearly all pupils achieved the national expectation of Level 2 in all three areas, although no pupils achieved the higher Level 3 in writing and only one out of ten achieved this level in mathematics. In contrast, almost a third of the pupils reached the higher Level 3 in reading. Standards are marginally higher in reading and writing than they were at the time of the last inspection, but are slightly lower in mathematics. The school’s results have not improved as much as the national trend, but this reflects the changing nature of the school’s intake, with an increasing proportion of pupils

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The school’s results and achievements

entering the school with below average levels of skill. The results also have to be put into the context of a school in which almost 40 per cent of the pupils have English as an additional language. Pupils are doing well, therefore, to achieve this level of results.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. At Key Stage 2, the National Curriculum assessment test results in the year 2001 were above the national average in English, mathematics and science. When compared to schools in similar contexts, the results were well above average in all three subjects. Nine out of ten pupils achieved the national expectation of Level 4 in English, and a third achieved the higher Level 5, although pupils’ performance was significantly better in reading than in writing. In mathematics, seven out of eight pupils achieved Level 4 and around a quarter the higher Level 5. The strongest performance was in science, with all pupils achieving Level 4, and four out of 10 achieving the higher level 5. Standards in all three subjects are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection, although they have not improved as fast as in most other schools. The raw results do not give true justice to the considerable achievements of the school, given

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The school’s results and achievements

the significant proportion of pupils for whom English is not their first language and the fact that many of the pupils who join the school in Key Stage 2 have particular needs or exhibit emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The school is very aware of the standards it achieves and keeps a careful track of pupils’ progress. It sets itself challenging and appropriate targets, and then works hard to achieve them. The school exceeded its targets last year. Staff analyse the school’s results and pupils’ performance very carefully, gaining a clear picture of what pupils need to do to improve, and then devise appropriate action to enable the pupils to improve. Although girls achieve better results than boys in English, the difference is

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The school’s results and achievements

1 The words ‘Key Stage’ refer to the different stages of learning in schools. Children start school in the Foundation Stage, which caters for children aged 3 to 5 and generally refers to children who are in the Nursery, Reception or Early Years classes. Key Stage 1 is the first stage of compulsory primary education. It caters for pupils aged 5 to 7 and refers to pupils who are in Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 1 is also frequently synonymous with the term Infants. Key Stage 2 is the second stage of primary education. It caters for pupils aged 7 to 11 and refers to pupils who are in Years 3 to 6. Key Stage 2 is also frequently synonymous with the term Juniors. At the age of 11, pupils start Key Stage 3, which marks the beginning of their secondary education. 2 The school’s results are compared both to the national average (ie the average of the results of all schools in England, where pupils took National Curriculum assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 1) and to the

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The school’s results and achievements

average for similar schools (ie the average of the results for all schools whose pupils come from similar socio-economic backgrounds, determined by the eligibility of pupils within the school to receive free school meals). Carr Manor Primary School - 14 not significant, and is similar to the picture nationally. There is very little difference in the results of girls and boys in mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Observations made during the inspection and the school’s own baseline 3 assessments show that the overall level of attainment of children is below average when they start school in the Reception classes. Overall, the children make good progress during their time in the Reception and achieve average standards by the time they start Year 1. In the areas of communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development, children make very good progress and achieve above average standards, with many children progressing beyond the Early Learning Goals 4 . In the key skill of reading, the vast majority will exceed the expected level, and in writing and number, a considerable minority will exceed it. Children with English as an additional language make particularly good progress because of the very good additional support they receive from bilingual assistants. In all other areas of learning, virtually all pupils achieve the

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The school’s results and achievements

Early Learning Goals before they start Year 1.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. In English, pupils achieve well throughout the school. They make particularly good progress in reading and writing, attaining above average standards at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have developed an enthusiasm for reading. Most pupils read accurately and confidently, and have appropriate strategies for understanding new and unfamiliar words. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils show good understanding and the ability to recall sufficient details of what they read. The further development of writing is a current priority of the school improvement plan, and inspection evidence indicates that the overall standard of written work is improving throughout the school. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils produce good quality unaided writing and are developing their range of vocabulary and expression well. By the end of Key Stage 2, they have gained a good understanding of how to structure

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The school’s results and achievements

different styles of writing, and the content of their written work is good. Pupils make effective use of dictionaries to find the meanings of words. Standards of handwriting are good. There are satisfactory opportunities to develop literacy skills in subjects other than English. Attainment in speaking and listening is average by the end of both key stages. Much hard work is done to encourage pupils to speak fluently and listen carefully, and they sustain good progress throughout the school. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils listen carefully and many are eager to engage in conversation. By the end of Key Stage 2, most pupils speak with increased fluency and confidence, but many pupils lack the breadth of vocabulary to explain their thoughts and ideas clearly. Very good additional support for all aspects of English is provided for pupils for whom English is an additional language, especially in Years 1 to 3, and also for pupils with

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The school’s results and achievements

special educational needs. As a result, these pupils all make very good progress in their learning.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Inspection findings show that standards of attainment in mathematics are average by the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils are developing a good understanding of numbers, count accurately and give good explanations for their decisions. By the end of Key Stage 2, standards are above average. Pupils work confidently with percentages and decimals and have a good understanding of mathematical language. They explain the strategies they use to solve problems. Pupils make good progress in mathematics throughout the school and, by the time they leave, pupils have good numeracy skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

3 Schools are obliged to carry out an initial assessment of pupils’ skills and abilities shortly after they start their school career at or before the age of five. These are referred to as ‘baseline assessments’. 4 The six areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage are: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development. Carr Manor Primary School - 15 7. Standards in science are in line with expected standards at the end of Key Stage 1 and above average at the end of Key Stage 2. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve well and make good progress because of the good support they receive in lessons. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ knowledge of life processes is above average as a result

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The school’s results and achievements

of the numerous opportunities to investigate and explore the world around them using all of their senses. They have a sound understanding of materials and also of physical processes, although this is the weakest aspect of their work. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have built well on their previous learning and have a good understanding of life processes and materials and a sound understanding of physical processes.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils make good progress in art and design and achieve above average standards at the end of both key stages. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have acquired a good variety of skills and techniques. Most pupils have good levels of confidence in mixing and matching colours and producing variations in tone and intensity. By the end of Key Stage 2, they explore ideas and work from direct observation with increasing skill and gain an appreciation of how art styles and techniques have changed over the ages. They use sketchbooks effectively to develop their initial ideas and to practise and refine their newly acquired skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. Standards in design and technology have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with national expectations at the end of both key stages. Pupils of all abilities are now making good progress. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a sound understanding of the designing and making processes. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are becoming accustomed to the need to evaluate their designs and products with the end purpose in mind. Throughout both key stages, pupils experience a good range of designing and making tasks that utilise a range of materials, including food and mouldable materials such as clay and textiles.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In geography and history pupils achieve standards, which are above average at the end of Key Stage 1 and average at the end of Key Stage 2. Because they are offered a broad curriculum at Key Stage 1, pupils make good progress and, by the end of the key stage, have developed a good understanding of local places and what they are like. They have a good sense of chronology and are keen to explain how they find out about the past. The curriculum is not covered in such depth at Key Stage 2, and there are long periods of time when one or both subjects are not taught. As a result, pupils’ progress is only satisfactory at Key Stage 2, although pupils show interest in both subjects and are keen to learn.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Significant improvements have been made to the school’s provision for information and communication technology, and pupils are making good progress throughout the school. Standards of attainment are now at the nationally expected levels at the end of both key stages, but are improving as pupils build on their existing skills. Pupils are confident in using computers, but do not yet have enough opportunity to use information and communication technology as a tool for learning in other subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Standards in music are above average at the end of both key stages and have improved since the previous inspection. Pupils are making very good progress and achieve well as a result of very good quality specialist teaching. Pupils in Key Stage 1 sing a wide variety of songs from memory, tunefully and with enjoyment, and show a good sense of pulse and rhythm when playing musical instruments. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils compose and play increasingly complex pieces and sing two and three-part songs with clear diction and appropriate breath control.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. Pupils’ attainment in physical education at the end of Key Stage 1 meets expectations. Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 2 and achieve above national expectations. Carr Manor Primary School - 16 Standards in gymnastics and games are well above average, because of the emphasis placed on pupils’ self-evaluation and the competitive opportunities provided as extra-curricular activities. Virtually all pupils reach the expected standards in swimming.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. Pupils are attaining at the levels expected in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education at the end of both key stages. All pupils make good progress and are achieving well. This is because of the commitment of the staff and the sensitive manner with which all pupils’ beliefs and practices are valued. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils understand how different special occasions are celebrated, and they show respect for each other and consider other people’s feelings. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils often have a good factual knowledge of the beliefs and practices of different faith groups and significant key figures, but they find it difficult to express their feelings about deeper moral and religious issues.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. Overall, pupils are achieving well and making good progress throughout the school. With the exception of geography at Key Stage 2, the school has maintained all of the positive aspects with regard to pupils’ attainment and progress noted at the time of the last inspection, and has made significant improvements in a number of areas, particularly in its provision for, and the standards achieved in, information and communication technology and design and technology. The raising of standards in English and mathematics, and the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, continue to be at the forefront of the school’s priorities. The school is particularly successful in helping pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language to make very good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Since the last inspection, the school has maintained high standards with regard to pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. The school continues to be a very orderly environment where pupils behave well. Most pupils have a very good attitude towards school, and those with special educational needs and English as an additional language are also keen to learn. In most lessons, boys and girls are interested and like to be involved in a range of activities. Children in the Foundation Stage are secure and happy and, through the care provided and the excellent relationships fostered by the staff, the majority settle quickly into the routines of the Reception classes. Most pupils are enthusiastic about school, and speak confidently about all they are learning and their involvement in activities. Pupils know the school rules and their own classroom rules well, and most of them respond positively and willingly to the school’s

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

high expectations. Parents are very pleased with the standards of behaviour in the school, and speak highly of the way in which children of all backgrounds get on well together.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils of different cultures work and play extremely well together. Teachers and support staff act as excellent role models, and the way in which pupils show respect for the feelings of others and value different cultures and beliefs is impressive. Pupils of all abilities and cultures participate willingly, and they are keen to answer questions and to contribute their ideas and preferences. Most pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other. In most lessons, pupils concentrate well on their work and, when given the opportunity to do so, work well independently. The pupils’ positive response makes a very strong contribution to their academic and personal achievement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Overall, the standard of behaviour is good and pupils know what is expected of them. Throughout the school, most pupils behave very well. In Year 3, however, some pupils regularly demonstrate unacceptable and challenging behaviour, even though all teachers and support staff work hard and consistently to follow the school’s very good Carr Manor Primary School - 17 procedures for behaviour management. These pupils are often inattentive and noisy during lessons, and this has a very negative effect on their learning and is disruptive to the learning of others. Behaviour is very good in the playground and while pupils are eating lunch together in the dining hall. Through the school’s very positive ethos, pupils have a clear sense of the difference between right and wrong, and most pupils demonstrate good self-discipline. Pupils are very polite and friendly towards visitors, very willingly holding doors open and offering to help. Most pupils show respect for

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

other people and for property, reflecting the respect they also receive from staff, who listen carefully to what they have to say. Incidents of bullying, racism or harassment are rare, and pupils are confident that any issue will be handled well by the school. During the last academic year, there was one fixed-period exclusion, but such occurrences are rare.

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19. Relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and adults are very good. The different cultures are very well integrated, and the natural way in which pupils share, celebrate and value each other’s culture is excellent. Pupils have a very good understanding of the impact of their actions on others, and this is developed well through the very good provision for personal and social education. During lessons, pupils share resources willingly and sensibly, and they are cooperative and involved when working in small groups or with partners. Pupils of all cultures, including those with special education needs and those for whom English is an additional language, support each other well in classrooms, at lunchtime and in the playground. The very good relationships throughout the school contribute very effectively to the raising of standards and to pupils’ personal and academic progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils’ personal development is very good and is central to the school’s ethos. Most pupils are keen to help and are enthusiastic about taking on special responsibilities. For example, pupils willingly act as classroom monitors, help as junior librarians or organise equipment for assembly, and the older ones care for younger children in the playground. The School Council, which is made up of elected representatives from each year group, is a pro-active and enthusiastic group of pupils which raises issues and feeds back to the headteacher a variety of suggestions for the improvement of activities and the school environment. Other pupils respect the Council’s decisions, and some requests have been accepted and acted upon. Pupils often set their own targets for improvement and, when given the opportunity, many are able to take responsibility for aspects of their own learning, such as researching additional

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information. However, staff do not always provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop independent learning skills. Pupils enjoy regular visits to places of educational and cultural interest, including residential visits in Year 4 and Year 6. The school’s very good links with the local community provide very good opportunities for pupils to take part in a range of sports and cultural events and celebrations. This extends their experience and knowledge of a multicultural society and has a very positive effect on their personal and social development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. The level of attendance is satisfactory, as it was at the time of the last inspection, and is broadly in line with the national average. There is no unauthorised absence. The school works hard to promote good attendance, but a number of pupils take extended holidays to their country of origin during term-time. Nearly all pupils arrive punctually in the morning. Registration and lessons start on time, and there is an efficient and well- ordered start to the day. This has a very positive effect on pupils’ attitudes towards school and on their academic and personal progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The overall quality of the teaching in the school is very good. Of the 100 lessons observed during the week of inspection, over four out of five were good or better. Carr Manor Primary School - 18 Almost half of the lessons were very good or better. Two of the lessons observed were unsatisfactory. Many examples of very good teaching were observed at all key stages. The teaching is better than at the time of the last inspection, and there has been a significant improvement in the proportion of good and very good teaching. This consistently strong teaching makes a powerful contribution to the good, and frequently very good, progress that the pupils make in their learning, especially in English and mathematics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Because they are always seeking to improve standards and the quality of pupils’ learning, the headteacher and staff monitor and evaluate their own performance carefully. The teachers show a readiness to reflect critically on how they teach and how well the pupils are learning, and are always prepared to try new strategies. A planned cycle of lessons observations is well established, and shared summaries of good practice are drawn up from these observations. This sharing of good practice, together with the identification of development needs and the means of tackling them, has made an important contribution to the improvement in the quality of teaching since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of the teaching for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. Lessons are almost always good and a high proportion is very good. This helps to ensure that the children make good progress in their learning and enables them to make a very good start to their education, preparing them well for starting the National Curriculum in Year 1. The main strengths of the teaching in the Foundation Stage are the very good relationships between adults and children and a very good understanding of the curriculum for the age group and how children learn. The support staff work closely with the class teachers and make a very positive contribution to children’s learning. The interesting range of practical activities provided, together with the teachers’ sensitive awareness of the children’s language needs, results in children responding very positively and making good progress. The strong emphasis on developing pupils’

