St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School

ST PETER-IN-CHAINS RC INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 8 th November 2001

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ST PETER-IN-CHAINS RC INFANT SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Elm Grove Hornsey London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Andrew Dickson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22199 Mrs J Wotherspoon Registered inspector Mathematics Art and design Music What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 18565 Mrs M Eminton Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 6169 Dr M Bradshaw Team inspector Science Geography History Foundation stage Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

21313 Mr H Galley Team inspector English Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education Equal opportunities Special educational needs English as an additional language How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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? 9

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School is smaller than average in size with 160 boys and girls aged between 4 and 7. The school serves an area of social and cultural diversity. At 32 per cent, a higher than average proportion of pupils is eligible for free school meals; this figure has fallen over the last two years. Pupils start school at the beginning of the academic year in which they are five but an increasing number start or leave part way through the year. Their skills are broadly average in English, but below average in mathematics when they start school. Thirty-four pupils speak English as an additional language; two part-time assistants support eleven of these pupils who are in the early stages of learning English. Half the pupils in the school are from minority ethnic groups; the main groups are of black African and black Caribbean heritage. The number of pupils with special educational needs is below the

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

national average. Three pupils have a statement of special educational needs and two more are in the process of being assessed for a statement; this proportion is higher than average. There has been a huge turnover in staff in the last two years. Three of the four class teachers in Years 1 and 2 are new to the school this term, including two who are new to the profession. Three of the six class teachers were trained overseas.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is a good school with many very good features. Pupils achieve very well in reading and writing and standards are high, especially when compared with those achieved by schools in similar circumstances. Pupils’ achievement in mathematics is good; standards are improving but could be even better. Teaching is good and all staff expect pupils to work hard and achieve well. The school is led and managed very well. The school’s strong Catholic ethos underpins the way in which staff, governors, parents and the pupils themselves, work together as a racially harmonious community. The school gives good value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • Pupils make very good progress in reading and excellent progress in writing; in part, this is because these skills get off to a flying start in the reception classes • The headteacher’s leadership is outstanding • Teaching is good throughout the school • Assessment in English, mathematics and science is good and helps pupils to achieve well • There is a very strong spiritual ethos in which all pupils are valued for their contribution to the community; this fosters excellent relationships and mutual respect • Very good provision for pupils’ social and moral development leads to very good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning • There is a strong partnership with parents

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • The number of pupils who achieve higher standards in mathematics • Pupils’ levels of attendance and the punctuality of a small group of pupils • Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school was last inspected in 1997 when it was judged to be a good school with many strengths. Since then it has made a good level of improvement and maintained its strengths, particularly in teaching, despite a number of staff changes. The key issues from the last report have been addressed. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 6 The school’s results in tests at the end of Year 2 have continued to rise steadily, but not equally, across all areas. There is scope to build further on the good improvement in mathematics so that standards reach the high levels achieved in reading and writing. The school has a very good capacity to continue improving, despite the relative newness of teaching staff, because of the high level of shared commitment by the whole community to the school’s aims.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The table shows the standards achieved by the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Performance in: all schools similar schools

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

reading B B B A very high well above average A* A writing A C A A* above average average B C mathematics D E D C below average well below average D E

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The table shows that reading and writing are consistently better than mathematics. Compared with similar schools, achievement in these areas is high, with writing standards in the top five per cent of schools. Results are rising slowly in mathematics but not always keeping up with the rises nationally. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected level, Level 2, is similar in all three areas but fewer pupils achieve higher levels in mathematics. Pupils’ handwriting is neat and their spelling and presentation are good. Pupils achieve well in music and art and design. Pupils’ singing is of a good quality and in art and design there are strengths in pupils’ drawing skills. In all other subjects, standards are similar to those expected for pupils’ ages and they achieve satisfactorily.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Children in the reception classes achieve well and this sets them up with the skills and knowledge they need to continue making good progress in Years 1 and 2. Their personal, social and emotional development is above average. They read and write well and their knowledge of numbers and shape is satisfactory. The scientific aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world are developed well. Creative and physical development is satisfactory.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Attitudes to the school Very good attitudes and enthusiasm for school help to create a positive learning environment and contribute much to the standards pupils achieve. Pupils work hard and are keen to take part in all lessons. They take great pride in their work.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good overall in lessons and around the school. On occasions, such as assembly, pupils’ behaviour is outstanding.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils take on responsibilities willingly and co-operate well when working together. Relationships are excellent and the school is a racially harmonious community.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Attendance Unsatisfactory. Despite recent improvements, attendance continues to St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 7 be below national figures. The punctuality of a group of pupils is poor. Late arrivals disrupt the beginning of lessons and disturb the calm start to the day.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Teaching of pupils: Reception Years 1 and 2

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. It is consistently so in reception, with many examples of very good teaching. It is stronger in Year 2 than in Year 1, where staff are both new to the school and inexperienced. Teaching was satisfactory or better in all lessons seen. Reception teachers give pupils a wide range of practical activities and experiences that are consistently well planned, managed and organised. The high emphasis on developing good learning habits contributes much to pupils’ attitudes to school in Years 1 and 2. The very good focus on teaching basic literacy skills accounts for the good start pupils make. Teaching is good in English, mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2, and it is in these areas that pupils’ achievement is good. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well. Every opportunity is taken to use pupils’ literacy skills but teachers do not always develop pupils’ mathematical skills in other subjects. More use could be made of computers in lessons.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Teachers know pupils’ abilities well and vary the level of difficulty of the questions they ask and the work they give pupils; this helps all pupils to make good progress. In mathematics, some pupils need a greater level of challenge in the group tasks. Pupils’ work is marked regularly and teachers praise their efforts but do not consistently tell pupils what to do next to improve their work. Teachers manage pupils very well and have high expectations of their behaviour and of their effort. Pupils rise to this challenge and work hard. The atmosphere in classes is calm and purposeful; excellent relationships contribute to the very good ethos for learning. Teachers regularly set interesting and relevant homework that develops pupils’ knowledge and skills and encourages good habits for later life.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality and range of the curriculum Good in both key stages. The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. National strategies in literacy and numeracy are implemented well but not at the expense of other subjects.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Work is well matched to pupils’ needs. Skilful staff give well- focused support.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Individual pupils are well supported and those in the early stages of learning English make rapid progress. Pupils achieve as well as their peers once they have a basic grasp of English.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Provision for spiritual, social and moral development is strong. Cultural development is good. A powerful spiritual dimension permeates the life of this school where the belief that everyone is precious is translated into practice.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Pupils are well known to staff and are given a good level of care throughout the day. Assessment of attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science is used well to help pupils to improve but it is not well developed in most other subjects. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 8 A strong partnership with parents, especially with regard to support for homework and reading, contributes significantly to pupils’ learning.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher is an outstanding leader who sets high expectations of all members of the school community. She is ably supported by the deputy headteacher. Together, they have been successful in maintaining the quality of education for pupils despite recent difficulties in recruiting teachers.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. This well-informed and experienced group of people bring much expertise to their roles. They have a good awareness of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and a high level of commitment to the school. Statutory duties are met very well.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good procedures are in place to monitor the quality of education and to analyse the school’s achievements. Comparisons are made with other schools locally and nationally. Targets are set and effective action is taken to raise standards.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The strategic use of resources Good. Despite a large financial surplus, the school’s resources including specific grants are used effectively to promote pupils’ learning. The school seeks to gain value for money when planning and managing its expenditure.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

There are enough teaching staff for the number of pupils, but not all are in a position to take on additional responsibilities because of their lack of experience. Three were trained overseas and two have qualified very recently. As a result, a heavy burden falls on the headteacher and deputy headteacher for managing the development of many subjects, some of which cannot be led and managed to the same high level. Learning support staff give a good level of help to designated pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language; these pupils make good progress as a result. Learning resources are good and the accommodation is satisfactory. The building is well maintained and very good displays of pupils’ work enhance the quality of the learning environment. However, the school has no separate dedicated space for a library and this restricts pupils’ opportunities to develop library

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

(Based on 72 returned parent questionnaires, and the views of 20 parents who attended the meeting before the inspection)

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Staff at the school are very approachable • Their children are happy at school • The school has high expectations and pupils achieve well • Behaviour is good • The school helps pupils become mature • Teaching is good • The school is led and managed well • Parents would like their children to have more opportunities for clubs and trips out of school St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 9 The inspection team agrees with parents’ views. The school has many strengths in important areas. There are few extra activities for pupils after the school day but this is not unusual in an infant school. However, very useful activities, requiring a high level of commitment from teachers at lunchtimes, support pupils’ reading development. More use could be made of visits within the community to extend and broaden pupils’ experiences. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children start school in the September of the academic year that they have their fifth birthday. Most have had some kind of nursery or playgroup experience and attainment is broadly average on entry to the school. At this time, their personal, social and emotional development is above expectations for their age. Skills in communication, language and literacy are about average but mathematical development, including knowledge of numbers, is below age-related expectations. Consistently good teaching and a high emphasis on literacy ensure that pupils achieve very well in reading and highly in writing. Their achievement in mathematics is good. By the age of seven, nearly all the pupils attain the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. Many pupils exceed expectations in reading and writing, but fewer do so in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The results of Year 2 tests in 2001 in reading, writing and mathematics were an improvement on those of 2000. Reading was above the national average, writing was well above but mathematics was below. In each test a similar proportion of pupils achieved the levels expected (Level 2) but in mathematics the proportion exceeding expectations (Level 3) was lower than the national average. It was significantly lower than the proportion exceeding Level 3 in reading in the school. Nationally, more pupils exceed expectations in mathematics than in writing, whereas in the school the results are similar. This variation between reading, writing and mathematics is a common feature of the school’s achievements over time. Mathematics has never been better than average in comparison with the national figures and yet reading and writing are nearly always better than average and are often high. Nevertheless, the results in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