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

language and literacy skills enables the children to get off to a very good start in learning to read and write. Excellent use of assessment is a key element of the daily routine, with staff taking careful note of what children accomplish. Staff grasp every opportunity to promote children’s learning through carefully planned activities, thoughtful intervention and well-established routines.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. At Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 the overall quality of the teaching is very good. The quality of the teaching in English and mathematics, which accounts for around half of the total time taught, is very good, as is the teaching of music. With the exception of history and geography, where the teaching is satisfactory, the teaching in all other subjects is good. The good features that characterise much of the teaching are evident in many of the lessons. Teachers and support staff have high expectations in respect of work and behaviour and create a positive atmosphere within their classrooms. Pupils enjoy the good range of activities provided and learn well as a result.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. English and mathematics are taught very well, and the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are also promoted effectively within other subjects. The teaching of reading is given a high priority, and reading skills are taught systematically. Pupils quickly acquire a range of strategies to help them to read unfamiliar words. The school has recognised that the teaching of writing needs to be developed further and has put a good range of strategies into place to support this work. These are already beginning to have an impact, and pupils are becoming increasingly competent in organising their writing in a coherent manner. Speaking and listening are developed effectively through well-pitched opportunities for pupils to listen carefully and respond to questions. However, more emphasis could be given to providing a more varied approach to developing pupils’ ability to express their ideas and opinions. The principles of the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Carr Manor Primary School - 19 National Literacy Strategy are used effectively and flexibly to provide a good framework for teaching. Likewise, the National Numeracy Strategy is implemented effectively, and successfully promotes pupils’ learning. The mental element of numeracy lessons is generally brisk, leading to a good improvement in pupils’ arithmetic skills and mental agility. However, in mathematics lessons, the more able pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. They are expected to do more work than other pupils but at the same level, rather than being given the opportunity to extend their skills through the provision of more open-ended tasks. This is also the case in science lessons where practical activities are often too directed, and pupils do not have enough opportunities to plan and carry out their own investigations. Lessons in music and art and design are mostly taught by specialist teachers who demonstrate

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

skills and techniques well. This enables the pupils to achieve good standards in these subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Lessons are well planned, with good detail about the learning objectives and how these are to be achieved. Teachers always share the lesson objectives with pupils, taking time to ensure that the pupils are clear about the purpose of the lesson and what is required of them. During the course of the lesson, and again at the end, teachers often remind pupils of the objective. This is very effective because it keeps pupils focused on their work and gives them an insight into how well they are learning. The concluding part of the lesson is used well to share the work that has been done, correct any misunderstandings during the lesson and to celebrate pupils’ achievements. This happened for example, in an English lesson when the pupils read aloud the rhyming couplets that they had written, and in a music lesson when pupils demonstrated what they had learnt about orchestral instruments after listening to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

taped music. The best planning has good detail about how the work will be modified to suit pupils’ differing needs. Group-work is organised skilfully, providing some pupils with the opportunity to work independently, and enabling the teacher to give more intensive support to others. Effective use is made of additional support staff, and there is good teaching of small groups and individual pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. This is evident in a variety of ways, for example, in the clear and detailed explanations and instructions, the skilful questioning and the subject-specific vocabulary that teachers use and promote. This was exemplified very well in an information and communication technology lesson in Year 6, when the teacher’s good, competent explanations enabled pupils to learn how to create hyperlinks to navigate through their presentations. Another example was observed in a literacy lesson in Year 5 where the teacher dealt well pupils’ answers, thus helping them to consolidate their learning of the main teaching point for the lesson. In several very good physical education lessons, good subject knowledge enabled teachers to analyse what pupils were doing, and this helped pupils to understand how they could improve their skills and techniques.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers make effective use of a range of teaching methods. They are successful in striking a balance between creative and imaginative methods, and more traditional teaching. For example, there is very good direct teaching to the whole class at the beginning of lessons, during which pupils recall important facts and consolidate previous learning, before the teacher’s explanations enable the pupils to learn new ideas. Teachers also provide opportunities for pupils to work on their own and collaboratively in small groups. During these sessions, teachers use their time very effectively, continuing intensive teaching for individuals or groups whilst maintaining a good overview of the rest of the class. In this way, the learning of all pupils is promoted well. During practical lessons, teachers are constantly teaching as they move between groups, for example by questioning, providing further explanations and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

demonstrating skills. This helps pupils to clarify their understand and to make good progress in their learning. Although there are some examples of pupils learning Carr Manor Primary School - 20 through investigative and problem-solving activities, and opportunities are provided for pupils to simply find out for themselves, this good practice is not as consistently employed as it could be, and greater emphasis could be given to developing pupils’ independence and enabling them to show initiative and take control of their own learning. This is not the case in some good physical education lessons at Key Stage 2, where pupils are encouraged to evaluate their performance. This leads to pupils becoming very aware of what they need to do to improve. When opportunities are provided for pupils to work independently in science, as for example in an excellent science lesson in Year 3, the pupils respond with enthusiasm and enjoyment and rise

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. The quality of relationships between the pupils and the staff is very good, and this helps to create a positive atmosphere for learning. The management of pupils is a positive strength of many lessons, and pupils show respect and tolerance for the views, beliefs and opinions of their classmates. Teachers expect much from pupils, both in terms of effort and behaviour. They know that every lesson is important and convey this message in a well-balanced way, making learning interesting and enjoyable. Teachers treat pupils fairly and promote very good relationships with them. This is rewarded by the high standards noted in pupils’ attitudes to learning and their good standards of behaviour. The poor behaviour of a small number of pupils in Year 3 is an exception, which has a detrimental effect on pupils’ learning. The school is aware of the problem and is trying different ways to improve the situation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. The school has introduced teaching by ability groups for numeracy in Year 6 and some team teaching for literacy. These are proving to be effective initiatives and are having an increasing impact on the standards achieved in the assessment tests at the end of Key Stage 2. During the inspection, these types of organisation were seen to be working very well due to thorough planning and sharing of expertise, and were helping pupils to make very good progress in their learning. Teachers and support staff work well together to achieve the aims of the lessons. Support staff are briefed well and know what the pupils are expected to get out of their learning. They have formed good relationships with the pupils and show good initiative in the lessons, intervening where necessary to bring pupils back on task or to deal with potential problems.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Teachers are very careful to distinguish between special educational needs and the specific needs of pupils with English as an additional language. There are very good quality individual education plans. Almost all targets are very clear and measurable, for example, ‘being able to read a certain number of words’ or ‘recognise particular letter sounds’. Individual education plans are linked particularly well to the English and mathematical aspects of the National Curriculum. Teachers are very aware of the needs of the pupils, and there is regular recording of the progress pupils make. The good support that pupils receive from both teachers and support assistants in class lessons enables them to make good progress in their learning. When pupils are withdrawn for individual work they receive very good quality teaching that enables

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

them to make very good progress towards their individual targets.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. The outstanding policy for educational inclusion is a strength of the school. All teachers cater for the needs of pupils with English as an additional language very well and ensure that, during lessons, pupils are very well integrated and participate fully. Pupils receive extra support from teachers and support assistants employed to work with pupils with English as an additional language in the Foundation Stage and Years 1 to 4. Focused groups of pupils are given direct teaching that matches their specific needs. The quality of planning and monitoring of pupils with English as an additional Carr Manor Primary School - 21 language is very good and the majority of pupils make good progress in all subjects of the curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. At both key stages, teachers make very good use of ongoing assessment. Well- targeted questions, and the effective use of resources such as individual white boards in literacy and numeracy lessons, inform teachers about how well pupils’ understanding and skills are developing. Teachers often then modify their questions or provide more challenge or opportunity for further practice as required. Teachers provide a great deal of ongoing praise and constructive criticism to help pupils to improve their work. There are some excellent examples where the teacher makes it quite clear why a piece of work is of a good standard or what the pupils need to do to improve. The best examples of this good marking are followed up, by time being given for the pupils to respond and make the necessary corrections or improvements to their work. On other occasions, marking is cursory. Homework is used effectively to support

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PUPILS?

35. There has been very good improvement in the curricular opportunities offered to pupils since the last inspection. All of the positive features mentioned in the previous report have been maintained. The curriculum for design and technology has improved, and the school now has much better procedures for curricular planning in all subjects at the weekly and daily level than before. There have been further improvements to the school’s provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language, and substantial improvements to the provision for pupils with special educational needs.

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PUPILS?

36. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided for the children in the Foundation Stage are very good. The curriculum is planned effectively to promote the six required areas of learning. Very good use is made of the information gained from the baseline assessments made during the children’s first few weeks of school to form a curriculum that is well matched to their needs. Staff provide very good opportunities for pupils to acquire literacy and numeracy skills, and children receive much encouragement from staff to read and write for themselves. Opportunities for children to develop physically are good overall, although the size of the secure outdoor play area is small. A limited range of physical play equipment is provided for children to use at times other than playtimes. The activities provided for children in the Reception classes give them a very good start to their learning and prepare them well for Key

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PUPILS?

37. The quality and range of opportunities for learning are good at Key Stages 1 and 2. The statutory requirements for religious education and the National Curriculum are fully met, and daily collective worship takes place in line with requirements. There is a very good focus on the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, while the curriculum is sufficiently broad to meet the requirements for the other subjects of the National Curriculum. However, timetabling arrangements do not give teachers sufficient time to cover units of work in subjects, such as geography and history, in any depth. A number of subjects are taught more intensively for a short period of time, but the length of time intervening between these blocks of teaching, particularly in geography and history, is frequently is too long. In one case, for example, a whole year elapses without pupils having any teaching in history, which disrupts the continuity of pupils’

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learning. The arts and sports are promoted strongly, and the school does very well in local sporting competitions. Through very good monitoring of the teaching and analysis of assessment data, the school keeps a good track of the standards pupils are achieving. However, the curriculum provided by the school does not always challenge more able pupils sufficiently, and pupils are not given enough opportunity to Carr Manor Primary School - 22 develop independent learning skills through experimental and investigative work in science.

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PUPILS?

38. At the time of the last inspection, the curriculum was seen as being balanced and broadly based, with the exception of design and technology at Key Stage 2. The amount of time given to this subject is now in line with the other foundation subjects and the school has succeeded in raising standards in this area. The school has very effective strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy and has fully implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, which have had a positive impact on raising standards of attainment and improving progress.

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PUPILS?

39. A good programme of residential visits enhances the curriculum for pupils in Years 4 and 6, and a very wide range of extra-curricular activities takes place at lunchtimes and after school. Sporting activities, such as football, cross-country, hockey, and athletics, feature strongly, but clubs also feature other activities, such as the construction club and ‘voicework’, which is targeted towards developing boys’ singing abilities. Many pupils, especially towards the top of the school, take part in one or more activity. The orchestra plays in some assemblies, and the school has a strong choir. The school also has some activities for the younger pupils, such as Gharba Stick Dancing for pupils in Year 1 and indoor games for Year 3. Very good use is made of resources within the community, such as visits to museums and historic buildings. Visitors, including those who re-enact historical events, make a very good

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PUPILS?

40. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. They have full access to the curriculum and are fully included in all aspects of school life. This has a positive effect on the progress they make. Individual education plans are of very good quality and set clear and manageable targets for learning. Outside agencies, such as speech therapy and educational psychology services, are involved, where appropriate, and provide effective support for pupils with additional needs. Annual reviews for pupils with statements of special educational need are carried out appropriately and their needs are fully addressed.

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PUPILS?

41. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ personal and health education, including education about sex and drug misuse. Sex education is covered very effectively through the science topic ‘human reproduction’ and through specific and sensitively planned lessons. Parents are fully informed via special information evenings and have appropriate opportunities to withdraw their children from this area of the curriculum, if they so wish. Staff are currently undertaking additional training to make the school’s already very appropriate response even better. Similarly, very good provision is made to raise pupils’ awareness of the dangers of drugs. Visits, visitors and well thought-out rôle-play activities support this area well. The school places a strong emphasis on pupils’ emotional health. Pupils expressed significant appreciation for the support that teachers and the school’s learning support mentor provide. In

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PUPILS?

addition, planned circle times 5 and informal opportunities that arise throughout the school day, ensure that all pupils receive support and guidance in order to become thoughtful and caring young citizens. Health education is a similarly strong feature, supported not only through science and physical education lessons, but also through planned events such as ‘Healthy Week’, which includes a wide variety of interesting activities involving all pupils.

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5 During Circle Time pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. All pupils agree that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and, therefore, pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference of interruption from other children. Carr Manor Primary School - 23 42. The school has developed very good links and relationships, not only with the local community, but also with other schools, colleges and universities. Active involvement with the Leeds ‘Healthy Schools’ scheme, nearby high schools, religious communities and local businesses, are just a few of the many associations that make a strong contribution to enriching the curricular experiences of pupils and have a positive impact on standards. One of many such examples is the school’s participation in a literacy project for pupils in Year 1, which is aimed at raising the level of literacy of the

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PUPILS?

least able pupils. This has successfully raised standards and is to be extended throughout the authority. Pupils in Year 6 attend the local high school for half a day for six weeks to study science, where they are able to benefit from specialist teaching and equipment. Visits to local churches and temples, and visits from a variety of religious leaders support pupils’ learning in religious education. Music and sports events, and visits to museums, conservation centres and other places have a positive impact on all areas of the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

43. The school’s provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. It is now better than at the time of the last inspection and continues to be a considerable strength. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development and excellent provision for their spiritual and cultural development. The two residential visits in Years 4 and 6 make a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual and social development. During these visits, pupils are encouraged to take part in a range of challenging activities, which require pupils to work together to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to succeed.

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PUPILS?

44. The excellent provision for pupils’ spiritual development is reflected in everything that the school does. Pupils are given many opportunities to reflect on a range of issues in assemblies and circle time, and to talk openly about the concept of belonging and what this means. Different groups to which pupils belong are talked about frankly so that everyone develops a mutual respect for a range of faiths and beliefs. Visits to the mosque, synagogue and Hindu temple, and visitors from different faiths make a strong contribution to pupils’ very good understanding, and staff use their own personal experiences to create displays which encourage pupils to consider carefully the positive features of all faiths. The respect with which the Qur’an is treated is understood by all, and one Muslim pupil showed real pride because her friend from a different faith is able to recite the first three chapters of the Qur’an from memory. Such

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is the high value placed upon this aspect of pupils’ development, that periods of reflection are common throughout the school. Paintings and drawings by pupils who are mentored by the school’s learning support mentor, reflect closely their feelings when exploring why they feel as they do when meeting new challenges and how they have learned to cope with difficult situations.

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PUPILS?

45. The school provides very well for pupils’ moral development. Opportunities to consider realistic moral dilemmas in literacy are good and, in assemblies, moral issues, such as whether we must always keep our promises, are considered carefully. Adults provide excellent role models. Pupils have very good relationships with adults and with each other, and this encourages pupils to approach adults confidently for support and advice. Pupils are actively encouraged to consider the difference between what is right and what is wrong, and this adds to the friendly and congenial relationships across the school. The group of pupils who receive mentoring consider carefully the impact of their actions on others, and this has helped them to take part in a range of activities both in lessons and after school. Various events are organised by pupils throughout the year to raise money for charities, and this gives pupils a good sense of their

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responsibility to those less fortunate than themselves.