mathematics in 2001 were the best the school has ever achieved, and halted the previous apparent decline in comparison with the national figures. When compared with similar schools nationally, standards were high in reading, very high in writing and average in mathematics. Comparisons with the local authority’s results show that pupils are achieving well. There has been no particular trend in the attainment of boys and girls over time although there are variations each year. The teachers’ assessments of science show standards are average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Standards seen during the inspection were better in mathematics and science than these results might suggest. In mathematics, this reflects the school’s continuing improvement and efforts to raise standards. In science, teachers tend to be cautious in their assessments of the number of pupils attaining higher levels. Standards in reading and science are above average, writing is well above and mathematics is average. There are encouraging signs that the improvement in mathematics can be sustained. However, more pupils will need to reach higher levels if standards are to rise to the level of reading and writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Reception teachers place a high emphasis on communication, language and literacy skills and, by the end of the reception year, most pupils are on course to exceed the expectations for their age. Many pupils already recognise a few words in familiar stories and higher attaining pupils read simple stories. They are developing good awareness of letter sounds and use this to work out words when reading and to attempt to write simple sentences. They are making good progress. In Key Stage 1, pupils’ reading skills continue to develop very well because of the regular practice, supported by parents, which makes a significant contribution to pupils’ good level of achievement. By the age of seven, most pupils are able to read appropriately challenging books St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 11 independently and with good understanding. Pupils’ listening skills are very good and their speaking skills are average. The amount, range and quality of writing across the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

curriculum are impressive and contribute significantly to pupils’ high achievement. The good start made in reception is built on further and standards of handwriting and presentation are good, exemplifying the pride pupils take in their work.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils make good progress in mathematical development in reception. From a lower than average starting point almost all will achieve the expected outcomes by the time they enter Year 1. Their counting skills develop well and their knowledge of two- dimensional shapes increases at a good rate. Further good progress in Key Stage 1 means that almost all pupils attain the standards expected for their age, but a smaller than average proportion of pupils is working at levels above expectations. Knowledge and understanding of number is developing well and, in Year 2, many pupils’ understanding of place value is better than might be expected at this stage in the school year. Instant recall of number facts, such as which pairs of numbers make ten when added together, is quick and some are increasingly confident to find pairs of numbers that make 20. Pupils’ accuracy in measuring develops soundly, as does their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

knowledge and recognition of two-dimensional shapes. The use of numeracy skills in other areas of the curriculum, though satisfactory, is not as well developed as literacy skills.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The good focus on science in knowledge and understanding of the world helps pupils to meet, and some to exceed, the standards expected at the end of reception. In Key Stage 1, the standards seen during inspection are above average overall. The good focus on scientific investigations is very effective in developing good skills and knowledge in all areas of science. Pupils use scientific enquiry to good effect. They are learning to predict what might happen and are particularly good at observing and recording clearly what they have done and what they understand. Their high quality writing skills help in this respect. Higher attaining pupils use good scientific language to explain their observations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards attaining the targets in their individual education plans (IEPs). They receive good quality support from both teaching and non-teaching staff who focus carefully on the specific literacy and numeracy targets in their IEPs. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress. The clear speech used by all teachers is instrumental in allowing these pupils to make good progress in developing the range of specific vocabulary they need for subjects across the curriculum. Once pupils have improved their basic English skills they achieve as well as their peers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils achieve well in art and design and music where the teaching by specialists helps to develop their skills to a higher level than that found in many infant schools. They achieve soundly in all other areas of the curriculum and standards meet expected levels.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour, and their excellent relationships with staff and each other have a very positive impact on learning and achievement. These are similar to the standards reported in the previous inspection and they remain significant strengths of the school. Parents say that their children enjoy coming to school, and this is confirmed by the very positive and keen interest they show in their work and the life of the school. Although there are too many occasions when parents bring their children to school after the official start time, pupils cannot wait to get into lessons. Children in St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 12 reception have settled very quickly into school routines. Their confidence to tackle new experiences and their unusually high levels of concentration and perseverance contribute significantly to their achievement and to the development of good learning

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attitudes to learning are very good throughout the school. Pupils are keen to get on with their tasks and try hard to do their best. They work hard and, even when they are tired at the end of the day, sustain their interest well in virtually all lessons. In a Year 2 science lesson during the afternoon, they concentrated hard on very challenging research tasks using a range of non-fiction books. Behaviour in lessons, at lunchtime and in the playground is very good; during the assembly seen it was exemplary. The only occasions when behaviour was not of a very high standard was in physical education lessons in the hall. There is no evidence of bullying or oppressive behaviour, and pupils are friendly to each other. There were two fixed-term exclusions last year, involving the same child. He had behaviour problems and was excluded for his own, and other pupils’, safety. Subsequent behaviour support led to an improvement. This is

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

the only exclusion in recent years. Pupils have a very good awareness of the school’s rules, and show very good respect for the feelings of others. They usually show a genuine appreciation of each other’s efforts.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. These have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning. These high standards are promoted by the care and concern shown by all staff, and the ethos in which all pupils are encouraged to participate. Pupils respond very positively to the atmosphere created. They co-operate very well when working in pairs or groups and when sharing resources or, for example, undertaking role-play in reception. Pupils are well mannered, polite and confident when talking with adults; they often have a ready smile when greeting each other or adults. Boys and girls work and play together very well. Very good racial harmony is evident throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs, and those for whom English is an additional language, are integrated very well into lessons and they show positive attitudes. Pupils with a statement of special educational needs are very well integrated

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

and respond very well to the expectations that staff have.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ personal development is very good. Children arriving in reception demonstrate well-developed personal, social and emotional skills. Well-planned activities extend these further, in particular in their ability to make choices about aspects of their learning and to concentrate and persevere. Older pupils respond well to the opportunities provided to exercise responsibility for aspects of their own learning during lessons when opportunities arise. They are keen to take on roles of responsibility from the youngest age, such as when returning the register to the office or taking the message book around. The school is effective in raising pupils’ awareness of those less fortunate than themselves. Annually, they send money raised in a variety of ways to support a school and health services in a Ghanaian village. They also select other charities they wish to support, and recently decided to send money to help in the relief effort in New

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

York following the events of September 11 th .

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Levels of attendance have risen since the last inspection through the school’s determined efforts. However, despite this improvement, attendance is unsatisfactory and the absence rate is high when compared with other schools. Unauthorised absence has declined in the last four years and is now below national comparisons. However, absences authorised by the school remain above the national average as a result of medical reasons and parents taking their children out of school for family visits abroad. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 13 14. A group of pupils are often late and this lack of punctuality interrupts the beginning of lessons. During the inspection a significant number of parents were seen arriving late with their children and this resulted in an unsettled start to the school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. It is consistently so in reception, with many examples of very good teaching. It is often good in Key Stage 1 but stronger in Year 2 than in Year 1, where staff are both new to the school and inexperienced. Teaching was at least satisfactory in all lessons seen. It was good, or better, in approximately two-thirds of lessons. The school has done well to maintain strengths in teaching considering the number of staff changes that have occurred.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Activities and experiences for reception pupils are consistently well planned, managed and organised. This ensures that pupils have opportunities to experience things that interest them and are relevant to their needs. Pupils work in an atmosphere in which they are valued and in which they learn to value each other. High emphasis is placed on developing good learning habits which contribute much to pupils’ attitudes to school in Key Stage 1. For example, there is an expectation that pupils will be involved in tidying up at the end of sessions. The teachers have good expertise, and a clear understanding of how young children learn best through well-structured and purposeful play. Whole-class introductions are well focused and explanations are clear. Follow-up tasks give pupils plenty of opportunities to explore for themselves and to gain a measure of independence through choosing from the wide range of activities on offer.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The teaching of basic literacy skills is very good in reception where the specific emphasis on reading and writing accounts for pupils’ good start in these vital skills. Very good attention to teaching phonics helps pupils to read new words and to be confident to write independently. Adults develop pupils’ vocabulary at various times and through many activities, though more could be made of opportunities when pupils are working outside. Well-organised practical activities with, for example, sand and water support the good teaching of numeracy skills. The science element of knowledge and understanding of the world also has a high profile in reception and is taught well. Together, these good features prepare pupils well for their learning in Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The teaching of other areas of learning is good and ensures that pupils make consistently good progress. The outdoor space is not ideally located but used very well to give pupils as much opportunity as possible to have a variety of learning experiences. A good range of equipment is organised to add interest and enjoyment to pupils’ learning. However, assessment and monitoring of pupils when they are engaged in free-choice activities is not rigorous enough. As a result, though pupils are offered a broad range of activities, it would be possible for some to choose and experience only a narrow range of the activities available.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching is good in English, mathematics and science in Years 1 and 2, and it is in these areas that pupils’ achievements are good. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well. The opening parts of lessons involving direct teaching of skills is well paced and effective in extending pupils’ knowledge. For example in mathematics, mental and oral sessions are brisk and keep pupils on their toes. Teachers are careful to ensure that all pupils can participate and vary the level of difficulty of questions so that all can make a contribution. This sensitive management means that pupils are keen to answer and hands shoot up. If a pupil’s answer is incorrect, teachers use this as a prompt for further explanation and support; there is no shame in learning from mistakes. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 14 20. New members of staff are coming to terms with the expected structure of literacy and numeracy lessons but do not always focus closely on teaching a group of pupils during

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

group work. Experienced staff have this routine well established and continue to work with a group of pupils to extend their understanding or to consolidate what they learnt in the first part of the lesson. Literacy skills are very well promoted through the curriculum and many subjects make a valuable contribution to the development of reading and, more particularly, writing. Numeracy skills are used soundly in subjects such as science but not widely enough in other subjects. More use could be made of computers in lessons to give pupils opportunities to practise their skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Lesson planning is satisfactory. However, teachers do not always adapt their planning after assessing whether or not pupils have learned what they should in a lesson. This is particularly the case in mathematics lessons in Key Stage 1 where the group tasks do not always match closely pupils’ learning needs. The marking of work is regular and often praises pupils’ efforts and achievement but does not always identify what pupils need to do to improve. The quality of marking was stronger in the sample seen of pupils’ previous work than in their current work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching is at least satisfactory in all other subjects with strengths in art and design and music. The expertise of part-time teachers in these two subjects has a two-fold benefit; they use their subject knowledge well to raise pupils’ standards and, through sharing their knowledge and demonstrating good technique, to increase class teachers’ confidence. Teaching is satisfactory in physical education, but in all lessons, teachers missed opportunities to improve pupils’ performance of skills through well-targeted evaluation.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. The management of pupils is very good throughout the school. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The positive approach to gaining pupils’ attention and rewarding good deeds is most effective. Only in physical education lessons in Key Stage 1 was this high expectation not maintained, with the resulting slip in pupils’ very good standards of behaviour and very good attitudes, to a level that was just satisfactory. There is an expectation in all classes that pupils will work hard and they do! They work at a good pace even when not directly supervised. They know what they have to do and, in the best lessons, know what they are learning because of the clear way in which new ideas are explained. The atmosphere in classes is calm and purposeful. Relationships between adults and pupils and between pupils themselves are excellent and contribute to the very good ethos for learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. The care taken to provide appropriate tasks for pupils, based on their prior attainment, is a feature of work in all classes. Work is well matched to pupils' differing needs. Support staff are very well deployed and the close collaboration between teachers and their classroom assistants is a major factor in ensuring that these pupils make good progress. Teachers make sure that additional staff know what they are trying to achieve and this ensures a purposeful focus for activities. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well taught. The great care taken to support individual pupils, especially those at the early stages of speaking English, underpins the effective teaching of these pupils. At times when the whole class is taught together, support staff sit close to pupils who need help, quietly asking questions and reinforcing what the teacher is explaining.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

This sometimes means that pupils can answer a question correctly and the resulting praise is a real boost to their self-esteem.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers’ use of homework is excellent. It is regular, consistent across the school, interesting and relevant. It extends beyond the normal range for infant schools and this St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 15 is a notable feature. It is used well to give parents a very good opportunity to be involved in their child’s learning. There is an expectation that parents will support their children in completing homework and most do so readily. It is undoubtedly a significant contributory factor in pupils’ very good level of achievement in literacy.

p.14

PUPILS?

26. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided by the school are good. The school's curriculum meets the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and it is appropriately broad, balanced and relevant. There are particular strengths in the way that literacy skills support learning in subjects across the curriculum. New curriculum requirements have been implemented fully and new initiatives have been embraced without narrowing the depth and breadth of the whole curriculum. The school has done well to sustain strengths in the curriculum since the last inspection.

p.15

PUPILS?

27. A good curriculum, based on the early learning goals for children in the foundation stage, is provided in reception. This prepares children well for their work in Year 1 as all subjects are planned carefully to link with the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. The school has already modified these plans to reflect changes in national guidance, and further review is planned. The curriculum is well organised to reflect all areas of learning, and very effective links are made between the different areas. The focus on communication, language and literacy is especially effective in promoting children’s progress. Satisfactory attention is given to extending children’s numeracy skills. Children are introduced to many features of the world around them, and the particularly good provision for science makes a positive contribution to the standards achieved by Year 2. Personal development is strongly promoted in many of the

p.15

PUPILS?

activities provided. Children with special educational needs, including those with statements, and those for whom English is an additional language, have access to the full curriculum and mix well with other children.

p.15

PUPILS?

28. The school has very effective strategies for teaching basic skills in literacy and effective strategies with regard to numeracy. A notable strength of the school's curriculum is the manner in which every possible opportunity is taken to develop pupils' writing skills. Pupils often write at some length to support their learning in history and geography, as well as writing detailed accounts describing their work in science and design and technology. The development of numeracy skills across the curriculum is satisfactory, although opportunities to practise and develop such skills in lessons such as science and geography are not always used to the fullest effect. Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are used well to develop pupils' writing skills, but in other subjects there are limited opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support their learning. Whilst the school has emphasised literacy and numeracy at the core of its work, it has

p.15

PUPILS?

maintained a cross-curricular approach that has successfully given the arts a high priority. The curriculum is substantially enhanced by the use of highly skilled subject specialists in both art and design and music.

p.15

PUPILS?

29. A strength of the curriculum is the manner in which all pupils are constructively engaged in every aspect of school life. There is an effective equal opportunities policy and the school's commitment to equal opportunities is reflected in its aims and objectives. The success of this policy is seen in the good quality of support offered to pupils with special educational needs and those that speak English as an additional language. Pupils' needs are identified early in their school life and careful records are kept to ensure pupils can take a full part in the school's curriculum. Pupils' access to all parts of the curriculum is underpinned by the good quality of support provided by non- St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 16 teaching assistants and the close working relationships these assistants have with their class teachers. The school complies with the recommended Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs and pupils' differing needs are well met through

p.15

PUPILS?

the rigorous monitoring of individual education plans. Pupils' achievements are carefully monitored by gender, ethnic background and attainment, and appropriate steps are taken, for example, to seek ways to raise the achievement of pupils at the early stages of speaking English. The school does not identify gifted and talented pupils in a formal way but teachers are aware of the needs of more able learners and set them appropriately challenging targets in reading and writing. However, there is scope for making greater demands on pupils in mathematics.

p.16

PUPILS?

30. The school's provision for extra-curricular activities is satisfactory. The school has high expectations of pupils and families with regard to regular homework and so takes the view that extra activities after school would be asking too much of pupils of this age. The majority of parents supports this policy. Pupils do have the chance to take part in a well-run after-school French club and teachers give up a lot of their time to provide extra reading practice for pupils during their lunch-breaks. This activity makes a substantial contribution to the school's good results in reading.

p.16

PUPILS?

31. The school has good formal and informal links with its nearest partner institution, the Catholic junior school. There are close links between the staff, and pupils attend suitable events at the junior school on a regular basis. The school has satisfactory links with the local community through the parish church, although the concern of some parents that there should be more opportunities for pupils to participate in school trips is a reasonable one.

p.16

PUPILS?

32. Provision for personal, social and health education is good. It is covered well through stories and circle time and informally through the well-established day-to-day routines of the school. There is a joint policy with the adjoining junior school which adequately covers all aspects, including sex education; this is due for review to bring it in line with the latest guidance on this aspect of the curriculum.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. The personal development of pupils is very good and has a very high priority in the life of the school. The provision for pupils' spiritual, moral and social development is very good, and provision for cultural development is good. The school has worked hard and effectively to maintain the high quality of personal development commended in the last inspection report and has made good progress overall since then.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. The high priority given to spiritual development is apparent as soon as visitors walk into the school entrance where a sign makes it crystal clear that every child in this school is precious. Pupils quickly develop insights into the values and beliefs of others because their own ideas are valued by their peers and by the teaching and non-teaching staff. The development of ideas is further enhanced by constructive discussions in circle time as well as through stories and work in subjects across the curriculum. Effective use is made of special events, such as births and baptisms, to help pupils reflect on life, on who we are, why we are here and our place in the world. A range of high quality displays around the school further enhances the development of these ideas. Spiritual development is well supported by high quality acts of worship, both in the classroom and in whole-school assemblies. An atmosphere is created where pupils have time to

p.16

PUPILS?

35. Pupils’ very good moral development is effectively supported by a clear code of conduct and the consistent emphasis on developing positive attitudes and good behaviour. Provision to promote the principles which distinguish right from wrong is St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 17 very good. The school promotes honesty, fairness and a respect for truth and justice. Pupils are friendly towards adults and each other. They are clear about how to conduct themselves in school and the high standards of personal behaviour expected of them.

p.16

PUPILS?

36. Very good provision is made for pupils’ social development. Throughout the school adults provide good, positive role models. Pupils are taught awareness and respect for others. Careful attention is given to developing social skills in such things as class discussions where pupils wait for their turn with patience and listen attentively when others talk. There is a positive racial harmony throughout the school and pupils mix well together regardless of race or gender. The school takes many opportunities to remind pupils of their social responsibilities to others, both at home and abroad, through charitable collections.

p.17

PUPILS?

37. There is good provision for pupils to appreciate their own cultural traditions and the richness of other cultures and the school makes good use of the wide variety of different cultures within it. The school makes very good use of its long-established links with a village community in Ghana, and pupils' learning is enhanced through experiencing a range of artefacts for other cultures. In art and design and music lessons pupils learn about the heritage of our country as well as that of other European countries.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school continues to provide good standards of care for its pupils. The effectiveness of staff in looking after their welfare, health and safety has a significant impact on the quality of learning, progress and achievement in the school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Staff know the pupils well and are alert to the differing emotional, physical and intellectual needs of all the individuals in the school. Adults are responsible and sensitive. Routines are well established and pupils have a clear idea who to contact if a problem occurs. The school’s belief that each child is precious faithfully translates into practice. Considerable attention is paid to the personal development of all pupils and everyone in the school has a shared understanding about issues likely to affect the quality of an individual’s learning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Parents and carers, spoken to during the inspection or expressing views at the parents’ meeting, are unanimous that their children like coming to school. They are also confident that the school does its best to support all children, whatever their level of need. Their confidence is justified as the quality of support for pupils throughout the day is good. Lunchtime staff are attentive to the specific needs of young children and are successful in ensuring that lunchtime routines run smoothly. Supervision at lunchtime was observed to be good during the inspection and has improved since the school was last inspected. Pupils with specific medical needs are well cared for and several members of staff have been trained in first aid. Accidents are clearly documented and dealt with sensitively, as was witnessed during the inspection. Child protection arrangements are appropriate and follow the guidelines issued by the diocese. Pupils

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

with special educational needs are well supported throughout the day and their progress is effectively monitored, with the help of support staff, who play an important role in assisting pupils with learning difficulties. Good contact is made with a number of specialists, who visit the school to provide additional support. The quality of support for pupils with English as an additional language is good. Teaching assistants help children from homes where little English is spoken adjust to school life. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 18 41. Since the last inspection the school has made significant strides in improving the safety of the environment for the pupils. The health and safety policy, which was at that time in draft, is a well-used and thoroughly comprehensive document. Health and safety inspections are detailed and regular, and the issue noted at the last inspection, of hazardous steps in the playground, has been resolved. Since the last inspection the

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

school has made spectacular improvements to the design of the playground and has created an attractive, eye-catching garden with enhanced safety and security.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Adults and children share high expectations of good behaviour. The school has very good systems to promote good discipline. These encourage an understanding in all young children that unacceptable behaviour, bullying and racism are not to be tolerated and that good work and behaviour are to be celebrated by everyone. The school is a harmonious multi-racial community whose efforts to instil and promote respect and consideration for others are excellent.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Although parents know what they are expected to do if their child is late or absent, and authorised and unauthorised absences are effectively recorded and followed up by staff, levels of absence are high. There has been a significant decline in unauthorised absence in the last four years but absence as a result of illness or extended overseas trips has only marginally decreased and occurs in all age groups. The school has made sustained attempts to assess patterns of absence and to ensure that new staff are knowledgeable about procedures. There is regular contact with the educational welfare officer, and staff provide work for children to do while overseas and away from school. While the school takes a sensitive view about overseas trips, every opportunity is taken to remind parents about the importance to their child's education, of regular and uninterrupted learning and the negative impact of repeated or extended absence on