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46. There is very good provision for pupils’ social development. Agreed rules of conduct are clearly displayed and followed by nearly all pupils and the school is actively Carr Manor Primary School - 24 seeking ways to improve the behaviour and social integration of a small minority of pupils in Year 3. However, in the desire to ensure the highest standards, pupils are given too few opportunities to take responsibility for their own actions without being very closely monitored and supervised by adults. Similarly, learning is often too directed and does not give pupils sufficient opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning and develop independent study skills. There are, however, very good opportunities for pupils to develop team spirit through the very well organised team events in athletics and other sporting events. The recent and continuing success at the athletics championships is a very good example of this, and pupils can clearly be

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seen in the photographs giving encouragement to their team mates and willing them on to succeed. Pupils are proud to be a part of the school council and to represent the views of other pupils. They take their responsibilities seriously and were even seen to be following procedures properly by putting their own suggestions into the suggestion box for discussion at the next meeting, the same as everyone else. The importance of family and relationships are considered in art through pupils’ evaluation of paintings by Sonia Boyce, Edgar Degas and William Roberts, before sketching their own ideas about the people who are special to them.

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47. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is excellent. The school’s ethos is one of total inclusion where everyone is aware of and has a respect for the many cultural identities. The school has an atmosphere of harmony and strives to establish opportunities for pupils to develop knowledge and understanding of their own and other cultures and traditions. The school plans to celebrate all cultural festivals and customs. During the time of the inspection, preparations were in hand for the Diwali festivals and some pupils in Year 1 were seen busily practising a Gharba stick dance to perform at the planned assembly. In design and technology, pupils design and make Chinese dragon toys following discussions about the customs behind these and, in art and design, there are excellent opportunities for pupils to create Islamic and Mehndi patterns.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school’s provision for the pastoral care and welfare of pupils is excellent, and parents are very pleased with the academic and personal support their children receive. Since the last inspection, this provision and the procedures followed have been very well maintained and extended. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are particularly well supported by specialist staff who are very sensitive to their individual needs. At the Foundation Stage, pupils with English as an additional language receive very good support from the curriculum and parental support assistants in order to help them develop their literacy skills. The very good provision of a mentor for identified pupils in Years 5 and 6 supports pupils with specific learning and social problems very well with target setting, English comprehension and a homework group. The school pays very close

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

attention to the inclusion of all pupils, and this enables them to make good progress and to take full advantage of all educational opportunities. The school provides a very secure and safe environment in which to learn. Staff know pupils very well, and are very alert to their individual, physical and emotional needs. This makes a strong impact on pupils’ progress and achievements. The very good provision for personal, social and health education, which includes education on sex and drug abuse, promotes pupils’ awareness of the need to care for themselves and for others effectively.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. The health and safety policy is good and is followed very closely. A formal risk assessment is completed annually. The deputy headteacher, who is also the site manager, and members of the governing body are very pro-active in monitoring the site carefully. All staff are vigilant in ensuring that any potential safety hazards are Carr Manor Primary School - 25 reported and dealt with promptly. Pupils are alerted to safe practices during lessons and whilst in the playground. Good provision is made for first aid, with trained staff on site. Regular fire drills and practices to evacuate the building are held.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Child protection procedures are very good, and issues and concerns are monitored and recorded very well. A member of the senior management team is the named designated person with overall responsibility, and he is trained in this area of pupils’ welfare. Through regular meetings and very clear guidelines, all staff, including lunchtime supervisors, are aware of the procedures to be followed. The school works closely with outside support agencies, to which all pupils have full access. Good computerised personal records are kept up to date and are used well to support pupils’ needs and to contact parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. Very good procedures are followed for monitoring and recording attendance. The school works hard to promote good attendance and to follow up unauthorised absence quickly. Parents and pupils are reminded regularly of the need for good attendance and punctuality. Registers are completed accurately and consistently. The school is supported well by the educational welfare officer. Very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are followed consistently throughout the school. Parents speak highly of the school’s management of behaviour. Staff have high expectations and act as excellent role models, and this results in most pupils behaving well in an orderly and calm environment. All classes have their own classroom rules, which they have agreed, as well as the school rules, which are prominently displayed in all corridors. A good system of reward and celebration encourages pupils to do their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

best, both academically and socially. Procedures to deal with any bullying or harassment are excellent, and any incident is very quickly dealt with and recorded well. The school’s procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are very good, and achievements are recorded systematically by a staff who know their pupils well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Since the last inspection, the school has made very good improvement in developing strategies and procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ academic and personal performance as they move through the school. Procedures for assessment throughout the school are now very good. Regular formal and informal assessments are carried out in English and mathematics, and teachers assess all other subjects at the end of each unit of work. Assessments are made of what children are able to do as soon as they start school. They are very comprehensive, and excellent use is made of the information to provide highly effective activities, which support children’s learning very well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Very careful analysis of assessment information means that all staff know the pupils very well and have a very clear knowledge of what pupils can and cannot do. Teachers track pupils’ progress very carefully and consistently. Assessment information is used well to put pupils into groups for English and mathematics and to target work to meet their individual needs, particularly for pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs. The information is yet to be used more effectively to challenge the more able pupils, however, and to make sure that they are not just being asked to do more of the same type of work. There is a comprehensive timetable for assessing pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics, and this allows the school to track the progress of individuals and groups of pupils very closely. This also provides very good information on how well the school is doing when

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

compared to other schools nationally and locally. The school has developed a comprehensive target-setting process in English, and this has led to recent improvements in pupils’ achievements, especially in writing. Extension of this process into other subjects, particularly mathematics, is planned. Carr Manor Primary School - 26 54. Monitoring and assessment in the Foundation Stage are excellent, and support for children and their individual needs is very good. The Reception class teachers use a very comprehensive assessment system, which they are constantly updating and improving. This system is working very well indeed. Teachers also undertake baseline assessment, which is used to inform planning early in the year for both classes. Targets are set from these assessments, and individual children are very well supported to further their needs and reach their learning goals.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. Procedures for identifying pupils with special educational needs are very good. The class teacher and special educational needs coordinator set appropriate targets for the pupils. The procedures for assessing special educational needs of pupils are very good and are used effectively to address the pupils’ needs. The special needs register is reviewed regularly. Individual educational plans are also updated regularly and targets for learning modified accordingly. Learning support assistants support pupils with statements of special educational needs very effectively and the pupils make good progress towards the targets set. Similarly, there are very good procedures for assessing the needs of pupils with English as an additional language and for providing them with the appropriate level of support.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to work closely with parents, and the partnership between the school and parents is excellent. Parents are very pleased with the progress made by their children, and they are overwhelmingly positive in their praise for the work of the school. Parents feel welcome and part of the school, and they appreciate the effort made to involve them. The excellent links with parents make a strong contribution to pupils’ progress and the quality of education and standards achieved.

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. The quality of information for parents is very good, and most parents feel very well informed. At the start of the academic year, parents receive a calendar of school events, and class teachers send out a welcoming letter encouraging them to be involved in their children’s learning. The headteacher provides parents with regular letters to update them about important issues, and staff, governors and pupils publish a helpful half-termly newsletter, entitled ‘School Gate’, which also often contains a contribution from the parent-teacher association. Each half-term, a copy of ‘Curriculum News’ is sent to parents to enable them to assist their children at home and support the school with the topics children are learning in each class. The school organises regular curriculum workshops and consultation meetings for parents, which are well attended. Parents whose children have special educational needs and English as an

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

additional language are kept very well informed, and the school involves them well in all assessments and reviews. Parents are provided with a copy of their children’s individual education plans, and are encouraged to use the mentoring diary to communicate between home and school. All pupils have home-school reading record books, which are used well to communicate with parents. Staff are readily available at the start and end of the school day to speak to parents informally and, during the week of the inspection, many parents were seen bringing children into classrooms and speaking with teachers and support staff.

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. The prospectus and governors’ annual report to parents meet the statutory requirements and provide a good amount of information about the curriculum and the organisation of the school. Pupils’ annual reports are good and contain clear information about progress and what pupils have learnt. Parents are invited to comment on the report, and pupils have the opportunity to write an evaluation and to set their own targets for improvement. Parents are informed of the expected level of attainment for a particular age group. Carr Manor Primary School - 27 59. The school welcomes a large number of parents from different cultures who provide regular help in classrooms, prepare resources, organise extra-curricular activities and assist when pupils are taken out on trips. Most parents make a very good contribution to children’s learning at school and at home by listening to them read and helping with homework and special topics. The school receives valued support from the active

p.26

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

parent-teacher association, which provides the school with a range of additional resources. Many parents support the school well through their involvement in social and fund-raising events and attendance at concerts and productions. The contribution of many parents has a strong impact on standards and progress.

p.27

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Arrangements for starting school are very good and, as a result, children settle into school life quickly. The written information given to parents when their children start school is good. Very many parents assist in the Reception classrooms, and parents regularly assist well with reading at home. Reports to parents and carers are good. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are fully informed and involved at all stages. The teachers inform parents at an early stage if there are concerns about a child’s learning. They are kept very well informed about their children’s progress and are given copies of individual education plans so that they can help them with their learning at home. Parents of pupils with statements of special need are appropriately invited to attend annual reviews.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The quality of the leadership and management provided by the headteacher and deputy headteacher is excellent. They not only have a very clear vision of the way they would like to see the school develop, but have a passion for making the school as good as it possibly can be. There are excellent management systems, which are clearly focused on raising academic standards, whilst promoting an environment in which there is great respect for the needs, differences and beliefs of the individual members of this very diverse school community. The school’s leaders have a very good ability to analyse the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and have a very thorough understanding of every aspect of the school. A measure of the esteem in which the school is held, is the fact that it has been asked twice to assume Beacon status, in order to share its expertise and good practice with other schools. As the school had only just assumed this role at the time of the inspection, it is too early to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

comment on how effectively it fulfils the expectations for such schools. However, the school’s approach to all aspects of its work stands as a very good model for other schools, and the school’s Beacon status is fully justified.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Leadership and management are highly effective at all levels. The respective strengths of the headteacher and deputy headteacher complement each other well, and they work very closely together as a team. They receive very good support from the key stage coordinators, one of whom was acting in a temporary capacity at the time of the inspection. There is highly effective delegation of management tasks and responsibilities to other staff, who are provided with very clear guidance on what is expected of them. Subject coordinators fulfil their roles well and, in the best cases, have been instrumental in making substantial improvements in the provision for their subjects which have led to further improvements in the standards pupils achieve.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The management of the school’s provision for special educational needs is very good. The special needs coordinator performs his role very effectively and ensures that all pupils with special educational needs receive the support they need. He regularly monitors and reviews the teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs, which has a positive impact on the progress they make. He supports the learning support assistants very well and ensures they are fully informed and involved Carr Manor Primary School - 28 at all stages. The school makes very good use of the funds available to support pupils with statements of special educational needs.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The governing body is very effective. The most active governors not only fulfil their roles very well, but also show a very good commitment to the school and a much better understanding of what is happening and what needs to happen than is normally found. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities very well and provide good support for the headteacher in her quest for continual improvement. Governors have clearly delineated roles and responsibilities, and the system for meetings and making decisions is effective. Governors are well informed about what is happening in the school through their own observations, but they are also given very detailed briefings by the headteacher. Governors keep parents well informed about what is happening through their annual report, which is detailed and informative. The core governors play an important role in contributing to the school’s development.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The school’s procedures for monitoring, evaluating and taking action to improve are excellent. All aspects of the school are monitored carefully, regularly and in minute detail. All staff with any form of responsibility are expected to produce their own action plans, which are then fed into the overall school development plan. Teachers’ planning and samples of pupils’ work are monitored regularly. A detailed programme of lesson observations ensures that each teacher is observed teaching on a number of occasions and in different capacities during the year. The observation schedule is linked closely to the school’s development plan, and a new programme of paired observations has recently been initiated, the aim of which is to help teachers engage with each other in the pursuit of excellent teaching. Lesson observations result in detailed feedback to teachers, and coordinators draw together the most important

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

points from their observations in order to share good teaching practice with the rest of the staff. The result of these procedures is that the school has developed a very good self-critical attitude, which has helped to identify weaknesses in teaching. This has always led to further improvement, as staff are open and receptive and keen to take on new ideas and to try different methods in their quest to become better teachers. The school is well aware of problems with the behaviour of some pupils in Year 3, and has tried different ways of tackling the problems. The tenacity of purpose is such that the staff will continue to try different methods until the problem is solved.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The monitoring and evaluation processes contribute directly to the formulation of the school’s very comprehensive development plan. The plan is very detailed, and indicates clearly what action is to be taken and who is responsible for it. The school’s aims are related directly to actions within the development plan and also to priorities identified by the local authority. All members of the school community contribute to the plan. The school makes very good use of external data in order to identify strengths, trends in particular year groups, how well pupils are progressing and areas for improvement. The excellent team spirit amongst the staff, and their hunger for becoming even better than they are, indicate that there is very good capacity for further improvement.

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The effectiveness of the school’s procedures for monitoring, evaluating and developing what it does, is seen in the very good range of improvements, which have occurred since the last inspection. Despite the changing nature of the school’s intake, and the way the school has had to help pupils who arrive midway through their primary school career with learning difficulties and behavioural problems, academic standards are improving, even though the rate of improvement is not as fast as in other schools. When compared to the results of schools in similar contexts, the school’s results continue to be well above average. Given the very large percentage of pupils for whom English is a second language, and the diverse nature of the school’s community, this is a significant achievement. The response to the key issues from the Carr Manor Primary School - 29 previous inspection has been meticulous. Lesson planning is thorough and now clearly

p.28

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

identifies learning objectives. The school is very conscious of the differing needs and abilities of its pupils and, wherever possible, provides additional support and help for pupils who require it. As a result, the provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved significantly, and these pupils are now given every opportunity to make good progress in their learning. Weaknesses in the provision for design and technology have been rectified through developing teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject and ensuring that pupils receive good learning experiences in the subject. In the intervening four and a half years, the school has gone well beyond the previously identified issues in its quest for improvement, as witnessed by the improvements to its procedures for monitoring and evaluating its own practice. As a result, the quality of the teaching has improved markedly and a much

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

higher proportion than before of the lessons taught throughout the school is very good. The school is doing all it can to ensure that pupils receive as high a standard of education as possible.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The school’s financial management is excellent, and educational priorities are closely linked to the school development plan. The headteacher has overall responsibility for financial control. The governing body’s finance committee is very well informed, and exceptionally active in monitoring, evaluating and challenging spending through regular formal and informal consultations. Specific grants and other funding for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are used very effectively for the designated purposes. The day-to-day administration and financial management are handled efficiently, and the administrative staff play a significant role in the smooth running of the school. The governing body is active in its constant checks on the impact of spending on standards. The deployment of teachers and support staff is very good, and the accommodation and resources are used well to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

raise standards and support pupils’ progress. The headteacher and governing body are very aware of all aspects of the principles of best value, and are committed to ensuring cost-effectiveness in all their decisions on spending.