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

a child’s ability to develop new skills, to make good progress and to understand what is being taught.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are generally good. Shortly after starting in reception, children’s attainment is assessed using local authority baseline procedures. These give a sound range of information, which is supplemented by the school’s additional material. Staff in reception use the information effectively to plan a wide range of appropriate activities. Regular assessments are also undertaken during the year and give a clear picture of children’s progress, particularly in aspects of English, mathematics and science. Again, this information is used well to plan work in the reception classes.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. In the remainder of the school, good, and sometimes very good, procedures are in place to assess pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science. The information obtained is used to set whole-school and individual targets, which are shared with pupils and their parents. At the beginning of Year 2, pupils’ progress is analysed to set specific targets for attainment in the National Curriculum tests in reading, writing and mathematics. These are set at different levels, and include a challenging target. The targets are generally reasonable, although there are occasions when the challenging target, especially in mathematics, could be higher. School assessments, and the results of statutory tests, are analysed effectively to provide information and to track pupils’ attainment and progress. Modifications to the curriculum, and to teaching, are also made following this analysis; currently the focus is to use the information to help

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

raise attainment in mathematics. Accurate assessments are used to help support the learning of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 19 46. There is increasing assessment of pupils’ skills, particularly in science, and, more recently, with sound procedures in information and communication technology. However, although staff know pupils well, there is no systematic or formal assessment of pupils’ progress in the other subjects of the National Curriculum. Similarly, procedures in reception do not extend to the precise assessment of children’s progress in areas of learning such as physical development. Detailed portfolios show the range of work covered and are a valuable resource for showing new staff what is expected. However, they do not identify different levels at which pupils are working. As a result, pupils are presented with similar levels of work in these subjects with little

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Since the last inspection the school has maintained a very good partnership with parents. The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents and their significant involvement in the life of the school are strengths which have helped to raise standards and the quality of the pupils’ learning. Parents are fully supportive of the school and have expressed their high regard for its work.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents are kept well informed by regular newsletters and useful, good quality leaflets, such as the pre-school booklet, which provide targeted information to help raise standards in the school and give parents a secure understanding of what their children are learning. Year group meetings also enable parents to understand the work being done in the classroom, as does the topic information they are given every half term. Parents have indicated that they feel well informed about their child’s progress and that they are comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. They find the staff very approachable and also feel that the school works hard to communicate with all parents. Of note are the targets sent home termly which give specific information to parents as to how they can support their child’s learning. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are effectively informed about their

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

child’s progress and are invited to termly reviews. Parents are also invited to have a better understanding of the curriculum by attending meetings on specific areas being taught. For example, the strong emphasis in the school given to reading was successfully communicated to parents at a well-attended meeting on the subject. Since the last inspection the school has reviewed the quality of pupil reports; those examined during the inspection were judged to be satisfactory.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Staff have identified parental involvement as fundamental in raising standards. Parents are set clear expectations about the Catholic ethos of the school from their meetings with governors and staff before their children begin full-time education. The school has high expectations that parents will support its work and most rise to this expectation. Attendance at school events, concerts, productions and festivals is good, as is the acceptance of invitations to attend consultation evenings to examine and discuss their child’s progress. Held three times a year, these parents’ meetings, together with the informal opportunities provided each day for parents to meet the teaching staff, offer a full picture of a child’s achievements. The good use made of the home/school books extends this forum for an exchange of views between teacher and parent. Parent- helpers come in to school regularly and their assistance is both valued and

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

encouraged. Parental support for homework is very good. Inspection evidence confirms that homework provides an excellent extension of the work being done in the classroom and that the quality of its use is outstanding.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The ‘friends’ of the school is a committed group of parents which has raised valuable funds for the school. Their dedication and energy in raising sponsorship for the garden St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 20 project is a powerful and enduring tribute to their commitment to the school. This well- designed and attractive feature of the playground has significantly raised the quality of outdoor learning in the school and has become a focal point for collective pride. Its success has been acknowledged by the Electricity Board, from whom the school has received an award for the high quality of its endeavours. Parents were consulted for their views about the garden designs. Their opinions are seen as important in driving the school forward and are welcomed as part of its open door policy.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school is led and managed very well. The headteacher's example of leadership is outstanding. The very good policies and procedures that are in place for all aspects of school life have enabled new staff to join the school with the minimum of disruption to the continuity of pupils’ learning. Despite difficulties in recruiting teachers and the temporary nature of the current team, there is a very strong and shared commitment to the pupils. Governors and parents are key contributors to the school’s success. The school has maintained high standards in reading and writing and improved the pupils’ achievement in mathematics since the last inspection. The school has made a good level of improvement overall and has a very good capacity to continue doing so.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher sets very high expectations of herself and of all members of the school community. Her demands on staff are met, in equal measure, by the support she gives them. This can be seen in the high level of support for staff new to the teaching profession. As a result of her unwillingness to compromise on quality, when no suitable candidates could be found for a teaching post she taught the class herself. Parents are full of praise and admiration for her level of commitment to the school over a number of years and cite this as the main reason for the school’s continued success. The good support of the deputy headteacher in managing the school during difficult times has ensured that the disruption to pupils’ learning has been minimal. Together, these two senior staff carry a heavy workload while the third member of the senior management team is on maternity leave. As a result, not all subjects are led and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

directed to an equally high level. The headteacher is presently the special educational needs co-ordinator and manages this role effectively. Great care is taken to provide for the wide range of different needs of pupils: physical, behavioural, intellectual; also with regard to pupils speaking English as an additional language, and these are provided for well. The monitoring of teachers' records and of individual pupils’ progress is extremely rigorous and makes a significant contribution to the good, and often very good, progress that pupils make. Mathematics is not currently monitored to the same high level. Other staff who lead subjects do so soundly, giving an appropriate level of support and guidance to their colleagues.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. There are very good procedures in place to monitor the school’s work and achievements across a range of aspects; these are well established and have been formalised into a new policy which is well structured and detailed. In the past, the headteacher has monitored teaching and standards very thoroughly, giving feedback to individual teachers and setting further expectations for improvement as a result. Circumstances have curtailed the extent of monitoring recently. Pupils’ achievements are evaluated through the regular analysis of test data, which identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each year group in reading, writing and mathematics. The focus of the curriculum is adapted to address the weaknesses, and targets are set for improvement. The school development plan is detailed and based on a thorough evaluation of the previous year’s achievements. There is a close link between planned actions and staff development for the current year. The forward plan is brief and

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

provides a satisfactory outline for future developments. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 21 54. Governors have a well developed view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses from detailed information supplied by the headteacher and subject co-ordinators. Their knowledge of the school is supplemented by occasional visits during school time, though these tend to be informal and reported back to all governors orally. Governors meet statutory requirements very well. They are supportive of the school but also challenging in their role as ‘critical friends’. They have a good range of experience and professional expertise brought from other walks of life and this enables them to support the school with specific projects such as the planned development of the library extension. They have a good input into the school development plan once it has been drafted by the headteacher and prioritise the funding required to meet the plan’s

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

objectives. They work effectively through their well-established committee structure.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school’s budget is managed effectively and principles of best value are applied very well. The school benefits considerably from the financial knowledge of a member of the administrative staff who ensures that the school gains the best value for all its purchases. Priorities for spending are clearly identified and finances controlled very effectively. For a variety of reasons, mostly related to staff changes and shortages and the need for the headteacher to take a class for a significant proportion of time, the school accumulated a large balance carried over into this financial year that is gradually being reduced. As the large increase was unexpected, there were no particular plans for its use. Governors are aware that pupil numbers are likely to decline a little over the next few years, and the reserve will ensure that staffing levels can be maintained for the foreseeable future. There are also plans to replace a wide range of items of furniture.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Plans to develop a new library do not depend on the current balances, although some will be used if necessary. Money allocated in the form of specific grants is used effectively. The grants for pupils with special educational needs and those whom English is an additional language are supplemented appropriately from the school’s main budget. The strategic use of resources is good although, owing to inappropriate software, limited use is made of new technology in financial management.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school has sufficient teaching and other staff to ensure pupils receive a good education. There are, however, difficulties in appointing permanent, experienced members of staff. Three of the current teachers were trained overseas and two are newly qualified. As a result, a high burden falls on to the headteacher and deputy headteacher for the management of subjects. The senior staff have given the new, inexperienced and temporary teachers very good support and this has helped to ensure that teaching in the school is mostly good, and never less than satisfactory. All staff within the school work together as a very effective team. Learning support staff give good support to children in reception and to pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school’s learning resources are good in virtually all subjects and they are used effectively to promote learning. A good range of books aids the development of reading skills. Recent purchases have improved the availability of computers in each classroom. No area of the curriculum is restricted by inadequate or poor quality resources.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Since the last inspection significant improvements have been made to the external accommodation to raise the quality of learning opportunities. The garden was created with the considerable energy and support of a group of interested parents and governors who formed themselves into the ‘garden committee’. This area provides a stimulating and enchanting place for children to play and learn. It is used to good effect to raise the level of imaginative play of young children and to inspire their interest in the St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 22 natural world. However, the school has no grassed areas to extend the range of the work in physical education. The building is very clean and well maintained, and allows the curriculum to be taught effectively. Classrooms provide bright and cheerful surroundings and have been made suitable for the needs of the pupils. Creative use is made of space but the dual use of a room as a staff room and library means that it is

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The school is in a strong position to continue making further improvements to the good quality of education provided. Its aims are met to an unusually high level. There is a genuine commitment to equality of opportunity for all and staff support all pupils according to their needs. Excellent relationships, based on mutual respect, reinforce to pupils a good example of the importance of working together for the good of the school community. The school’s strong Catholic ethos permeates all aspects of school life and is symbolised very simply in the phrase that greets any visitor as they walk through the door: ‘You are precious in my eyes’.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

60. In this successful school staff and governors are aware of the main strengths and where improvements are needed. The school should continue to follow its own identified priorities and:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards further in mathematics so that they are similar to the high standards achieved in reading and writing by:

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• sharpening the practice of using ongoing assessments of pupils’ achievements to improve the rigour with which targets are set, and achieved, so that more pupils work at higher levels;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• raising the profile of mathematics in school and its use throughout the day across other subjects;

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• increasing the rigour with which provision for mathematics is monitored.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 5, 21, 28, 52, 81-90)

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve attendance and the punctuality of a small group of pupils by continuing to emphasise to parents the importance of regular and punctual attendance.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 13, 14, 43) St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 23 (3) Establish manageable procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in subjects other than English, mathematics and science.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 46, 99, 102, 109, 113, 123) St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than two percentage points.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 160

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 51

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 3

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 13

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 34

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 12

p.24

Attendance 2000/01

School data 7.6 School data 0.1 St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 25 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.24

Attendance 2000/01

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 26

p.25

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 23 51

p.26

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.26

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

Boys 28 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 21 20

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (92) 96 (92) 94 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 95 (84) 91 (90)

p.26

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.26

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

Boys 28 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 20 21

p.26

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (85) 94 (83) 96 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.26

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

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

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 15 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 14 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 27

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4.1 Financial year 2000/2001

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 39

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 445,941

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 432,213

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 193 Expenditure per pupil 2,668

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 93,105

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 106,833

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.27

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 28

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 51 44 1 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 67 32 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 43 36 4 0 17

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 44 44 4 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 78 19 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 74 15 1 0 10

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 56 32 3 0 10

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 74 22 0 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 33 0 0 7

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 14 44 13 8 21

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Several parents new to the school wanted to support the school by completing a questionnaire but had limited information on which to base their answers. This accounts for the high number of responses in the ‘don’t know’ column. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 29

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. The previous report indicated that children made satisfactory or good progress in all areas and achieved, or exceeded, the expected standard. This was due to satisfactory or good teaching. There was no early years policy, but work was supported by subject plans for reception to Year 2. The school has been successful in maintaining the strengths in reception and the requirements of the foundation stage have been introduced well. There is a clear, helpful foundation stage policy and good information for parents. Teaching is now almost all either good or better. This results in children making good progress, usually from an average base. Teaching is effective in promoting the development of skills across all areas of learning, but in particular in literacy, the science area in knowledge of the world, and personal, social and emotional development. Children are admitted full time to reception over a five-week period in the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

autumn term of the academic year of their fifth birthday. Almost all the children have attended a range of pre-school provision, mainly nursery schools and playgroups. Good links are established with parents and carers, with governors meeting each family before children start school. This meeting gives an opportunity to talk about the ethos of the school. Children and parents also visit the reception classes. Daily contact is maintained once children start in reception when they are brought into the classroom, and aided by the use of reading homework. These procedures help children settle in to school easily.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. Assessments are completed shortly after children start in reception. These use a local authority baseline assessment, which is supplemented by the school’s own questions. Together, these provide the school with a sound picture of children’s strengths and weaknesses. These assessments show that, when they start reception, attainment is above the Haringey average for children of their age. Overall, compared with children nationally, their attainment on entry is about average. A significant strength is children’s good personal, social and emotional development. The most common weakness relates to mathematics, including knowledge of numbers, which is similar to the Haringey average, and below the national picture. Well organised but challenging activities, matched to the needs of the children, and sensitive support mean that children make good progress across the majority of areas of learning. By the end of the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

foundation stage, the large majority of children in reception are likely to meet the early learning goals in all areas, and many should exceed them, especially in communication, language and literacy.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. A good curriculum is in place, which covers all the areas of learning for children under six. All children have good access to the curriculum and benefit from a wide range of activities. Careful consideration is given to ensuring that the children have learning activities well matched to their needs. Good arrangements ensure that, after whole- class introductions, children have focused adult support or opportunities to exercise choice in their activities and learn through purposeful play. The teachers give a strong emphasis to personal and language development. Children with special educational needs, including those with statements, as well as those with English as an additional language, are very well integrated into the reception classes. Planning reflects the desire to ensure all children do well, and the school’s aim to provide an inclusive learning environment.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. Teaching is good overall, and there are examples of very good teaching. Nothing less than satisfactory was seen during the inspection. The teachers create an atmosphere St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 30 in which all children are valued, can relax and learn well. Good planning ensures that reception children have a full range of experiences which interests them at their level. In all areas of learning, there is good teaching. The teachers have good expertise; they have a clear understanding of the needs of young children, and of the national guidance. The basic skills of literacy are very effectively taught. Although at times less emphasis is given to numeracy skills, each week these are taught effectively. Both teachers have a calm manner that helps to develop children’s confidence at school. They also combine this with firm management and high expectations of behaviour. Other adults in the class are used appropriately to support children’s learning and, on

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

occasions, have a very positive impact. Good procedures for assessing children’s progress, particularly in language, mathematics and science, help to ensure children are challenged and make good progress. However, assessment and monitoring of children when engaged in physical activities, or when they are making choices for themselves, are not rigorous enough or organised systematically.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Accommodation and resources available are good. The classrooms are spacious and well organised to provide ready access to a wide range of resources and a role-play area. The school overcomes the lack of a dedicated outside area by very good timetabling arrangements. During the afternoon, children have access to the whole playground, which is organised with a wide range of stimulating activities. The good teaching and wide range of learning experiences prepare children well for the remainder of their time in the school. The good provision provides all children with a firm base on which other teachers can build. The progress children make in reception is one reason for the high standards they achieve at the end of Year 2 in reading and writing.

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Personal, social and emotional development

66. When children enter the school, their attainment in this area is usually above that of most children of their age. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is emphasised to very good effect. They make good progress and almost all are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the end of the foundation stage. This helps to ensure that pupils’ attitudes in the remainder of the school are a significant strength. The good progress is due to well-organised teaching throughout the whole school day. Children are encouraged to take turns and work with a partner, which they do confidently. They do this on the computer, when using construction materials and in the role-play home corner. Working closely with a child who has a statement of special educational needs, children are able to appreciate the needs of others, and how they may differ from their own. Owing to interesting tasks, and a good range of resources, children concentrate

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Personal, social and emotional development

and persevere very well throughout the day. During direct teaching activities, the teachers are very effective at using questions and inviting children to contribute their own ideas. When sitting on the carpet, children are encouraged to listen carefully, to both the teacher and other children. Children behave very well and have positive attitudes to school and an understanding of the importance of the school rules. The children respond well to the expectation that they must clear up waste paper they have created or sand that has been spilt. Independence is also promoted well by the teachers as children return the register to the office or take messages to other classes.

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Communication, language and literacy

67. On entry to the reception class, children’s communication, language and literacy skills are about average compared with those of children of a similar age. Teaching is very good in this area, and children are supported very well, especially in the development of St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 31 writing and reading skills. Children make good progress and, by the end of the foundation stage, most should exceed the early learning goals. Many opportunities are taken by the teachers and other adults to increase the range and use of children’s vocabulary when they are completing the wide range of tasks planned. This is particularly helpful for those who are learning English as an additional language, most of whom are competent in basic English. However, on occasions, especially when working outside, adults could interact more with the children and extend their language further. Through the effective use of individual sessions with books, children make good

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Communication, language and literacy

progress. They handle books carefully, know that the pages are turned from right to left, and understand the difference between words and pictures. All children know that print carries meaning. Most children recognise some individual words and higher attaining children already read simple stories. A particularly gifted reader is challenged with well- selected books to extend his skills. He reads confidently and understands what he has read. Good links with parents, and their involvement in the selection of books and reading homework, are also very effective at developing reading skills. Very good teaching is helping children build up their phonetic skills, so that they are beginning to sound out words. By the end of reception, all children write their own name and simple sentences. Their printing is usually clear, with carefully formed letters, although not all regularly position the descender parts of letters such as ‘g’ and ‘y’ below the line. Higher

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Communication, language and literacy

attaining children write quite complex, understandable sentences, with spellings that are recognisable and often accurate. The arrangements for teaching literacy are very good. Whole-class teaching introduces children to important areas such as stories, words, letters and sounds. The need to listen carefully is emphasised strongly by teachers, and this helps children to improve rapidly. Rarely are they inattentive. Speaking skills are also encouraged, but children’s replies tend to be rather quiet. Role- play activities are effective at promoting speaking and listening skills. The needs of pupils speaking English as an additional language are met well so that they are able to participate fully in all activities and to make progress at a similar rate to other pupils.

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Mathematical development

68. Children’s attainment when they join reception is below average compared with that of children of a similar age, particularly in the area of number. Provision for the development of mathematical skills, including number and associated language, is good in mathematics lessons and this means that pupils achieve well. Opportunities to develop these skills at other times are not as extensive as they might be. Children make good progress and almost all achieve the expected outcomes by the time they enter Year 1. Through good teaching and well-organised practical activities, such as measuring using sand and water, children successfully extend their understanding and use of mathematical vocabulary. In a well-focused session with a nursery nurse, children learnt the order of numbers zero to nine, and improved their recognition of the different numerals. More thought could be given to how to extend children’s

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Mathematical development

understanding of numbers, rather than mostly number recognition, in the activities planned. By the time they enter Year 1, all children recognise numbers to ten, or higher, and the highest attaining children add to twenty, and subtract from ten correctly. Most children recognise two-dimensional shapes such as square, rectangle and triangle. A group of lower attaining children, who had been assessed as having weak knowledge of shapes, made good progress in developing their knowledge in a lesson because of clear teaching and the effective use of examples. Children use shapes and a range of colours which they know to create pictures using the computer.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 32 69. Provision and teaching for children to develop knowledge and understanding of the world around them are good, with an especially good focus on science. Children enter reception with attainment that is about average compared with that of children of a similar age. They make good progress and are on course to reach, or exceed, the standards expected by the time they reach the end of reception. Through a variety of stimulating and interesting activities children are fully engaged in exploring their world and challenged to achieve well. Children were excited when examining carnations that had been standing in coloured water, and observed the pattern of colour in the flowers well. Good resources have helped them know the names of different parts of the body. Good use was made of the local area, when children produced maps of their journey to school. In the best of these, children included house numbers. Children develop an

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

understanding that change has occurred over a period of time through activities such as sequencing different types of flight on a timeline, and recording changes in themselves from when they were a baby. A classroom display about baptism also helped to promote cultural awareness and racial harmony. Reception children confidently use the computer mouse to move pictures of objects around the screen. They independently used a tape recorder to listen to a story.