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school is well staffed with a sufficient number of suitably qualified teachers to teach the National Curriculum. Most teachers have responsibility for a class, and also act as coordinators for subject areas. In Year 6, an additional teacher allows the year group to be split into three ability sets for literacy and numeracy, and another teacher moves between classes. A part-time music teacher takes responsibility for music throughout the school. There is a good range of experience and interests amongst teachers. Newly-qualified teachers are very well supported by mentors. The school has an annual staff-training schedule, which is carefully matched to need. The provision of support staff and classroom assistants is very good. All support staff are suitably qualified and work very closely with teachers to make an important contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning. They provide particularly good support for

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. The school also employs a learning support mentor, who makes a very effective contribution to the education of pupils who have particular emotional and behavioural difficulties, which impinge on their learning. The very good level of staffing makes a strong impact on standards. The caretaker and lunchtime supervisors provide good support by ensuring the effective day-to-day running of the school.

p.29

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The accommodation is very good and provides a stimulating learning environment of high quality. The library is an attractive and well-organised base for learning. Classrooms and resource areas provide sufficient space and are bright and well maintained. There is a dedicated suite for information and communication technology and a music room, which are used well for class groups. The outside hard and grassed play facilities are very good, but the secure play area for the youngest children is small, which limits the range of equipment available for children’s physical Carr Manor Primary School - 30 development. Resources for learning to support the National Curriculum are good. The library is well stocked with new and attractive books, including a range of bi-lingual books. Resources for information and communication technology, however, are insufficient, and the ratio of up-to-date computers per pupil is well below the national

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

average and the government’s current targets. This restricts teachers’ ability to use technology as a tool for learning within the classroom.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. In the light of the very good quality of education provided by the school, including the very good standard of teaching and learning, the good, and frequently very good, progress made by pupils, and the excellent leadership and management, the school is deemed to be giving very good value for money. Carr Manor Primary School - 31

p.30

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

72. In order to improve the quality of education provided and the standards pupils achieve, the governors, headteacher and staff should work together to:

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

i. Extend the use made of information and communication technology as a tool for learning in other subjects*. The following measures should be considered:

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• coordinators should provide guidance for staff on the use of new technology, by identifying within their subjects’ schemes of work where technology can be used effectively to promote pupils’ learning;

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• in addition to their use of the computer suite, staff need to have access to new technology within the classroom, so that they can use computers and other technological aids as an integral part of their normal lessons.

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

[paragraphs 11, 70, 108, 116, 121, 123, 128, 133, 139, 144, 153]

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

73. The school has no other key issues, but may wish to consider in its action plan the following minor areas for improvement:

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improving the behaviour and response of pupils with behavioural difficulties in Year 3* [paragraphs 18, 30, 46, 65, 105, 151, 161] ;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the way the curriculum is structured in Years 4, 5 and 6, with particular reference to history and geography [paragraphs 10, 37, 138, 143] ;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• helping pupils develop the ability to evaluate their own work more carefully and learn from their mistakes [paragraphs 34, 125, 127, 128, 144, 147, 150] ;

p.31

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their investigative skills in science by assuming greater responsibility for the way in which they carry out some of their practical investigations [paragraphs 20, 26, 29, 37, 121] ;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that the more able pupils are always sufficiently challenged in mathematics [paragraphs 26, 53, 114] ;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing a better range of play equipment for children in the Foundation Stage [paragraphs 36, 70, 95] ;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• helping pupils to develop their powers of oral expression [paragraphs 26, 104, 128] ;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* These issues have already been identified as priorities in the school’s development plan. Carr Manor Primary School - 32

p.31

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

74. A wide range of cultures is represented within the school, with four predominant languages other than English being spoken by pupils: Punjabi, Urdu, Gujarati and Hindi. Around 40 per cent of the pupils attending the school require support for English as an additional language. The provision for these pupils is very good, with some excellent features. The very high standard of the care and support offered to these pupils ensures that they make very good progress in all aspects of their education.

p.32

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

75. The attainment of the children with English as an additional language when they start school in the Reception class is below average. Around a third of the children start school with a vocabulary that is narrow for their age, and a small number are at the first stages of speaking English. These children make very good progress in the Reception classes, due to the very effective support provided by the curriculum and parental support assistant and good teamwork with the class teacher. The children are assessed as soon as they start school, and the information gathered is used to guide and direct support where possible. The teachers take care to include children requiring support in English as an additional language in all activities and, when necessary, the curriculum and parental support assistant supports children using her bilingual skills. Pupils requiring support for English as an additional language make very good

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

progress in the Foundation Stage but, despite this, a significant number of these children do not reach the Early Learning Goals for communication, language and literacy by the time they start Year 1.

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

76. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching for pupils with English as an additional language is very good. Close liaison between the class teacher and the curriculum and parental support assistant provides very good support for the pupils, both during whole-class activities and by direct support to individuals and groups where necessary. Pupils with English as an additional language are included in all activities planned for pupils in Years 1 and 2. Intensive support is directed towards those with most need in reading, writing and speaking. A committed and knowledgeable curriculum and parental support assistant uses her ability to speak four languages in order to provide bilingual support where necessary. Pupils are provided with very good regular opportunities to take home books written in their mother tongue. Regular reading sessions are provided for pupils to share books written in the most commonly

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

spoken language, Punjabi. These sessions are led very effectively by the curriculum and parental support assistant, and they ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to appreciate stories and books through the written text in their mother tongue, whilst promoting the use of spoken English in discussions about the stories. Pupils requiring support for English as an additional language make very good progress in Years 1 and 2 and, by the end of Year 2, most pupils achieve standards that are close to the expectations for pupils of their age in reading and writing, but none exceed them.

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

77. By the end of Year 6, all pupils who have been given support for English as an additional language at some point in the school reach the standards expected for their age in reading and writing. In writing, almost half of the pupils exceed the expectations for their age, and around a quarter exceed expectations in reading. This indicates very good progress as pupils move through the school. The support for pupils with English as an additional language in Years 3 to 6 is mainly directed towards pupils in Years 3 and 4. The curriculum and parental support assistant gives intensive and effective support to pupils in Year 3 in particular. Her support complements the good teaching occurring in lessons and ensures that pupils improve their confidence and self-esteem. Additional literacy support is soon to be provided for pupils in Year 4. In Years 5 and 6, support is mostly provided by class teachers, and only in exceptional cases is the

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

curriculum and parental support assistant involved. This decision is justified by the fact Carr Manor Primary School - 33 that almost all pupils with English as an additional language have made such good progress from the time they started school that there is rarely the need for intensive support beyond Year 4.

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

78. The provision for English as an additional language is very well managed. The headteacher and senior staff monitor the impact of the school’s provision for pupils for English as an additional language closely. The headteacher sets high expectations for all pupils to be included in all aspects of school life, whilst providing individual and group support where necessary. The two curriculum and parental support assistants are very well managed, and their line manager within the school has an excellent relationship with each assistant. Very careful analyses are made of the performance of pupils by ethnic background, and the information is used to deploy support staff very well. Support is directed towards pupils in the earlier stages of their education up to Year 3 and, at times, Year 4. This strategy is effectively pulling up the standards of pupils requiring support for English as an additional language. The curriculum and

p.33

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

parental support assistants are an integral part of the staff team and high levels of commitment by each assistant are indicated by the way they are motivated enough to attend staff meetings and additional training.

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

79. The high quality of the staff who support pupils with English as an additional language benefits not only the academic progress of pupils but also their overall quality of education. The contribution they make to the cultural and moral development of pupils is excellent. The staff are very sensitive in their approach and help the pupils to develop highly tolerant and mature attitudes to the beliefs and customs of others. This is done by using their own cultural backgrounds and knowledge to create excellent quality displays celebrating the basic beliefs and customs of other religions. For example, an outstanding display of artefacts and information in one classroom explains the five pillars of Islam and the customs of Muslims, and other high-quality displays are sited around the school. The festivals of all religions are valued, recognised and celebrated. Staff supporting English as an additional language work

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ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

with all teaching and support staff to successfully raise pupils’ awareness of Asian culture by contributing to preparations for whole-school assemblies celebrating key festivals. During the inspection, a group of pupils in Year 1 gave up their own playtime and enthusiastically practised a performance of the Gharba Stick dance in preparation for the forthcoming assembly celebrating the Hindu Festival of Diwali.

p.33

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

80. The relationships between the school and parents of pupils requiring support for English as an additional language are excellent. The skills of curriculum and parental support assistants are used to build very close relationships with parents in the school community who need bilingual support. Each morning, the support assistants make themselves available to meet parents and pupils, and where concerns or queries exist, discussions are conducted in the parents’ mother tongues. The bilingual skills of the curriculum and parental support assistants provide parents who have difficulty speaking English with opportunities to discuss the progress of their children during parents’ consultations evenings, and written reports are prepared in the families’ mother tongue if necessary. Very good communication between the curriculum and parental support assistants and their mentor ensures that the quality of their support is

p.33

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

monitored and evaluated. Carr Manor Primary School - 34

p.33

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 100 Number of formal discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils [In addition to this figure, there were many informal discussions with staff, other adults and pupils]

p.34

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 4 41 38 15 1 1 0 Percentage 4 41 38 15 1 1 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Exactly 100 lessons were observed.

p.34

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) – 419 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals – 86 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.34

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs – 5 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register – 81

p.34

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 135

p.34

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 26 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 19

p.34

Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence % % School data 5.1 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Carr Manor Primary School - 35

p.34

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 30 58

p.35

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Boys 25 26 26 Girls 30 30 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 55 56 55 School 95 97 95 Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National 87 (84) 89 (85) 93 (90)

p.35

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 25 26 25 Girls 30 30 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Total 55 56 54 School 95 97 93 Percentage of pupils at NC level 2 or above National (84) (88) (88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.35

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 35 26 61

p.35

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science Boys 31 28 35 Girls 24 24 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 55 52 61 School 90 85 100 Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National 78 (75) 74 (72) 91 (85)

p.35

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science Boys 29 28 34 Girls 24 24 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 55 52 61 School 90 85 100 Percentage of pupils at NC level 4 or above National (70) (72) (80)

p.35

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Carr Manor Primary School - 36

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Permanent Black – Caribbean heritage 35 Black – Caribbean heritage 1 0 Black – African heritage 8 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 35 Black – other 0 0 Indian 52 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 55 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 2 Chinese 0 0 White 164 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 8 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6 Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 18.4 Financial year 2000/2001 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.8 Average class size 29.9 £ Total income 826,681 Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 819,393 Total number of education support staff 11 Expenditure per pupil 1,970 Total aggregate hours worked per week 270 Balance brought forward from previous year 12,290 Balance carried forward to next year 19,578 Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) – Number of pupils per qualified teacher –

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff – Total aggregate hours worked per week –

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult – FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 10

p.36

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Carr Manor Primary School - 37

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate Number of questionnaires sent out 419 Number of questionnaires returned 153 Percentage of questionnaires returned 36.5%

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category 6 Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school 62 37 1 0 0

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good 59 39 3 0 0

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home 45 43 7 1 3

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on 56 37 6 0 1

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem 73 24 1 0 3

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best 80 20 0 0 0

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents 60 36 1 0 3

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed 74 24 0 0 3

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible 65 33 1 0 1

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons 44 39 7 1 9

p.37

Other issues raised by parents

Parents are very pleased with the education their children are receiving. The very few negative comments raised by a small number of parents were unrepresentative of, or conflicted with, the very positive views expressed by the great majority of parents.

p.37

Other issues raised by parents

6 Because of rounding, percentages may not add up to 100. Carr Manor Primary School - 38

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

81. At the time of the last inspection, provision for children in the Foundation Stage was found to be good. The school has maintained this strength and in some areas improved upon it. Very good teaching, and excellent planning and assessment, ensure that the needs of the youngest children in the school are well met.

p.38

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

82. The Reception classes are housed in a large, open-plan classroom, with a small covered outdoor play area. The team of four adults provides a very stimulating, happy, caring environment for children in their first year at school.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

83. Children enter the classes at the beginning of the year, with an overall level of attainment below that found nationally. This is confirmed by an initial assessment of what children can do. The children in the Reception classes make good progress, and are on course to achieve all of the Early Learning Goals, the targets for children at the Foundation Stage, before they enter Key Stage 1. In the areas of communication, language and literacy, and mathematical development, many children will exceed these expectations. In the key skill of reading, the vast majority will exceed the expected level, and in writing and number, a considerable minority will exceed it. Very good teaching has a strong impact in these areas.

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Personal, social and emotional development

84. The teachers and assistants have a strong influence in helping children to develop into motivated and confident learners, who are able to make decisions and show pride in their achievements. Children join the Reception classes with a wide range of personal and social skills. By the time they leave in the summer, they have achieved the Early Learning Goals in this area. In both classes, children are learning to cooperate, helped by thoughtful interventions and reminders from the staff. At the time of the inspection, early in the school year, some children were already able to share well when playing with water. When they were trying to write letters, they took turns at a table without being asked by an adult. Children are developing self-confidence, which was demonstrated in answering questions in a large group or reporting back how they carried out an activity, such as making pretend pizzas.

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Personal, social and emotional development

85. Children demonstrate good independence, for example in personal hygiene, and in selecting activities to do when they enter the classroom first thing in the morning. They select toys and activities from a very wide range chosen by the teachers. The activities are often accompanied by additional questions, instructions and pictures, and a list for pupils to mark when they have done the task, which encourages further independence.

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Personal, social and emotional development

86. The teaching in this area of learning is very good. The adults, teachers and teaching assistants, provide very good role models for the children, which in turn generally leads the children to treat both adults and other children with respect and friendship. One of the teaching assistants speaks some of the home languages of the children. This helps to promote children’s confidence and fosters very good relationships. The awareness of right and wrong is promoted well by staff. The children’s behaviour is generally good. They usually treat their own and other people’s property with care and consideration, picking up toys from the floor and clearing away when asked. Carr Manor Primary School - 39

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Communication, language and literacy

87. Overall, children’s attainment is below average on entry to school. Many children find it difficult to express themselves effectively in words. Teachers work hard at promoting children’s speaking and listening skills. Children are encouraged to use the correct language and to extend their vocabulary and they are beginning to learn to express their thoughts and feelings clearly in sentences. In a speaking and listening session observed during the inspection, children took it in turns to say what they liked doing best. Whilst many children had difficulty with this and needed support, a few higher- attaining children were able to speak clearly and confidently. For example, one child said ‘I like going to the zoo. I saw a rhinoceros. It had one big horn and one little horn’. A dual-language classroom assistant supports children with English as an additional language very well, which enables them to become active participants in the session.

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Communication, language and literacy

Children are given good opportunities to participate in role-play. During the inspection, they were developing their communication skills well through role-play in the home corner. Boys and girls from a variety of different cultures play happily alongside each other.

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Communication, language and literacy

88. The teaching of language and literacy skills is very good, and children make very good progress in learning to read. The children enjoy listening to stories, which are read enthusiastically and expressively by the teachers. The teachers introduce correct terminology effectively, such as ‘front cover’, ‘title’, ‘illustrator’ and ‘author’. In a very good lesson, related to the shared reading of a big book ‘No Lunchbox’, the teacher used questions very well to encourage children to think about what was happening in the story and to predict what might happen next. The children used picture clues well to put forward sensible suggestions. In the book corner, children handle books correctly, holding them the right way up and, starting at the beginning, turn over the pages appropriately. Good opportunities are provided for children to begin to develop their writing skills. Children are already learning to form some letters correctly and to

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Communication, language and literacy

learn the sounds that letters make. There is a writing table where children go to ‘write’ letters to their family and friends. They make marks on paper to represent words, and some children make good attempts at writing their name. During the inspection, the children were taking it in turns to ‘write’ a letter to Rosie’s teddy, related to stories of Rosie and Sam. Children are taught a wide range of songs and rhymes, and this helps them to associate sounds with patterns in rhymes and letters in words.