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Physical development

70. When they enter school, the attainment of children in this aspect is around that expected for their age. Although there is no designated, independent area for reception children, good opportunities are available for them to use the playground each day when the weather is fine. Teaching in this area of learning is good and children make at least satisfactory, and often good, progress. They are on course to meet the expected goals by the end of the year. A wide range of activities and equipment is used effectively to promote the development of physical skills. Children ride the wheeled vehicles with confidence, balance and a good awareness of other children and adults. They show balance and mobility when on the climbing frame. A weakness of this outside provision is that there is insufficient monitoring of which activities and equipment different children have used. In physical education lessons, good teaching

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Physical development

leads to an improvement in skills. Children respond quickly to the teachers’ instructions and they concentrate well when climbing or moving over and under apparatus. However, in one lesson, groups were not organised effectively as there were significant variations in their size. As a result, some children had to queue for too long for items of equipment and so they were not active enough. Assessment within some lessons is not focused on the extent to which children had developed particular skills. Dexterity is well developed through handling objects such as sand, water, jigsaws, puzzles and construction toys. Opportunities are planned carefully for children to use paintbrushes, tools, pencils, crayons and felt pens for making marks or drawing pictures. Most children hold pens and similar objects correctly.

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Creative development

71. When they enter school, the attainment of children in this aspect is around that expected for their age. Good displays of artwork demonstrate that children progress well in this area and most are likely to reach expectations by the end of reception. Good teaching encourages children to use a variety of media including paint, pencils, crayons, materials and recycled objects. For example, they produced good pictures of their own face and made a boat using different materials, which was then tested with cubes to see how many it would hold before it sank. Only the lowest attaining cannot St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 33 colour accurately or carefully within the lines of objects in a picture. In music, very good teaching helped children develop a good understanding of rhythm. They listened carefully and copied accurately the rhythms demonstrated by the teacher. They sing tunefully and enthusiastically songs such as ‘One Finger, One Thumb’ and ‘Johnny get

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Creative development

your Hair Combed’. Good opportunities are provided for role-play. This was illustrated when children were fully involved in role-play activities outside when the climbing frame became the imaginary building site for a house. The nursery nurse, who became fully involved with the children, supported these activities very well. However, they did tell her off when she stepped into the ‘swimming pool’ they had dug. In the classroom, the ‘home corner’ provides good opportunities for role-play. A weakness is that there is insufficient monitoring of which activities and equipment different children have used when a range of activities is available indoors. As a result, it is possible for children to choose a narrow range of experiences even though teachers are careful to provide a range that is broad.

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ENGLISH

72. Standards in English are above the national average in reading and well above average in writing. When compared to other similar schools, standards are well above average in reading and very high in writing. Speaking skills are average and listening skills are very good. Even though the last inspection report painted a positive picture of provision in English, the school has managed to sustain and even improve on the high standards achieved to make very good progress since then.

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ENGLISH

73. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in speaking and very well in terms of developing their listening skills. Pupils have a reasonable range of opportunities across the curriculum to take part in discussions and to practise their speaking and listening skills. The convention of circle time, where pupils sit in a circle and contribute one at a time, promotes good skills in sharing and reflecting on personal experiences and thoughts. The calm atmosphere and teachers' very good management of pupils contribute to the very good development of listening skills. All teachers offer good role models of spoken English. This effectively supports the language development of all pupils, but especially those who speak English as an additional language. All teachers have a lively, purposeful style which commands attention and promotes thoughtful participation. Teachers clearly value the contribution of every single pupil and this instils pupils with

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ENGLISH

confidence as they move through the school.

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ENGLISH

74. The school gives reading an extremely high priority and, in all classes, pupils take reading books home on a daily basis. The high quality of support and encouragement that all pupils receive contributes greatly to the development of good reading habits, attitudes and skills. Within the literacy framework, pupils are systematically taught the relationships between letters and sounds. Pupils' good grasp of letter sounds is a major factor in explaining the very good progress and the improving results in reading over recent years. Another significant factor in the good progress in reading is the consistent support given by the vast majority of parents who read with their children on a regular basis and make useful comments in their child's personal reading diary. This constant, repetitive practice underpins the progress made over time. By the age of seven, pupils read competently a wide range of texts with a good level of

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ENGLISH

75. Pupils make very good progress in developing their writing skills in Years 1 and 2. Writing is given an extraordinarily high profile in all aspects of the school's work. Every opportunity to write is taken to maximum effect. Almost all lessons involve some form of written recording. In English lessons alone, the amount of written work that pupils St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 34 complete is way above that normally seen in Years 1 and 2. The outstanding results in writing owe much to the exceptional start pupils make in the reception classes; by the time pupils start in Year 1, they are already well ahead of their peers of a similar age in most other schools. From the start of Year 1, pupils are encouraged to write in correctly structured and clearly demarcated sentences using capital letters and full stops appropriately. Considerable emphasis is placed on handwriting and pupils quickly develop a neat, legible style. The only minor weakness is that pupils in Year 2 do not

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ENGLISH

develop a cursive script, with the result that few reach above average standards in handwriting. Progress in spelling is very good and most pupils spell at a level above that of pupils of the same age.

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ENGLISH

76. Teaching is good. In the lessons seen, over half the teaching was good, with one very good lesson and no unsatisfactory teaching. All lessons are well prepared and presented in a clear, confident manner. Teachers have a warm rapport with their pupils and there is a calm, purposeful atmosphere in every class. Pupils respond well to their teachers, are keen to answer questions and there is a very positive work ethic. A characteristic of teaching is the personal support given to each pupil. This is exemplified by the fact that all teachers give up much of their lunch-hour to hear individual pupils read. This not only ensures that pupils get regular practice at this vital skill, but that a constant check is kept on each pupil's progress. Teachers make effective use of computers to provide pupils with extra experiences at wordprocessing that enable them to draft and edit their written work. Teachers are highly effective in

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ENGLISH

motivating pupils and the commitment to reading and writing, from teachers, non- teaching staff, pupils and parents is a great strength of the school's overall provision. Homework makes an excellent contribution to the high levels of achievement in reading and writing. The school has very high expectations of parental support for learning and almost all parents rise to this challenge.

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ENGLISH

77. Teachers keep a wide range of useful assessment information on the progress of each pupil. In reading, this is used effectively to ensure that pupils are given texts that build carefully upon what they have previously covered. In writing, too, the match between what pupils are attempting and what they have recently learnt is very good and contributes to the very good progress pupils make. Teachers' marking is good and offers much useful praise and encouragement; in the best examples, pupils are also given a clear picture of their own strengths and weaknesses and develop a good idea of what they need to focus on in order to improve further.

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ENGLISH

78. The implementation of the National Literacy Strategy has been good. It has been instrumental in helping new teachers quickly adjust to the demands of the subject and has made a significant contribution to rising standards in reading and writing. All teachers use the format of the literacy hour well. The only relative weakness in this respect is that the use of time at the end of the lesson is not always put to maximum effect. It is used well to summarise the content of the lesson, but not always to evaluate what has been learned.

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ENGLISH

79. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and pupils who speak English as an additional language reflects the pattern for pupils across the ability range. Pupils on the special educational needs register have detailed individual education plans that focus mainly on literacy targets. A strength of the provision is the close links between class teachers and non-teaching support assistants. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported and careful record keeping underpins the very good progress they make in developing their English speaking skills. The school makes good use of a specific grant to support the achievement of ethnic minority pupils; these pupils achieve equally as well as their peers. St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 35 80. Leadership of English is excellent. The headteacher, who is acting as the subject co- ordinator, monitors teaching on a regular basis, giving much useful feedback on how

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ENGLISH

the quality of teaching might be improved. She monitors the progress of all pupils and ensures that those of differing prior attainment are working at an appropriate level. In this way, each pupil's progress is carefully tracked as they move through the school and extra support is targeted according to need. Each pupil is allocated a target that they are expected to reach by the end of Year 2 and this helps to ensure that every pupil reaches his/her potential. Teachers’ assessment records are also monitored regularly to ensure they are up-to-date and used effectively. The headteacher has a clear picture of the school's strengths and her determination to raise standards even beyond their present high level underpins the school's outstanding work in English.

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MATHEMATICS

81. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain standards that are close to those found nationally. Evidence from pupils’ current and past work shows a good pace to their learning. Given that attainment is below what might be expected when pupils start school, their achievement is good, but they do not achieve as highly in mathematics as they do in reading and writing. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils from a variety of ethnic groups are spread throughout the ability range, as are boys and girls. There are no significant differences in the achievement of these groups of pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Samples of pupils’ work from the previous academic year show a close adherence to numeracy strategy objectives with more able pupils being challenged to work beyond the expectations for their age. However, several of these pupils did not do so as well in the tests as expected by their teachers. There is an appropriate emphasis on all aspects of mathematics and evidence of pupils developing their skills and knowledge in a systematic way. The amount of recorded work is greater than that normally found in Years 1 and 2 and is an indication of the expectations of a good rate of work. The way in which pupils’ work is consistently well presented and organised and reflects teachers’ high expectations and pupils’ very good attitudes to their work. The use of numeracy skills across the curriculum, including computers, is satisfactory.

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MATHEMATICS

83. At the start of Year 1, pupils are developing their counting skills well as can be seen in the confident and accurate way they count up to ten (or more) objects. They recognise numerals to ten and beyond and are learning to match numbers to their written names. When adding numbers to ten, some pupils are beginning to understand that addition can be done with the digits in any order. In a lesson where they were learning to partition numbers into tens and units, all but the more able pupils were struggling with this concept. Pupils are learning to use the correct vocabulary to compare the height of objects. At present the proportion of pupils working at lower levels is similar to those working above expectations and greater demands need to be made of pupils so that more work at the higher levels.

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MATHEMATICS

84. At the start of Year 2, many pupils’ knowledge of numbers to 100 and their understanding of place value is better than might be expected at this stage of the year. This is a good indication that the school’s efforts to raise standards in mathematics are beginning to reap rewards and pupils are achieving well. About three-quarters can, for example, successfully fill in gaps on a portion of the 100 square using their knowledge of tens and units. They recall quickly the pairs of numbers that make ten and some are increasingly confident to find pairs of numbers that make twenty when challenged to do so by the teacher. A small group of higher attaining pupils are challenged to use their knowledge of how to add on ten to any number, to add on nine or eleven. They find this St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 36 difficult at first but persevere well to succeed. Pupils’ accuracy in measuring is developing soundly when, for example, measuring centimetres using a ruler. They are

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MATHEMATICS

familiar with the names and simple properties of two-dimensional shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

85. The quality of teaching and learning are good, but stronger in Year 2 than in Year 1. The recommended structure of the three-part lesson is planned in all classes but not equally well delivered in practice. The mental and oral practice at the beginning of lessons is always well managed with a good brisk pace that gets the lesson off to a flying start. The skilful way that teachers approach this part of the lesson often inspires pupils. Comments such ‘lets go!’ and ‘ can I catch you out?’, punctuated with a good amount of well-judged praise, encourage pupils’ efforts; they rise to the challenge and take delight and pleasure in their learning. There is a high level of participation and interest shown by pupils. Strategies are taught well and so pupils’ ability to recall number facts, such as which pairs of numbers added together make ten, is developing well.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Teachers give clear demonstrations during the main teaching part of the lesson and, in the vast majority of examples observed, this was pitched at an appropriately challenging level. The good focus on visual stimulus such as looking at the patterns in numbers or using practical apparatus are particularly successful in reinforcing learning for pupils who speak English as an additional language. The emphasis on key mathematical vocabulary is also effective in this respect. When the whole class is working together, teachers ensure that pupils of all abilities are attentive and participate. They achieve this well through asking focused questions to individuals to check their understanding. Where classroom assistants are present at this time, they are deployed effectively to sit with a few pupils who may have difficulty concentrating in a large group, and give further explanations.

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MATHEMATICS

87. The section of the lesson during which pupils work in groups is weaker than the other parts. Teachers do not always work directly with a group of pupils at this time and so miss opportunities for further teaching. Planned tasks for group work are set at different levels but do not always precisely match what pupils can already do. This was a more obvious weakness in Year 1 where teachers are inexperienced in assessing what pupils need to do next. As a result, some tasks are too easy. In one lesson, the higher attainers working independently did not work fast enough to reach the additional challenge planned for them. There is not a rigorous approach to recording how well pupils have achieved the learning objects of lessons over a week and so it is not clear how teachers will address weaknesses in subsequent lessons. There were examples during the inspection of teachers adapting their planning slightly in response to pupils’

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MATHEMATICS

difficulties in previous lessons but this is not consistent across the four classes. Support for lower attaining pupils and those with special needs is consistently good and on occasion very good; this ensures that these pupils achieve very well over time with many reaching the levels expected for the average seven-year-old by the end of their time at the school.

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MATHEMATICS

88. The review part of the lesson is variable in quality across the four classes. It is sometimes too brief and does not reinforce clearly enough what pupils have learnt. At its best, this time is used very effectively to reinforce and apply the skills that pupils have been practising in their group activities. A very successful example was seen where pupils used their knowledge of counting on in tens and ones to count totals of 10p and 1p coins.

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MATHEMATICS

89. The subject is led soundly on a temporary basis by the headteacher while the co- ordinator is on maternity leave. Monitoring procedures through lesson observation and St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 37 work sampling are well established and used to set expectations of staff. However, difficulties in teacher recruitment have led to a heavy workload for the headteacher who spent much of the previous academic year teaching a class. As a result, mathematics has not had the high profile of monitoring needed to continue raising standards still further to match the achievement in reading and writing. Good procedures are in place for assessing pupils’ attainment. Test results are analysed and half-termly assessments are used to identify weaknesses to be addressed in future lessons. A positive feature is that targets are set for each term and shared with parents and pupils so they know what they are trying to achieve. Teachers also set long-term targets for

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MATHEMATICS

pupils to achieve by the end of Year 2. At present, these are not high enough to improve on the standards achieved in tests last year and need further review to raise the level of challenge.

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MATHEMATICS

90. The school has made a good level of improvement since the last inspection. Despite staffing difficulties, the school has been successful in embracing the national strategy and an increasing number of pupils are achieving the expected standards. More now needs to be done to raise the proportion of pupils exceeding expectations.

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SCIENCE

91. The school continues to give a good amount of time to science and it has maintained, and improved further, all the strengths noted in the previous inspection. Attainment remains above average by the end of Year 2, and teaching is good. Pupils achieve well, especially in developing and using their investigative skills. Science makes a very positive contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy skills.

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SCIENCE

92. Inspection evidence suggests the teacher assessments are rather conservative, especially in relation to those achieving the higher level, Level 3. Attainment is above average overall. The well-planned curriculum, with its focus on investigations, is very effective at developing good skills and knowledge of all areas of science. By the end of Year 2, pupils know that some objects sink, while others float in water, and that not all metals are magnetic. They explain that sound is caused by vibrations, and understand these travel to the ear. Virtually all pupils use the skills of scientific enquiry to very good effect. This is aided by the good quality writing, which is encouraged because pupils do not have to write within a restricting template. They predict what they think will happen, for instance which objects will sink, and know the main features of a fair test. They are especially good at observing and recording clearly what they have done and seen.

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SCIENCE

Higher attaining pupils also explain their observations using good scientific language.

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SCIENCE

93. Pupils enjoy their science activities, completing them with enthusiasm and very good concentration. Most Year 1 pupils worked hard when completing a worksheet about the importance of the sun as a source of light. The lower attaining pupils were well supported and produced good pictures to illustrate differences between night and day. In Year 2, three groups of pupils worked hard on a range of research tasks, using a challenging set of questions produced by the teacher. The remainder worked, with interest and concentration, on practical activities to illustrate some of the features of sound. Behaviour is very good in both whole-class and group activities.

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SCIENCE

94. The quality of teaching is good, and never less than satisfactory. The quality of work in pupils’ books indicates that it is largely good. The good teaching throughout the school has led to good learning and progress. Pupils’ books show that the teaching of science is often imaginative and based on interesting practical exercises; these capture pupils’ interest. Teachers have good subject knowledge, explanations are usually clear and, in St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 38 the best lessons, an interesting range of activities is planned. Tasks are carefully planned to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs or for whom English is an additional language, can make progress. In particular, pupils are encouraged to record in a variety of ways. At times, learning could be enhanced more by better explanations of some of the tasks, such as when pupils were required to use

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SCIENCE

non-fiction books to find out about sounds. Although planned in good detail and using suitable resources, the tasks were not adequately explained, and this slowed learning. Teachers make very good use of pupils’ literacy skills, and pupils’ writing is often very detailed. Occasional use is made of numeracy skills, such as when measuring and recording the distanced travelled by cars after rolling down ramps at different angles, although opportunities to get pupils to compare distances and complete subtraction problems were missed. Good questioning often enhances learning, although pupils’ responses tend to be rather quiet. Pupils are managed very well and this ensures all pupils can complete their tasks. Marking is satisfactory, but does not make it clear how pupils can improve. There is a tendency for marking to concentrate on spelling errors rather than the scientific content.

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SCIENCE

95. The pupils follow a good curriculum, with well-planned development of knowledge and skills. The school bases its work on its own planning, supplemented by national guidance. This allows pupils to develop their knowledge and skills in a systematic manner, and the opportunity to achieve high standards. Effective links are made with other areas of the curriculum, for example the design of a seat belt for when their cars were rolled down the ramp. Assessment is good and well organised. Staff have a clear picture of how well different pupils have developed knowledge and skills. This information is used effectively to ensure that the teaching consistently challenges all pupils. Science makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development. In particular, pupils are encouraged to work together and share resources, and opportunities are used to promote reflection, for instance when, during the study of

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SCIENCE

light, pupils had to close their eyes, and think what it was like. Social responsibility to the environment was also emphasised when pupils studied materials, including the reasons for paper recycling. Leadership of the subject is good. Monitoring is regular and identifies appropriately areas for improvement that are incorporated in the school development plan.

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ART AND DESIGN

96. Standards are above what is expected for pupils’ ages and they achieve well. There are strengths in pupils’ drawing skills and in their observation skills. Pupils cover a good range of work, including using a comprehensive variety of materials and techniques in two dimensions and adequate experience of three-dimensional work. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when standards were average and much of the artwork was linked to project themes. Although these links still exist, there is a much clearer focus on developing pupils’ skills systematically; this is helping to raise standards. Previously there was no co-ordinator, no monitoring and no scheme of work. In these respects the subject has improved substantially.

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ART AND DESIGN

97. Sketchbooks, introduced recently for Year 1 pupils, show how pupils’ skills in drawing and designing are developed over time. Drawing skills are well established and pupils know how to vary the marks they make to create texture in their drawing. This indicates that these skills are taught well. Pupils in Year 2 are gaining some awareness of form and space and the idea that pictures have a background and foreground through working on the large displays which use collage techniques and through paintings which begin with a background wash. Their ability to choose colour for its effect can be St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 39 seen in the vibrant display of water scenes. Masks, which were made as part of a design and technology project, have been carefully painted and finished imaginatively.

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ART AND DESIGN

98. Although only one lesson was observed, evidence from pupils’ work and from teachers’ planning indicates that teaching and learning are good. A wide range of work is planned using a variety of media and techniques, including printing, textiles collage, sculpture and computer art packages, which pupils explore and try out. Teaching was excellent in the one lesson seen. With carefully framed questions the teacher developed pupils’ ideas about pattern and focused their attention on looking for patterns in the environment. As a result, their observational skills were developed well. Their skills in drawing are above what might be expected for their age and at this time of the year. The very good level of enjoyment and concentration contributed much to the success that pupils were able to achieve in this lesson. Another factor was the consistent and good quality feedback that the teacher gave to individuals as they worked. This checked

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ART AND DESIGN

their understanding and their ability to recognise pattern.