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Communication, language and literacy

89. Examination of written work and listening to pupils read show that they make very good progress and achieve average standards in communication and writing skills by the time they enter Year 1 and above average standards overall in reading. The teachers are very effective in instilling an early enjoyment of language and literacy, and virtually all the children show much interest in books and reading. Most children read a simple book confidently and use a number of reading strategies, such as phonic and picture clues to help them read unfamiliar words. Higher-attaining children read a wide range of words confidently and with understanding and are developing good expression in their reading. By the end of their Reception year, most children make good attempts at pieces of simple writing, communicating the meaning of it satisfactorily. They write some familiar words correctly and build simple words of three

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Communication, language and literacy

letters, such as ‘hat’ and ‘can’. Higher-attaining children make good attempts at spelling quite difficult words such as ‘cicing’, for ‘kitchen’, and ‘feri god muvr’, for ‘fairy godmother’, when relating the story of Cinderella. For the most part, they form the shape of letters correctly and write for a number of different purposes, such as stories, invitations, letters and lists. Teachers mark the work very well. It is annotated to show the purpose of the writing and comments on what standard has been achieved. This is a valuable tool to outline the next steps for learning to enable work to be planned at an appropriate level for each child. Carr Manor Primary School - 40

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Mathematical development

90. The quality of teaching for children’s mathematical development is very good, and pupils make very good strides in their learning. Overall, children meet the expected standards by the end of the Reception year, with most pupils achieving the Early Learning Goals, and some pupils exceeding them. The teachers provide many good opportunities for children to count objects to ten, and some children already count well beyond. A few write numerals accurately, such as the boy who, while reporting back to the class, drew a four on the board. The adults are good at including appropriate number challenges for higher-attaining children and, through this practice, children are beginning to show an awareness of number operations, such as ‘one more’ or ‘two more’. A very small minority can perform simple additions and subtractions by counting objects.

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Mathematical development

91. Pupils are learning to use mathematical language well to describe measures, positions and shapes. The teachers use exciting and attention-holding methods to teach mathematics. An example of this was a lesson on length, where the teacher used a hand-puppet to introduce three different bears with three different lengths of ribbon for their necks. By the end of their time in Reception, children join in number songs, count well and sort objects such as different shapes. They also sort and classify themselves, an activity that they do every morning on entering the classroom, where they take their name label and put it into the correct basket to answer a question such as ‘Have you written a story to the bear?’ These questions are changed daily. At first, parents help with this activity. Teachers provide very good opportunities to challenge and inspire pupils mathematically.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

92. The quality of teaching to development children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is very good, and children learn well through the good variety of experiences provided for them. Most children achieve the Early Learning Goals for this area of learning by the time they start Year 1. Topics and themes are very well planned, and the pupils’ experience is broadened through visits out, such as an ‘Autumn Walk’ to look at features of the natural environment and to observe the changes that take place in the seasons. The children explore and investigate a variety of objects and materials. During the inspection, for example, they were investigating the smell of different things. All children shared in the activity, exhibiting a number of different emotions, such as disgust and pleasure, and making sensible guesses as to what the smell came from. They explore freely with sand and water and note the changes that take

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

place in materials, such as chocolate when it is heated and then cooled.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

93. The teachers provide a good range of construction kits, tools and materials and teach children appropriate techniques to enable them to develop their designing and making skills. They are shown how to join paper and card, and one child made a model of a person and noted, ‘She can wiggle her arms because I used split pins’. Children are given sound opportunities to develop their understanding of information and communication technology, and computer skills, such as controlling the mouse, are developing well. Related to the current theme ‘Ourselves’, children talk with interest about past and present events in their lives, such as what they used to like when they were in Nursery and what they like about school now. They explore the features of themselves and observe in what way they are the same and in what way they are different. All staff respect the rich diversity of cultures represented in the school, and

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

children are provided with many appropriate opportunities to learn about their own culture and beliefs and those of others. Teachers give the children many appropriate opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world through first- Carr Manor Primary School - 41 hand experiences, and effective use is made of questioning to encourage children to think about how things work and why they happen.

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Creative development

94. The children are given many opportunities to use a variety of equipment and materials to develop their creative skills. They enjoy drawing and painting. For example, they make satisfactory attempts at painting pictures of themselves. They use mirrors to look carefully at the colour of their eyes, hair and skin and try to match it in their pictures. Children have frequent opportunities to sing, and they know a number of songs. During a very good music lesson, taken by the specialist music teacher, children were developing confidence and enjoyment in singing. They learnt how to listen carefully and to use their voices expressively. They are beginning to develop a good sense of rhythm by, for example, clapping or beating a drum in time with their singing. Good opportunities are planned for children to use their imagination in art and design, music, dance, rôle-play and stories. For example, there is a good range of dressing-up

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Creative development

clothes, which children use appropriately for imaginative play, and a range of simple musical instruments, with which children create their own music and explore the sounds they make. Children are make good progress towards the Early Learning Goals in this area because of the well-planned activities and the good quality of the teaching and experiences teachers provide for them.

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Physical development

95. The teaching for physical development is good, and children achieve the Early Learning Goals for this area of learning by the time they start Year 1. The development of physical play provided by the staff is good, with a wide range of activities offered. The classes use the infant school hall regularly for physical education and movement activities, where the children can run and try hard to balance beanbags on different parts of their bodies. The staff also use the hall to act out stories with the children, such ‘The Enormous Turnip’, and sing action songs. Staff provide the children with many opportunities to handle pencils, crayons and glue, as part of planned adult-led activities, as well as in less structured activities. Modelling tools and malleable materials are used well to develop children’s manipulative skills. The outdoor play area, which is being developed, is small, and this limits its uses, as

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Physical development

does the limit range of outdoor play equipment, for the children’s physical development.

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ENGLISH

96. The school’s National Curriculum assessment test results in 2001 were above the national average at the end of both key stages. Inspection evidence reflects these results. Pupils achieve well in relation to their prior attainment, making very good progress throughout the school from a low starting point on entry. Consequently, when compared with the results achieved by pupils in similar schools, the results are well above average. This very good progress reflects the high standards of teaching, the school’s broad and stimulating curriculum, including the very good implementation of the National Literacy Strategy, and very good leadership from the coordinator. Although standards have been consistently above average, the school’s pattern of improvement over the last few years has not been as rapid as that found nationally.

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ENGLISH

97. Inspection findings show that overall standards are above average at the end of both key stages. Attainment is average in speaking and listening, and above average in reading and writing. By the end of Year 6, almost all pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language, achieve the national standard and a significant number are working at a level above that expected for eleven-year-olds. Very good Carr Manor Primary School - 42 additional support is provided for pupils for whom English is an additional language, especially in Years 1 to 3, and also for pupils with special educational needs. As a result, these pupils all make very good progress in their learning.

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ENGLISH

98. Overall, the standards attained by pupils in reading are above average throughout the school, and this is a strong feature of English work. During Key Stage 1, pupils develop a love of books, and most read enthusiastically. Systematic teaching of letter sounds and patterns gives pupils confidence and the appropriate skills to build words. By the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils are reading accurately and confidently, and have appropriate strategies for understanding new and unfamiliar words. Higher and average-attaining pupils read expressively, with a good degree of accuracy and fluency. They use a range of strategies to sound out more complex words. They make inferences from clues in the text and make reasonable predictions about the possible outcomes. Lower-attainers enjoy books and are becoming increasingly confident in using their knowledge of letters and sounds to build unfamiliar words. They read with

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ENGLISH

sufficient understanding to talk about the content and the characters in the stories they read.

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ENGLISH

99. Throughout Key Stage 2, most pupils develop their reading skills successfully and, by the time they are eleven, most pupils reach the average level and a high proportion exceed it. Higher and average-attaining pupils read fluently and accurately and are generally confident in reading unfamiliar words. They talk about their preferences for particular authors and titles, and many read for pleasure on a regular basis. Most pupils show good understanding and the ability to recall a sufficient amount of detail about what they have read. Pupils are well aware of different genres in reading, and many are able to apply this knowledge into their own examples of written work. The school has worked hard to encourage this love of reading and provides a good range of books that appeal to pupils’ interests and are appropriate for their reading abilities. Pupils make good progress in their use of alphabetical order and begin to gain

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ENGLISH

confidence in using the school library through regular class visits. Pupils’ independence is steadily being promoted, and their retrieval skills in selecting books, using the appropriate classification system, are developing well. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is a second language take a full and active part in all literacy activities and are well supported by teachers and classroom assistants. Pupils’ individual progress in reading is monitored carefully and the home- school reading record helps parents to become more involved in their children’s learning.

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ENGLISH

100. At the end of both key stages, standards in writing are above average. Almost all pupils attain the nationally expected level in writing and spelling, and a significant proportion reach the higher level. The further development of writing is a current priority of the school improvement plan, and inspection evidence indicates that the overall standard of written work is improving throughout the school. Pupils’ written work reflects some very good progress in the quality of the pupils’ writing as well as in the development of their handwriting style.

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ENGLISH

101. Throughout Key Stage 1, pupils make very good progress with their writing. They develop an awareness of how to communicate through writing as they begin to write personal accounts and to retell simple stories. They quickly develop the ability to convey meaning and write sentences that are suitably sequenced. As they progress, pupils build steadily on their previous work and use conjunctions to construct extended sentences. By the end of Year 2, most pupils produce good quality unaided writing. Higher-attaining pupils include descriptive words, such ‘fierce’ and ‘whispered’. The style is good, and includes colourful and imaginative expression. Through regular practice, punctuation skills are well established. Most pupils recognise word patterns and are beginning to understand grammatical vocabulary, such as ‘adjectives’ and Carr Manor Primary School - 43 ‘verbs’. Pupils sequence events and write instructions, such as a recipe for baking.

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ENGLISH

The higher-attaining pupils recognise direct speech and the use of speech marks.

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ENGLISH

102. Pupils’ progress in writing throughout Key Stage 2 is good, and there is a positive and structured approach to its development. Pupils build on the good start and gain experience of a wider variety of writing styles. By the end of Year 6, they have gained a good understanding of how to structure different styles of writing. The content of pupils’ work is good, and they have a balanced range of experiences as they progress through the key stage, with clear development of their understanding of grammar, parts of speech and comprehension exercises for extracting relevant information from a short passage. They write for different purposes, such as reports of experiments and findings in science, factual and imaginary passages relating to their work in history and geography, as well as imaginative stories. During the literacy hour, pupils are developing a sound understanding of the different genres of writing. During the

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ENGLISH

inspection, pupils in Year 4 made a good attempt at understanding the features of journalistic writing, and pupils in Year 6 made distinctions between autobiographical and biographical writing. They become more aware of the use of descriptive language to gain effect. For example, the reading of ‘Friend or Foe’ led to a good discussion, and several pupils were able to talk about the type of language used, particularly the adjectives chosen by the author for effect.

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ENGLISH

103. At both key stages, word lists, including the key words from the National Literacy Strategy, are taught and tested regularly, and pupils are reminded regularly of the need to spell words correctly. Pupils make effective use of dictionaries to find the meanings of words. The current focus on writing provides opportunities for the pupils to practise writing independently as they produce stories, poems, letters, factual accounts and descriptions. Throughout the school, there is a very structured approach to the teaching of handwriting, which emphasises the need for a correctly formed, even script. This emphasis has a very positive effect, and standards of handwriting are good.

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ENGLISH

104. Attainment in speaking and listening is average by the end of both key stages. Many pupils enter the school with low levels of attainment, but much hard work is done to encourage pupils to speak fluently and listen carefully, and they sustain good progress throughout the school. By the end of Year 2, most pupils speak clearly and confidently. They listen carefully, and many pupils are eager to engage in conversation. By the end of Year 6, most pupils speak with increased fluency and confidence. In one lesson in Year 6, higher-attaining pupils could give constructive opinions on the best way to sequence clauses to achieve the desired impact. Teachers in both key stages consistently try to extend pupils’ vocabulary by asking questions that require more than a one-word answer, but some teachers do not insist on clear diction. In the shared text sessions of the literacy hour, the teachers work hard to extend and broaden the pupils’ knowledge of spoken language, but many

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ENGLISH

pupils lack the breadth of vocabulary to explain their thoughts and ideas clearly. Discussion times and personal and social development sessions are valuable in encouraging the pupils to talk about their own experiences and feelings, and these are managed well by most teachers. However, there are not enough group and whole- class speaking activities, such choral speaking, drama and rôle-play, which would provide opportunities for pupils to practise their speaking skills and to build their vocabulary. Although most pupils are provided with opportunities to speak and express their views in literacy sessions, there is insufficient emphasis on spoken language in other subjects. By the end of Year 6, some pupils still do not have the skills required to express their thoughts and opinions in an articulate manner.

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ENGLISH

105. Throughout the school, relationships are very good. Teachers know their pupils well. All pupils are involved in all of the activities and, in the main, teachers match the work Carr Manor Primary School - 44 which they set to the identified needs of the pupils. Most pupils have a very positive attitude to their work and generally maintain good levels of concentration and effort. Apart from a small group of pupils in Year 3, they are well behaved and cooperative. They collaborate well when given the opportunity in their groups. They are interested in the work they are given and gain enjoyment from their success.

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ENGLISH

106. The overall quality of teaching in English is very good and makes a significant contribution to the very good progress made by the pupils. An effective feature of all lessons is the good use of the introductory session that is used to revise previous work and set a clear focus for the learning. Pupils are quite clear about what it is they are going to learn because it is carefully explained to them. The teachers use the concluding part of the lesson effectively to assess and reinforce learning, as well as to share successful outcomes with the class. The best lessons move at a brisk pace that maintains pupils’ interest and challenges them to complete the task. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and a good understanding of how pupils learn, and this enables pupils to make rapid progress in developing literacy skills. Most lessons follow the principles set out in the National Literacy Strategy, and teachers’ planning is

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ENGLISH

detailed, thorough and sets high expectations. Additional time is allocated to literacy, and this is used well to further pupils’ knowledge and sustain their interest. A good example of this was seen in a guided reading session where a discussion about ‘The Dancing Bear’ generated some good observations and deepened pupils’ understanding of characterisation. During literacy lessons, teachers use the Big Books very effectively. Many are skilful in asking open-ended questions to draw out the pupils’ observations. Questions such as, ‘How can you tell that?’ and ‘What do you think happens next?’ move the pupils’ learning forward and encourage them to answer with more than a single word. Further good features of the teaching are the high expectations of success for all the pupils and the links made with work in other subjects, such as science and religious education.

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ENGLISH

107. The school has implemented and developed the National Literacy Strategy very well, and this is having a positive impact on standards of teaching and learning. There are satisfactory opportunities to develop literacy skills in subjects other than English. Assessment is very good, and the information gained is used to set targets for individuals, ability groups, classes and year groups. Literacy targets for all pupils are much in evidence and, consequently, the pupils are well aware of them and are frequently reminded of their progress towards them in lessons. The reports to parents also include information about what their children need to do to improve.

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ENGLISH

108. Resources for English are good. The school has a range of big books for shared text work in the literacy hour, and there is a wealth of reading scheme books, which are used well to provide a well-structured progression in the teaching of reading. Each classroom has a collection of books for free-choice reading, and the library is well stocked. Across the school, only limited use is made of information and communication technology equipment during the course of lessons to support pupils in their writing endeavours or for research purposes. The school is aware of this and recognises that it is an area for development.

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ENGLISH

109. Overall, the improvement since the last inspection has been good. The good features highlighted at that time have been maintained, and the school has continued to make further improvements. The school has a very clear whole-school approach to the teaching of writing that has contributed to the rise in pupils’ attainment. The coordinator is a very effective leader and provides a good teaching model. She has identified appropriate areas for further development and shows a great commitment to the continued improvement of the standards pupils achieve. Carr Manor Primary School - 45

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MATHEMATICS

110. The National Curriculum assessment test results at the end of Key Stage 1 for the year 2001 were below the national average, and average when compared to the results of schools in similar contexts. Nearly all pupils achieved the national expectation of Level 2, but only a small proportion achieved the higher Level 3. The results are marginally lower than those at the time of the last inspection, but reflect the changing nature of the school’s intake. Inspection findings reveal an improving picture as a result of very good teaching. Due to the emphasis placed on learning new mathematical vocabulary, pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts is improving, especially that of pupils with English as an additional language. This enables a greater proportion of pupils to achieve the level expected for their age than in most schools although, as yet, fewer pupils are reaching higher levels. Overall,

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MATHEMATICS

therefore, standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are average.

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MATHEMATICS

111. At Key Stage 2, the National Curriculum assessment test results in the year 2001 were above the national average and well above the average for schools in similar contexts. Seven out of eight pupils achieved Level 4 and around a quarter the higher Level 5. Standards are higher than they were at the time of the last inspection. The inspection findings reflect the school’s latest results and show that the very good teaching in Key Stage 2 is helping pupils to attain above average standards. Pupils with English as an additional language make particularly good progress as a result of the additional help provided for them.

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MATHEMATICS

112. Pupils in Key Stage 1 are developing a good understanding of numbers. By the end of Year 1, pupils can count accurately forwards and backwards to and from a hundred in ones and in twos. They correctly identify odd and even numbers, giving good explanations for their decisions, and are beginning to identify patterns and relationships when counting in ones and twos. This understanding is consolidated and extended further in Year 2. Pupils apply their understanding of the number system by counting accurately forwards and backwards in tens from any given number. Obvious learning is taking place as, during lessons, they use the hundred-square very well as a prompt to their memories and thinking, before repeating the task without its aid. When asked specific questions, pupils decide for themselves whether to use the hundred- square to support their learning. Higher-attaining pupils can explain clearly how the

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MATHEMATICS

digits in the tens and units column are getting bigger or smaller in response to their teacher’s prompts.

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MATHEMATICS

113. By the end of Year 6, pupils extend their knowledge and understanding of numbers to working with percentages and decimals. They are able to multiply accurately by 10 and 100 to calculate numbers to two decimal places. Higher-attaining pupils can convert fractions to percentages and use this knowledge to solve problems successfully. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of mathematical language is developed further so that they are able to talk about the strategies they use to solve the problems. Because concepts are taught well, pupils learn the specific language needed to discuss shapes, space and measures. Pupils in Year 3, for example, are learning about three-dimensional shapes and are able to talk about a range of shapes in terms of their edges, vertices and faces. They use this knowledge successfully to sort the shapes into sets according to their properties.

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MATHEMATICS

114. The quality of teaching and learning at both key stages is very good. Lessons are very well planned, and teachers identify the specific learning objective for each lesson. As a result, pupils know exactly what they are learning to do in each lesson, and their understanding is consolidated further at the end of each lesson when the teacher reviews the work, which has been completed, and how well the pupils have achieved the lesson’s objectives. Teachers listen carefully to how pupils answer their questions Carr Manor Primary School - 46 so that they can build on their understanding or overcome any misunderstandings. In Year 2, pupils were learning about the monetary values of different coins and solving problems requiring them to identify the two coins they need to buy their chosen toy from the class toyshop. When one group of pupils happily decided that 22 pence could be made with two 2-pence coins, the teacher skilfully questioned the pupils until

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MATHEMATICS

they gained an understanding that the 22 pence consisted of one 20-pence coin and one 2-pence coin. Learning moved forward much faster after this revelation, and the work was finished correctly. Similar questioning enabled pupils to understand that ‘sums’ could be recorded in any order, but will still come to the same answer, for example, that 13+2=15 therefore 2+13 also equals 15. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by learning support assistants who know exactly what pupils are expected to learn in each lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

115. Lessons are enjoyable occasions, and teachers use a range of interesting strategies to keep pupils’ attention focused on learning. In one lesson, for example, the pupils enjoyed taking on the roles of ‘Miss Numerator’ or ‘Mr Denominator’ as they acted out the way fractions are put together. The activity helped them to visualise the concept of fractions very clearly. In some lessons, the higher-attaining pupils could be moved on more quickly than they are, as they are expected to do the same work as other pupils before moving onto a higher challenge. There is also little opportunity for pupils to work together in groups in order to discuss their ideas and think of ways to solve problems and investigations independently.

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MATHEMATICS

116. The curriculum is very well organised so that pupils cover all aspects of the scheme of work. Data-handling activities support scientific investigative work well through the recording of information in graphs and tables. Satisfactory use is made of information and communication technology in the computer suite to support mathematical understanding. Pupils have learned how to construct a database when gathering information on animals in science, and have also learned how to use a spreadsheet to calculate percentages. However, the school has not yet identified when the use of computers would speed up learning in other lessons and, therefore, opportunities are lost to use computers effectively to support learning.

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MATHEMATICS

117. The coordination of mathematics is excellent. The coordinator is new to the school and has already identified suitable priorities for further improvements to the subject. Monitoring information highlights exactly what needs to be done, and action is already being taken to improve standards further. Assessment procedures are very good, and there are plans to use the information better to set targets for individuals and groups of pupils to raise their achievement further. This also gives them more responsibility for their own learning. There is a satisfactory range of resources, which are used effectively by teachers to support learning.

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SCIENCE

118. Inspection findings show that attainment in science is in line with expected standards at the end of Key Stage 1 and above average at the end of Key Stage 2. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve well and make good progress due to the good support they receive in lessons. The 2001 National Curriculum assessment test results at the end of Key Stage 2 were above the national average and well above those of similar schools. All pupils attained at least the expected Level 4. This is an improvement since the previous inspection and is due to the new scheme of work, increased confidence of teachers and the additional opportunity for pupils in Year 6 to study at the local high school. Carr Manor Primary School - 47 119. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 make good progress in their learning. By the end of Year 2, pupils are attaining expected standards overall, due to the knowledge and enthusiasm

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of the teachers. Teachers’ appropriate choice of interesting practical activities enables pupils to benefit from numerous opportunities to investigate and explore the world around them using all of their senses. In Year 1, for example, pupils have explored the school grounds and identified places where creatures live. In this way, they not only recognise some common animals but, also, are becoming aware of similarities and differences, with more able pupils able to recognise why some plants, such as moss, are found in dark, damp places. In Year 2, this practical approach is continued, and pupils’ knowledge and understanding of life and living processes is extended. Through carefully thought-out questions to a visiting mother with her young baby, pupils begin to recognise the needs of young babies in order for them to grow healthy and strong. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain above average standards in this area of their

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SCIENCE

120. Pupils are eager to find things out and, as they move through Key Stage 1, they are able to identify and sort a range of different materials, recording their work in simple tables and making simple predictions, for example, about which materials are magnetic. The pupils’ understanding of materials is sound. Their knowledge and understanding of physical processes is also sound, but this is the area in which their understanding is weakest. All pupils are aware of the dangers of electricity. However, work on the uses of electricity is less well developed, as is the topic on forces. This involved testing different vehicles, but the use of measurements that would have extended more able pupils was not introduced.

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SCIENCE

121. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils build well on their knowledge and understanding, and teachers have improved their approaches to developing pupils’ scientific enquiry since the previous inspection. The experiments chosen by teachers provide practical and worthwhile experiences and encourage pupils to be interested in scientific ideas. Pupils are increasingly guided to explore their own questions. This was seen in Year 6 for example, when pupils were encouraged by teachers to decide how to test for the effects of exercise on their bodies and were then guided to decide how to record their results. This was an effective activity that developed pupils’ independence and encouraged them to think like young scientists. There are, in addition, some good examples of the use of bar charts and line graphs to record the outcomes of investigations, but the use of information technology in general is not well developed

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and opportunities to use new technology are often missed. For example, although available, thermometer sensors were not used in the study of heat. In general, more able pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to take responsibility for designing their own investigations, which impedes their development as independent learners. When this does happen, as with the design brief to make a land yacht for a school competition, pupils’ enthusiasm and scientific skills were evident from the good results they achieved.

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SCIENCE

122. Pupils have a good understanding of life processes. They understand food chains and have a good scientific vocabulary, using terms such as ‘consumer’, ‘predator’ and ‘producer’. They have good knowledge of the major organs in the human body and explain how the lungs, for example, process oxygen into the blood stream. They also have good understanding of materials and, through investigations, for example, can recognise that some materials are better electrical conductors than others, but more able pupils are not secure in their understanding of how some materials can be separated or the part the water cycle plays in evaporation. Pupils also have a firm understanding of physical processes. By the end of Year 6, they can explain the effects of air pressure on a parachute. Again, this is the weakest element, as topics are often not fully developed in line with the medium-term planning. Carr Manor Primary School - 48

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SCIENCE

123. The overall quality of teaching is good, and some very good, and sometimes excellent, teaching was observed during the inspection. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 2 has improved. Teachers have good subject knowledge and improved confidence. The activities in the very best lessons are interesting, practical, well prepared and challenging for pupils of all abilities. This motivates the pupils to learn. An excellent example of this was seen in Year 3. Pupils were challenged to solve the problem about ‘which paper the teacher used to send a golf club through the post’. Pupils were eager to get the answer right and worked enthusiastically together, testing materials through appropriate fair-testing procedures. More able pupils recorded their work clearly and, through careful questioning by the teacher, began to interpret their results. Less able pupils also enjoyed the practical activity and, because they had been given

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SCIENCE

a simple writing frame, could also record their results clearly. However, it was evident from the analysis of pupils’ past work, that teachers’ use of assessments to plan suitable work for pupils of all abilities is less well developed. For example, while less able pupils take part in practical work, they are expected to complete the same written work. Pupils struggle to copy out the texts of experiments and often do not finish their work. This prevents them from fully benefiting from the practical elements of the subject and has an impact on the consolidation of their knowledge and understanding. Teachers’ planning indicates that less able pupils usually work together, and this prevents them from collaborating and sharing their developing ideas with more able friends, while more able pupils are not given sufficient opportunities to plan their own work, re-test and look for patterns in their results. An effective example of good

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SCIENCE

practice was seen in Year 6, when pupils in mixed-ability groups shared responsibilities to test pulse rates. More able pupils recorded results, and pupils analysed and presented an oral report together, ensuring that pupils of all abilities made very good progress in their understanding. Numeracy skills are developed well in science. Pupils have many opportunities to measure and record their experiments using a variety of graphs, which is having a positive effect on developing their mathematical skills. The use of information and communication skills is less well developed. There are too few opportunities for pupils to use computers to analyse their data, for example.

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SCIENCE

124. The coordinator manages the subject very well and is aware of the strengths and areas for development. Assessment procedures have improved, but are not yet used sufficiently or consistently to set individual targets or track individual pupils’ progress, so that subsequent pieces of work can be planned accurately to match the pupils’ ability and capacity to learn. Resources, visits and the new scheme of work are having a positive impact on standards, so that the school has made good progress since the previous inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

125. Pupils’ work in art and design is generally good and of a standard higher than expected for their age by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils make good progress in their art lessons, which results in progress over time being good. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to their classmates, as do pupils whose first language is not English. Through cross-curricular links with other subjects, pupils are provided with very good opportunities to observe objects and record their observations using a variety of media. For example, related to a science lesson, pupils in Year 1 carefully observed and drew pictures of leaves and berries that they had collected. They held their pencils and crayons with an appropriate grip and used them with good control for their age, with pleasing results. In all classes, the range of work is broad and promotes good development of skills associated with the subject. However, pupils’

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ART AND DESIGN

ability to appraise and evaluate their work is not so well developed. The good features highlighted in the previous inspection have been maintained Carr Manor Primary School - 49 126. By the end of Year 2, pupils have experienced a good range of media and acquired a good variety of skills and techniques in art and design. These include collage, printing, drawing, three-dimensional work in clay and the use of textiles for weaving and Indian embroidery. Most pupils have good levels of confidence in mixing and matching colours and producing variations in tone and intensity. For example, in a very good lesson observed in Year 2, pupils investigated the use of pastels to create colour, line, shape and texture in a self-portrait. They produced images of their faces to a good standard. They tried hard to describe their thoughts about their work, but found this difficult. Pupils study the work of well-known artists such as Van Gogh and a local

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artist Stuart Watton, and work hard to produce the techniques and styles they observe. Pupils take pride in their work, which is attractively displayed and labelled by the teachers.

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ART AND DESIGN

127. Pupils in Key Stage 2 continue to make good progress as they move through the school and, by the end of Year 6, their attainment is above national expectations. They explore ideas and work from direct observation with increasing skill. Pupils in Year 3 use a variety of drawing pencils to explore texture, line and tone and mix the right shades of watercolour. In one lesson, for example, they looked carefully at cross- sections of fruit and used their skills to produce good drawings, matching their colour mixes to those of the fruits. In Year 6, pupils experiment with drawing people in action after looking at the work of a range of artists whose work shows people in action. They use a wooden model and some pupils pose whilst others sketch. They develop this well by using torn paper collages to show a sequence of movements. Pupils experience a good range of media in both two and three dimensions, and work is often

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ART AND DESIGN

appropriately linked to other areas of the curriculum. For example, following their study of Peru, pupils in Year 5 investigated Peruvian weaving and considered how people in Pampa Grande make their living from weaving cloth and clothing. Pupils learn basic weaving skills. Higher-attaining pupils move on from basic weaving skills and learn how to weave in stripes and blocks before designing their own pictures. Pupils gain an appreciation of how art styles and techniques have changed over the ages. Pupils in Year 3 study the artwork of the ancient Egyptians and, after considering the design and colour appropriate to that era, use them well to produce their own designs. In Year 5, pupils study the work of William Morris before designing their own repeat wallpaper patterns in a similar style. They produce work of a very good standard, using ink and a colour wash. Throughout the key stage, pupils use sketchbooks effectively to develop

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their initial ideas and to practise and refine their newly acquired skills. Pupils enjoy practical activities. They usually concentrate well on what they are being taught and take care of their own and others’ work. They like experimenting with colour and different materials and methods, and persevere when they find the task difficult. However, many pupils are reticent to discuss their work and to evaluate it critically.

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ART AND DESIGN

128. The overall quality of teaching and learning for all pupils is good, with some instances of very good teaching. Pupils are taught the necessary skills to enable them to become competent artists. They are taught a variety of techniques using a range of media very well, and finished products are of a good standard. However, not enough attention is paid to developing pupils’ ability to evaluate and appraise their work orally, which would also support the development of their spoken language skills. Teaching appropriately draws pupils’ attention to the work of famous artists but still emphasises the need for pupils to produce their own work in the style of an artist rather than an exact copy. In Year 4, for example, pupils looked at a variety of paintings portraying relationships such as ‘The Bellini Family’ by Edgar Degas and ‘The Happy Family’ by William Roberts. Pupils then thought about people who were special to them and

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sketched their own ideas. Teaching also provides pupils with good opportunities to appreciate the artwork of other cultures and from other times. Art and design supports pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. A classroom assistant, who is an artist in her own right and has excellent subject knowledge, is used Carr Manor Primary School - 50 effectively in Key Stage 2 to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding of the art and design processes. However, this very good support sometimes leads to pupils, particularly the older ones, not developing their ability to work independently sufficiently. Although there is some evidence of information and communication technology being used to support and develop work in art in both key stages, it is underused as a resource. Great importance is attached to celebrating pupils’ achievements by displaying their efforts sensitively and creatively, and there are many

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ART AND DESIGN

examples of high-quality work on display.

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ART AND DESIGN

129. Currently, there is a temporary coordinator for art and design, but she has good subject knowledge and is managing the subject soundly. There is no formal monitoring of classroom practice, and assessment of pupils’ work is only informal. However, there is a good portfolio of pupils’ work to inform teachers about standards and to assist them in planning for the development of skills, knowledge and understanding. There is a satisfactory scheme of work that takes appropriate account of recent developments and national guidance. Resources for art and design are good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

130. Standards in design and technology are average by the end of both key stages. There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection. However, there has not yet been enough time for this improvement to be fully reflected in the overall standards achieved by pupils. An appropriate action plan has been implemented, and this has addressed the issues raised in the previous inspection effectively. Through in- service training, teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject’s requirements have improved, and a satisfactory scheme of work, which takes account of recent developments and national guidance, is being implemented. The range of opportunities for pupils to use different materials and develop new techniques has also been increased. Pupils throughout the school, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are now making good progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

131. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a sound understanding of the designing and making processes. They know they need to draw and make a plan of what they are going to make, showing the intended outcomes. They know they need to think about the materials and resources they are going to need. They understand that they might need to change their plans if they are not successful. Teachers provide pupils with appropriate opportunities to use a variety of materials such as fabric and wood and to learn different techniques for joining materials together. For example, pupils in Year 1 focus on fabric materials to design and make a model of Jack Frost. Pupils in Year 2 investigate ways of joining wood together to make a simple picture frame and they understand how to use a variety of tools, such as saws, correctly and safely.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

132. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations, which shows an improvement since the previous inspection. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils continue to improve their knowledge and understanding of materials and components and of the designing and making processes. Pupils in Year 4 investigate the parts and purposes of a torch. They find out how an electrical circuit with simple switches can be utilised to provide working results when designing and making their own torches. Pupils investigate a variety of mechanisms, such as levers, gears, cams, cranks and pulleys, and use them appropriately to design and make working models. During a good lesson observed in Year 6, related to designing and making a fairground toy, a higher-attaining pupil produced a detailed and clearly labelled diagram of his idea. He was able to discuss knowledgeably how the pulleys needed to be attached and how

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

his original design might need to be adapted in order for the toy to work properly. At the end of the lesson, most pupils had developed a sound understanding of how mechanisms could be utilised to make things move in a variety of ways. Pupils are Carr Manor Primary School - 51 now becoming accustomed to the need to evaluate their designs and products with the end purpose in mind. Throughout both key stages, pupils experience a good range of designing and making tasks that utilise a range of materials, including food and mouldable materials such as clay and textiles.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

133. The quality of teaching and learning is now good, and some very good examples were seen during the inspection. In a very good lesson observed in Year 1, which was the pupils’ first design and technology lesson, the teacher introduced and explained clearly what design and technology was all about and how it built on the work they had done in the Reception classes. She used a range of resources well to develop the pupils’ understanding of a hinge. The pace of the lesson was brisk which resulted in pupils remaining motivated and on task. By the end of the lesson, most pupils had a clear understanding of the purpose of a hinge and made good attempts at evaluating its suitability for task and purpose. Virtually all of them had made a good start towards a basic understanding of the designing and making processes. Throughout the school, the introduction of a design and technology book has helped teachers and pupils to

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

have a clear record of what has gone on before and to build on the work undertaken in previous years. Teachers try to make the work interesting and challenging, and pupils respond well, showing good attitudes to learning. They concentrate well and show pleasure in their work. Sometimes, work is appropriately linked to other subjects. For example, linked to their work on the ancient Egyptians in history, pupils in Year 3 designed and made models of a shaduf 7 . It is also used appropriately to support work in numeracy. For example, pupils in Year 2 made a block graph to find out what pupils liked most as a filling when designing and making a sandwich. Overall, however, there is insufficient use of information and communication technology to support work in the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

134. Leadership of the subject is good. The recent introduction of a new scheme of work has helped raise teachers’ confidence and the quality of pupils’ work. The school has also received good support from the local authority’s adviser. Planning takes appropriate account of the need for a broad and balanced curriculum. Although there are no formal procedures to assess pupils’ attainment, there is guidance on this in a monitoring file, and the subject leader has developed a portfolio of examples of pupils’ work, which has been annotated to indicate the levels they have achieved. This provides good guidance for teachers. Projects are sometimes given to pupils to complete at home. For example, pupils were asked to design and make a land yacht. A year group competition then took place in the school hall to decide on the best. Such activities encourage parents to be actively involved in their children’s learning.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

There is also an after-school construction club to encourage pupils’ interest further. Resources for the subject are good.

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GEOGRAPHY

135. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is above that expected for their age, and the attainment of pupils at the end of Year 6 is similar to that found nationally. Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained at the same level in Key Stage 1, but are lower than they were in Key Stage 2. The reason for this is that less time is devoted to teaching the subject than before and, because of the timetabling arrangements in Years 4, 5 and 6, there are long gaps in which there is no teaching of geography. The teaching of art also impinges on the continuity of pupils’ learning in geography, as groups of pupils are withdrawn from geography lessons for art.

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GEOGRAPHY

7 A water-raising device used in ancient Egypt consisting of a suspended pivoting pole with a bucket on one end and a counterweight on the other. Carr Manor Primary School - 52 136. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have developed a good understanding of local places and what they are like. Pupils in Year 2 talk confidently about the differences between their home area and other places they have studied, such as the seaside and a village in rural India. Because of good teaching, which emphasises the importance of developing geographical skills, pupils are able to classify features and explain why they have made their decisions. They are able to locate regions on a map, are becoming familiar with the use of an atlas, and are starting to use appropriate geographical terms. Higher-attaining pupils are challenged well by pertinent questioning from teachers whose subject knowledge is good. Pupils at Key Stage 1

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GEOGRAPHY

are very keen and interested in the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

137. By the end of Year 6, standards of attainment are in line with national expectations. Pupils talk confidently about the water cycle and explain how it works. They know about the British Isles and some contrasting locations such as Ghana. During the inspection, pupils in Year 4 were learning about the village of Kesharpur in India. In this study, the teacher used good methods to encourage the pupils to work in teams researching, and then displaying, the information they had discovered. This formed a good connection with the literacy curriculum in summing up information and writing notes, as well as being a good method of helping pupils retain the geographical information itself. The class had to report their findings to the class, which they found difficult. Higher up the school, pupils are starting to understand the importance of location for the development of communities, through exploring topics such as the

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GEOGRAPHY

conservation of water. At both key stages, pupils with special needs and those with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

138. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. At Key Stage 1, and in individual lessons in Key Stage 2, it is good. However, at Key Stage 2, timetabling restrictions leave too long a gap between units of work, making it difficult for pupils to remember and build on what they have done previously. Also, in each lesson in Years 4, 5 and 6, a third of the class is withdrawn to do art. With pupils missing different parts of the curriculum, it makes it hard for teachers to ensure coverage of the subject and the appropriate development of geographical skills. These difficulties are restricting pupils’ overall progress in the subject. Throughout the school, individual lessons are planned carefully and well, and the teachers make good use of resources to help pupils learn. In a good lesson in Year 2, for example, the use of well-chosen resources helped pupils to develop their skills of observation and ability to use

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GEOGRAPHY

secondary sources to develop their understanding of the environment. In Year 5, the use of a video and a chart of how much water we use not only captured pupils’ interest, but also helped them to deepen their understanding of water and its effect on people. Many teachers have good questioning skills. In another lesson in Year 2, pupils made very good progress in their learning because the teacher involved all pupils through her skilful questioning and then, at the end of the lesson, helped them to draw out the differences from the local environment they had studied the previous week. In most classes, the pupils’ positive response in lessons contributes well to their learning. In both lessons in Year 2, for example, pupils cooperated well with their teacher and each other, settling quickly to their work and making good use of the time available to them. Pupils in Year 4 were so keen on working together to produce a

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GEOGRAPHY

display that they did not want to stop. The well-prepared activity helped pupils to find out information for themselves.

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GEOGRAPHY

139. There is a new, enthusiastic coordinator, and the school has recently adopted the government’s recommended guidelines as a planning framework for the curriculum. Teachers now put a good emphasis on the development of geographical skills, and good use is made of the knowledge individual pupils have of different cultures. The school has very good resources, but insufficient use is made of information and communication technology. Carr Manor Primary School - 53

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HISTORY

140. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is better than that found in most schools. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations. These are similar findings to those of the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

141. The good standards and good progress made by all pupils at Key Stage 1 are the result of systematic teaching, which provides effective coverage of the whole range of the curriculum for this age group. Pupils are keen to explain how they know about the past. They have a good understanding of chronology, for example, producing a time line for toys they have examined. Higher-attaining pupils are able to recognise and explain how the past can be divided into different periods, some longer ago than others. They have a sound knowledge and understanding of events and people in the past and offer ideas as to why people acted as they did, such as Guy Fawkes. Through visits to places of interest, such as a trip to the canal, they are starting to develop skills of historical enquiry.

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HISTORY

142. Progress in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory, but is not as good as in Key Stage 1 because history is not taught throughout the year and the curriculum is not covered in any depth. By the end of Year 6, pupils have a reasonable knowledge of the periods they have studied, but few have developed the overview that the higher levels of the National Curriculum require. For example, pupils in Year 6 are able to recall some facts about the Victorians, such as the life of poor children, but they are less confident explaining why things happened, or in suggesting consequences and are unable to talk about the main events that occurred in Britain during that period. Pupils with special educational needs take a full part in the lessons, as do pupils with English as an additional language.

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HISTORY

143. During the inspection, history was not being taught in most classes, and only one lesson was observed. This was a very good lesson in Year 3, in which pupils learned about the strata of Egyptian society. The teacher gave very clear explanations and used good visual aids and activities to help pupils learn effectively. On the basis of the work completed by pupils in the school year prior to the inspection, the quality of teaching and learning is good at Key Stage 1 and sound at Key Stage 2. The teachers have clear guidance on what is to be taught in history, based on the scheme of work produced by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which has been adapted to the needs of the school. At Key Stage 2, however, the time allocated to teaching history and the significant periods of time in which no history is taught adversely affect the continuity of pupils’ learning. Nevertheless, the pupils’ positive attitudes to the

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HISTORY

subject help them to learn well during those periods of the year in which history is taught. Pupils are generally enthusiastic and interested in their work and are keen to answer questions and put forward their own ideas. The school’s strong emphasis on visits to historical buildings and museums and the wide range of visiting drama groups help to bring the subject alive and contribute positively to pupils’ learning. Pupils’ books contain some good examples of how the subject is used to develop their literacy skills, such as writing an account from another person’s point of view. The quality of the teachers’ marking, however, is variable, with some books containing very few helpful comments to show pupils how they could improve their work.

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HISTORY

144. The coordinator provides good leadership. The school has very good resources for history, but computers are not used well to support the subject.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

145. There has been good improvement in the school’s provision for information and communication technology since the last inspection, facilitated by very good subject Carr Manor Primary School - 54 leadership and the installation of a computer suite, which enables staff to make more efficient use of their time by teaching the whole class at the same time. Throughout the school, pupils are now taught a much wider range of skills and, as a result, they are making good progress in their learning. At present, pupils achieve the nationally expected standards at the end of Years 2 and 6, but standards are improving, as pupils now have a more solid basis of skills on which to build their future learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

146. By the end of Year 2, pupils are developing an appropriate range of skills to enable them to find things out, exchange and share information, and review and modify their work. They are able to type simple texts using a word processor, and are beginning to understand how they can make alterations to what they have written. When using a graphics program, they have a good understanding of which tools to use and how to choose different options from within the same tool. They collect data and know how to enter this into a data-handling program in order to produce a chart. Pupils master important basic skills at an early age. They know how to log on to the computer, locate and open programs, and save and print their work. Pupils make good progress through Key Stage 1. In Year 1, for example, some of the pupils find it very difficult to coordinate their movements to control the mouse. By Year 2, however, they have

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

developed much greater control and precision in their movements.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

147. By the end of Year 6, pupils show sound achievement in most aspects of the curriculum. They possess an appropriate range of skills to find things out and develop their ideas. They know, for example, how to access the Internet or CD-ROMs in order to find information. They are starting to appreciate how they can combine information from different sources using a page-layout or multimedia presentation program. Most pupils have acquired satisfactory skills in using a word processor to communicate information and understand that new technology enables them to modify their work much more easily than using conventional methods of presentation. Pupils are slowly developing the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of their work, but most are not yet sufficiently self-critical. Pupils make good progress through the key stage, developing and refining important skills. They know how to retrieve work, which they have

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

previously saved, in order to edit it. They begin to realise how skills which they have already learnt using one program, such as the use of menus or ways to change the size and colour of text, can be transferred to another. Their work improves in quality and sophistication. For example, swimming rules presented by pupils in Year 5 demonstrate that they have learnt how to use many features of a word-processor to present their text in a variety of different ways in order to emphasise particular points. Pupils in Year 4 are already showing similar skills. In a very good lesson in which they were learning to use a page-layout program to produce a newspaper-style article in conjunction with their work in literacy, all of the pupils created a basic layout for their page by creating different text boxes and frames for graphics and showed a good awareness of how to give emphasis to different elements on the page.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

148. Pupils of all abilities and those for whom English is an additional language make equally good progress. When necessary, further support is provided for the class teacher, so that additional attention can be given to pupils with special educational needs or those who find it hard to learn new concepts. In one lesson, for example, three assistants were present, and they used their time effectively by responding to pupils’ requests for help. In another lesson, no assistant was present, but pupils were able to work well on their own, and the teacher was able to provide enough support for two pupils with special educational needs so that they could make progress in their learning. Most of the activities and learning tasks are sufficiently broad for the more able pupils to have scope to develop and refine their skills. In a good lesson in Year 6, however, the teacher provided further instruction for a small group of more able pupils,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

which enabled them to add further sophistication to their work by using elements from web pages in the multimedia presentation, which they were preparing. Teachers work Carr Manor Primary School - 55 hard to ensure that pupils integrate well and that all have equal access to the computers during their lessons. In one class, for example, pupils were asked to work in pairs of boys and girls, and a timer was used to ensure that each pupil had an equal amount of time using the computer. Pupils are clearly used to these requirements, which help to promote an atmosphere in which pupils work well with each other, share willingly and are conscious of the need to take turns.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. The subject is well taught. Because of a very sensible program of in-service training, the teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject have improved considerably since the last inspection. Most teachers are confident in using computers and give clear demonstrations to the pupils. In a lesson for pupils in Year 5, for example, the teacher had a good command of how to produce a poster and operated the computer quickly and competently, whilst a teacher in Year 6 gave a very clear explanation of how to create hyperlinks to navigate through a multimedia presentation. As a result, pupils learn new skills and the teachers are able to help pupils when difficulties arise.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

150. Most lessons are well planned, and all are appropriately structured, starting with a clear explanation of the learning objectives and concluding with an effective session, which draws together what pupils have learnt during the lesson. In some lessons, however, the learning objectives are couched in terms, which are difficult for the pupils to understand. In the best lessons, the teachers integrate the teaching of information technology skills into work they are undertaking in other subjects, and they help pupils to think critically about their work. In a good lesson in Year 2, for example, pupils were learning how to use a graphics program to produce a self-portrait. The teacher was able to draw pupils’ attention to factors, which had previously been discussed in an art lesson regarding the shape of the face and the position of the eyes. This consolidated pupils’ learning in art and made the context of learning to use new tools in the

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graphics program meaningful. In contrast, pupils in Year 3 found it difficult to grasp the concept of how to search for information on a database as the records of birds had little relevance to any other work they were doing. Throughout a lesson in Year 5, the teacher asked searching questions, both of the class and of individuals, to help pupils to think critically about the posters they had designed. Although pupils found this hard, it was clear that some were beginning to realise that they could improve their designs. Some teachers are not as rigorous in getting pupils to evaluate their work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

151. The quality of learning is good. Most pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject which motivate them to learn. They are keen to use the computers and work hard to finish their work. A measure of pupils’ enthusiasm is the fact that so many want to participate in the extra-curricular computing club, which is run on a Friday lunchtime. In most classes, standards of behaviour are good and pupils show consideration for each other, making helpful comments and taking turns to use the computer when working in pairs. In a few classes, such as in Year 3, some pupils do not have the same level of self-discipline, and the time taken by the teacher to ensure an appropriate level of discipline detracts from the progress pupils are able to make in their learning. Most staff show very good inter-personal skills, which they use well to motivate pupils to learn. In many lessons, the practice of working in pairs at a

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computer makes a positive contribution to learning, as pupils help each other and discuss their work. In some lessons, however, pair-work is not as productive, and pupils mark time as they wait for their turn at the keyboard.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

152. The subject has been very well led over the last few years, as the school has embarked on a systematic programme to improve its provision for information and communication technology. Decisions on future directions have been taken after careful analysis of the school’s needs. Staff have been given clear guidance with regard to the curriculum, which adequately covers the teaching of basic information Carr Manor Primary School - 56 technology skills. The introduction of new aspects of the curriculum has been backed up with in-service training to ensure that staff have a full understanding of what they are to teach. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are very good and, through comprehensive records and samples of pupils’ work, the coordinator has a very clear idea of the standards pupils are achieving throughout the school. Staff are beginning to use their own assessments of pupils’ skills to provide

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

additional challenge for the more able pupils. The school has appropriate procedures for ensuring safe access to the Internet, and these have been communicated to parents. The teaching of information and communication technology is monitored carefully and regularly. Staff are beginning to feel the benefit of this, as good practice identified through visits to lessons are passed on to other staff.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

153. The school’s accommodation for information and communication technology has improved since the last inspection through the installation of a new computer suite. Although the shape and layout of the room are not ideal, and there is no facility to project onto a large screen, the facility to teach a whole class of pupils at the same time has enabled pupils to make much better progress in the subject than previously. The addition of an air-conditioning unit has improved the conditions in which pupils and staff work and aids their concentration. Throughout the school, however, the ratio of up-to-date computers to pupils falls well short of the government’s target for the end of this academic year. Most classrooms are equipped with older computers, which have an inadequate range of software for most purposes. As a result, staff make little use of the computers in their classrooms to support pupils’ learning in other subjects,

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and few staff make use of the computer suite at times other than their officially designated lesson for teaching information technology skills. The wider use of new technology has been identified within the school’s development plan as a weakness, which needs to be rectified in the future.

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MUSIC

154. Standards in music are above average at the end of both key stages and have improved since the previous inspection. Music has a high profile in the school and is taught by a music specialist. Her expertise and enthusiasm for the subject, together with support from staff and visiting specialist teachers, ensure that all pupils make very good progress and achieve very well.

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MUSIC

155. Pupils in Key Stage 1 sing melodic phrases well. They sing a wide variety of songs from memory, tunefully and with enjoyment. They play a wide range of musical instruments and show a good sense of pulse and rhythm. They compose short pieces of music using simple melodic phrases. They discuss music they have heard from many different cultures and join in conducting the music. A very good example of this all-round musical development was seen in Year 2. Pupils were happy and relaxed and gasped in wonder when the teacher produced a sitar. The use of a CD-ROM of South East Asian music provided an opportunity for pupils to discuss the music. This was sensitively developed, and soon all pupils were given the opportunity to accompany the sitar, playing a wide range of Asian instruments improvising simple compositions.

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MUSIC

156. The pupils’ musical skills are developed very well as they move through the school, as all have a variety of very effectively planned opportunities to participate in a wide range of musical experiences. By the end of Year 6, pupils have listened to an increasing range of music from different cultures, performed vocally and instrumentally and composed and played increasingly complex pieces. For example, pupils in Year 3 compose and play simple pictorial scores, and pupils in Year 6 compose and then perform pieces for four instruments using graphic notation. They sing two and three- part songs with clear diction and appropriate breath control. The performance of the Carr Manor Primary School - 57 choir in assemblies and concerts is very good, as is the orchestra that accompanies hymns and songs in assemblies.

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MUSIC

157. The quality of the teaching and learning is very good. High standards are expected, and pupils respond with enthusiasm. Lessons are of a brisk pace, with every moment used from singing on entry to the music room to listening to music as they leave. Pupils respond very well to this and, although sometimes a little over-excited, they return quickly to their tasks because of clear management strategies and warm relationships. Pupils enjoy a range of additional activities such as choir and ‘voiceworks’, and all pupils have equal opportunity to learn a variety of instruments in addition to normal lessons.

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MUSIC

158. Music makes an excellent contribution to pupils’ spiritual, cultural and social development. Led by the specialist teacher, the subject makes a significant contribution to the very positive school ethos. The school gives many opportunities for pupils to take part in public performances, and all pupils’ contributions are highly valued.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

159. On the basis of the two lessons observed in Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 meets expectations. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment is above expectations. Standards in gymnastics and games are well above average by the end of Year 6, due to the emphasis placed on pupils’ self-evaluation and the competitive opportunities provided as extra-curricular activities. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. These standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

160. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are able to develop their ideas for moving in and out of the space around them. Pupils give due thought to their own and others’ space, and move safely from one place to another. However, these ideas are not transferred to low apparatus to develop skills of control and balance, although there are plans to do so. Teachers use demonstrations by pupils to model good practice, and the ensuing discussions enable pupils to make improvements to their techniques of control and balance during lessons. Weaknesses in pupils’ games skills are evident in some lessons in Year 1, as pupils are given too little opportunity to practise their skills, spending too long sitting passively rather then taking part in active sport.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

161. In Key Stage 2, pupils make good progress overall although, in Year 3, the poor behaviour of a significant minority of pupils hampers pupils’ concentration and the flow of lessons. In Year 6, progress speeds up significantly, so that pupils achieve very well in lessons. Pupils are able to develop ideas to a high level of skill in gymnastics, incorporating a range of rolls, twists and turns to their sequences to add interest. They give good thought to their techniques so that they achieve very good balancing shapes with very good control. Games skills are equally high. Pupils pass rugby balls with sound control and are beginning to apply these skills in small-games situations, learning about tactics such as marking and dodging. Assessment information indicates that standards in swimming are good, with the majority of pupils in Year 4 achieving the Dolphin 3 award by the end of the year. Pupils in Year 5 achieve the swimming

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

162. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory at Key Stage 1 and good at Key Stage 2. Lessons have a clear structure and defined learning objectives, matched to those in the comprehensive scheme of work. Consequently, pupils have a good understanding of the need for a suitable warm-up session at the beginning of lessons and a cool-down at the end. The very good subject knowledge of teachers in Key Carr Manor Primary School - 58 Stage 2 enables them to give very good guidance on exactly what pupils need to do in order to improve the quality of their skills and techniques. Teachers in both key stages place great emphasis on pupils evaluating and improving their own performance, so pupils learn to identify what they need to do in order to improve. Demonstrations by both adults and pupils are used effectively to reinforce the teaching points so that improvements can be seen taking place during lessons, for example, as pupils

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

163. The quality of the curriculum is good. A weakness in the previous inspection, which identified the lack of dance in Years 5 and 6, has been addressed. All pupils now have the opportunity to develop successfully their knowledge, understanding and skills in dance in all year groups. Extra-curricular activities continue to make a very significant contribution to pupils’ games skills and to their spiritual and social development. They also make a very good contribution to extending the skills of the more able sports players. For example, the most able athletes represented Leeds nationally in recent championships. The coordination of the subject is excellent and ensures that a strong emphasis is given to helping pupils to evaluate their own performance. Resources for gymnastics and dance are satisfactory, whilst those for games are very good. The school uses initiatives like Top Sport and Top Play to subsidise their equipment, which

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

is of good quality. This enables all pupils to have access to equipment so that they can all practise skills independently if necessary. Assessment procedures are good, and the information is used effectively to monitor pupils’ progress in all aspects of physical education. The school plans to refine these procedures so that more regular assessments can inform planning during the school year rather than just at the end, thus enabling teachers to put additional support in place or further extension activities to extend the higher-attainers if necessary.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

164. The school has maintained the satisfactory standards reported in the previous inspection. Pupils are attaining at the levels expected in the locally agreed syllabus for religious education at the end of both key stages. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are achieving well in relation to their abilities on entry to the school and make good progress. This is because of the commitment of the staff and the sensitive manner with which all pupils’ beliefs and practices are valued.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

165. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand how different special occasions are celebrated. They know that Christians believe that Jesus is God’s son and can talk about some aspects of different faiths, such as different places of worship, comparing in simple terms the Gurdwara, Christian church and Sikh temple. They show respect for each other and consider other people’s feelings. Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stage 2. Teachers approach the subject sensitively, and pupils show increasing interest and respect for their differing beliefs. They have sound knowledge of the Jewish, Hindu and Christian faiths. In their work on Islam, pupils show an understanding of the importance of the Qur’an, and have a well-developed religious education vocabulary. In addition, pupils are able to relate stories and ideas about the creation. Pupils often have a good factual knowledge of the beliefs and practices of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

different faith groups and significant key figures such as Muhammad. However, their appreciation of how belonging to a different faith group can influence people’s lives is weaker. Pupils find it difficult to express their feelings about deeper moral and religious issues. Pupils in Year 6 spoke knowledgeably about the Hindu faith, for example, but were amazed that their Hindu friend was not allowed to eat a ‘beef- burger’. Carr Manor Primary School - 59 166. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Lessons follow the agreed syllabus, are well planned and take advantage of visits and visitors, artefacts and videos to enhance teaching, so that pupils are interested and keen to learn. Relationships are good, and teachers value pupils’ individual contributions to lessons. The teachers have a very caring attitude, and pupils recognise that they are valued. These positive attitudes and good behaviour enable teachers to concentrate on

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

imparting knowledge and have a beneficial effect on learning. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows, however, that teachers do not always fully develop what is outlined in their planning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

167. There is good leadership in the subject. The coordinator has appropriately taken her time to consider the development of the subject in this multi-cultural school. In this way, she has identified strengths and weaknesses and produced a well-considered action plan. The revised scheme of work and improved procedures for assessment have been introduced very recently and have yet to have a positive impact on standards. The subject makes a highly significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Carr Manor Primary School - 60

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GLOSSARY

Key Stages The words ‘Key Stage’ refer to the different stages of learning in schools. Children start school in the Foundation Stage , which caters for children aged 3 to 5 and generally refers to children who are in the Nursery, Reception or Early Years classes. Key Stage 1 is the first stage of compulsory primary education. It caters for pupils aged 5 to 7 and refers to pupils who are in Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 1 is also frequently synonymous with the term Infants . Key Stage 2 is the second stage of primary education. It caters for pupils aged 7 to 11 and refers to pupils who are in Years 3 to 6. Key Stage 2 is also frequently synonymous with the term Juniors . At the age of 11, pupils start Key Stage 3 , which marks the beginning of their secondary education. Early Learning Goals The Early Learning Goals are a set of standards which it is expected that most children will achieve by the end of the Foundation Stage . They are set out into six areas of learning: personal, social and

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GLOSSARY

emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development. The National Curriculum All state-run primary schools are obliged to teach the National Curriculum , which comprises three core subjects (English, mathematics, science) and seven non-core foundation subjects (art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, music, physical education). In addition, schools are required to teach religious education in accordance with a local Agreed Syllabus . For each subject and for each key stage, programmes of study set out what pupils should be taught, and attainment targets set out the expected standards of pupils’ performance. It is for schools to choose how they organise their school curriculum to include the programmes of study. National Curriculum levels

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GLOSSARY

Attainment targets set out the ‘knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage. Attainment targets consist of eight level descriptions of increasing difficulty, which provide the basis for making judgements about pupils’ performance at the end of each key stage. The expected attainment for the majority of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) is Level 2 . If a pupil attains Level 3 by the end of Year 2, then he or she is reaching standards above those expected for a child of his or her age. The expected attainment level for the majority of pupils to reach by the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6) is Level 4 . If a pupil attains Level 5 by the end of Year 6, then he or she is reaching standards above those expected for a child of his or her age. Comparison of school’s results Pupils take National Curriculum assessment tests (commonly known as SATs ) at the end of Key

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GLOSSARY

Stage 1 (Year 2) and Key Stage 2 (Year 6). The results from these tests are compared to: the national average – ie the average of the results of all schools in England similar schools – ie the average of the results for all schools whose pupils come from similar socio-economic backgrounds, determined by the eligibility of pupils within the school to receive free school meals The comparisons are made on the basis of the school’s average points score. The Level attained by each pupil is given a score. (Level 1 = 9 points, Level 2 = 15 points and so on. Level 2 is also broken down into Level 2C [13 points], 2B [15 points] and 2A [17 points].) Carr Manor Primary School - 61 The average points score is worked out by adding up all of the points based on the Level attained by pupils and then dividing by the number of pupils who took the test. Special educational needs A ‘ Code of Practice’ gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their

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GLOSSARY

responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Stages of special educational need range from Stage 1 , when limited additional support is provided for pupils entirely from within the school, to Stage 5 , which ensures that a pupil has a ‘statement’ outlining his or her needs and shows what additional and specific support he or she will receive. Stages 3, 4 and 5 involve external specialists as well as staff within the school. Circle Time During Circle Time pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. All pupils agree that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and, therefore, pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease, free from any

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GLOSSARY

form of interference or interruption from other children.

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