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ART AND DESIGN

99. Displays of pupils’ work are well presented. The meticulous effort by staff serves as a reminder of expected standards, provides a visually stimulating environment in which to work, and promotes pupils’ self-esteem by valuing their efforts. Pupils’ work is assessed informally by taking work samples, which are developed into a school portfolio. Teachers do not make any record of which pupils are achieving or exceeding the planned objectives and so the value of the portfolio is not fully exploited.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. The subject is led soundly. The school identified the need to develop pupils’ skills and so uses the expertise of a part-time teacher in three ways. Firstly, she works directly with pupils in class to develop their skills; secondly, these lessons are sometimes observed by teachers and serve to raise their knowledge and increase their expertise; and finally, she is developing schemes of work with very comprehensive guidance for teachers on how to introduce and develop pupils’ art and design skills in a systematic and sequential way. So far, schemes have been produced for activities to teach the key elements of line, tone, and colour, and others are being devised. This is a good investment which is reaping positive rewards in improving pupils’ artistic knowledge and skills and in supporting teachers to improve their knowledge of teaching art and design.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. By the age of seven, pupils reach standards that are in line with national expectations. No design and technology lessons were timetabled during the period of the inspection, so judgements have been made following a scrutiny of pupils' work in each class as well as of the school's detailed portfolio of work over the course of the last school year. This shows the school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve satisfactorily. This is largely due to the helpful guidance given to teachers through the school's scheme of work that indicates which aspects of the subject are covered in each class every term. A strength of the provision in this subject is the thorough manner in which the National Curriculum is covered as pupils move through the school. In contrast, teachers do not keep records of pupils' progress in this subject and, as a result, work presented to pupils tends to be the same for all, regardless of their prior attainment.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. In all classes, the teaching promotes and encourages pupils to design and make. This was evident when pupils in Year 2 drew their designs for making masks with papier- St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 40 mâché. They effectively select tools, generate ideas and talk and write about their work. Literacy skills are developed well in lessons as pupils write in considerable detail about their ideas and the various stages of the design and making process. Although pupils are adept at describing their work, both in the spoken and written form, they are much less skilled at evaluating their designs and suggesting ways in which they might have been improved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104. Although no lessons were observed, it is clear from the scrutiny of work that teaching is satisfactory. The school encourages a practical approach that involves all pupils in a wide range of activities that include paper weaving, making musical instruments, tie- dye cloths and making models with moving parts. Teachers make good use of the ‘curriculum map’, which identifies the skills to be taught as part of each project. Design and technology is well resourced and good use is made of a wide range of materials and tools.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. The subject is well led by an effective subject co-ordinator. Monitoring of teachers' plans takes place on a regular basis and teachers are given helpful feedback on their work. A very detailed portfolio of pupils' work, mainly in photographic form, also guides teachers in their planning. At all stages planning addresses issues of health and safety and equal opportunities. The work of the subject co-ordinator has played a major role in maintaining standards in this subject, despite the considerable recent changes in staffing.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. Limited evidence was available during the inspection, and it was not possible to observe geography being taught. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. Standards remain about average by Year 2 and pupils achieve soundly. Pupils’ work indicates that teaching is at least satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 2, attainment is about average. They know about some of the features of the local area, especially buildings and road signs. They know that locations around the world vary, having studied village life in Ghana. Pupils produce clear maps of routes taken when walking in the local area, and create plan views of bedrooms and toys. Some of the lower attaining pupils include parts which they know are there, but cannot see, such as the wheels of toy cars. On the basis of the limited evidence available, all pupils make similar progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. Teaching of geography is at least satisfactory. Planning is clear and the work matched soundly to pupils’ skills. Homework is used to good effect, such as when recording simple maps. Marking is sound; comments praise good work but do not always help pupils to understand how they can improve. Literacy skills are used well, with opportunities provided for pupils to write at length. Opportunities to develop numeracy skills, such as the use of data following surveys of traffic, are missed.

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GEOGRAPHY

109. The geography curriculum is satisfactory. Its main strength is the study of the local area, together with locations overseas, such as Ghana. This work helps to extend pupils’ social, moral and cultural development, as does work related to science and the environment. Planning has been modified to reflect recent National Curriculum changes, but it is recognised that this now needs to be extended. Simple weather recording helps pupils reflect on the characteristics of the different seasons. Pupils are introduced to mapwork, including the correct use of keys. Staff know pupils well, but there is no systematic assessment of pupils’ work at the end of a topic to identify the key knowledge and skills achieved and what needs to be developed further. The St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 41 headteacher, who has expertise in geography, has recently taken over temporary charge of the subject. She has recognised the need to develop the curriculum further.

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HISTORY

110. No history lessons were seen but, based on the small amount of available evidence, standards are about average by the end of Year 2. Pupils’ work shows sound achievement and that teaching is at least satisfactory. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection to maintain this situation.

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HISTORY

111. By the end of Year 2, pupils develop a good understanding that change has occurred over time. They produce simple timelines of their lives and include views of themselves in the future. Their skills of historical observation were developed well when they looked at a range of artefacts. They compared objects from the past with those of today, such as washing machines, irons and carpet cleaners. Pupils know about the lives of some famous people from the past, such as Florence Nightingale, and important events, including the Great Fire of London. The quality of pupils’ work is enhanced by their well- developed writing skills. For example, they wrote knowledgeably about conditions in the hospitals where Florence Nightingale was looking after patients. This writing is well organised and contains good detail. On the basis of the limited evidence available, all pupils make similar progress.

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HISTORY

112. Pupils’ positive attitudes to history can be seen in the level of care taken with their written work. Teaching is at least satisfactory. Clear planning helps to ensure that work is matched satisfactorily to the pupils’ developing skills. Homework is used to good effect, such as when finding out some facts about Florence Nightingale, including using the Internet. Marking is sound; comments praise good work but they do not always help pupils to understand how they can improve. Teachers give pupils plenty of opportunities to use their writing skills and to write at length in the form of diaries and letters.

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HISTORY

113. The history curriculum is satisfactory, and contains well-planned opportunities for pupils to look at objects from the past. Planning has been modified to reflect recent National Curriculum changes. Pupils’ ideas about change over time are helped in other subjects, such as science when looking at growth. History makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development, such as when pupils write with feeling about the life of a Victorian servant. When studying Florence Nightingale, they also learn about the contribution made by Mary Seacole to nursing. Staff know pupils well, but there is no systematic assessment of pupils’ work at the end of a topic in relation to the key knowledge and skills developed. The new co-ordinator already has a clear idea of what she needs to do to monitor history and to help it to improve further.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

114. Standards in ICT are in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1. This is a similar judgement to the one given at the time of the last inspection. Evidence was gathered from one ICT lesson as well from a scrutiny of pupils' work displayed in each classroom and a detailed portfolio of pupils' work over the course of the last school year.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

115. The standards achieved by pupils reflect the satisfactory quality of teaching across the school. Teachers have a sound knowledge of the requirements of the National Curriculum in ICT and give pupils an appropriate range of work. The basic skills of the subject are covered well so pupils show sound keyboard skills and are adept at using the mouse to control the cursor on the screen. Pupils use different fonts and can St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 42 change size, style and colour when wordprocessing. They can organise information and represent it on a graph. For example, Year 2 pupils illustrated the different ways in which pupils travel to and from school. Although pupils have developed good skills in wordprocessing, they are less confident in other aspects of the subject. The work covered by pupils shows little evidence of presenting information in a variety of different forms, such as texts, tables, images and sounds, nor has there been enough

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

experience of using CD-ROMs or accessing the Internet to find information.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

116. ICT is used extremely well to support the development of pupils' literacy skills. In every class, computers are put to good use on a regular basis to encourage pupils to write at length. Around the school there are many examples of pupils' wordprocessing, with some particularly impressive poems on a range of different themes. All classes have computers with software to support work in mathematics and science, although there is limited evidence of these being used to any great extent. Work in art and design is supported through an appropriate software package, but overall ICT is not used enough to support pupils' learning in subjects across the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

117. Teaching is satisfactory. A particular improvement since the last inspection has been the higher profile given to the direct teaching of this subject. During the inspection, a short, but effective, lesson was observed when pupils in Year 2 sat around a computer and were taught how to change the font and size of letters. Teachers make good use of a detailed and useful scheme of work to guide their planning of the subject. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported by effective non-teaching assistants who work closely with teachers to provide good quality support. Teachers keep records of pupils' work in ICT and this information is used to plan appropriate work for pupils of different prior attainment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

118. Pupils have very positive attitudes to ICT. They approach computers with confidence and clearly enjoy their work in this subject. They co-operate well and share their ideas in a constructive and eager manner.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

119. Leadership is satisfactory. Teachers’ plans are monitored and useful feedback is given on how teaching might be improved. A portfolio has been produced to help teachers appreciate the range of work that is required, although the value of this is constrained by the lack of annotation and the fact that some aspects of the subject, such as experience of CD-Roms, are not included. The school's resources are satisfactory and have been improved recently with access to the Internet. Further training for new staff is planned to increase their confidence in using a range of software. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection.

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MUSIC

120. Standards are above average, with singing a particular strength of pupils’ achievement. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. Since then, opportunities to use instruments have increased due to an improvement in the number and range of available resources. The lower priority given to opportunities for pupils to compose and appraise their own music remains a feature of the provision. Overall, improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

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MUSIC

121. Pupils have a good sense of rhythm demonstrated in their ability to follow and repeat rhythmic patterns with instruments or when clapping. They hold and play instruments correctly under the careful guidance of the teacher and keep in time with the rest of the group. The quality of singing is good. Pupils are confident singers, whose enjoyment can be clearly seen in their faces. They take pleasure in achieving well. When singing St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 43 in unison, pupils maintain a good level of volume but with control. They respond to the mood and content of the song, adjusting the volume and gusto as appropriate. Their diction is clear and their sense of timing is good. In part, these features stem from the good model of singing that teachers give, but also pupils’ very good listening skills help them to quickly internalise new melodies.

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MUSIC

122. Teachers’ planning is sound and shows that they base their class teaching on taped commercial programmes which cover all the musical elements. This includes opportunities to compose music though the school did not have any samples of such work. Only a short part of a class lesson was observed, so it is not possible to judge the quality of teaching by class teachers. The teaching of the part-time specialist teacher is consistently good. The good pace he sets keeps pupils on their toes and not a moment is wasted. As a result, each lesson covers a good amount of ground in a short time. This means that activities change frequently and so pupils are stimulated and well motivated. However, there is limited time for pupils to be creative and to develop their own ideas in these lessons. Lessons build progressively on what went before and there is increasing difficulty within lessons. For example, the lesson in Year

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MUSIC

1 challenged pupils with increasingly complex patterns to clap which extended their skills. The management of pupils is good and expectations are high. Care is taken to ensure that pupils are watching and listening carefully; this ensures that all participate equally and can follow the musical content. In the main, opportunities are taken to improve pupils’ performance when they arise. Demonstrations of how to play instruments are clear and this is reflected in how quickly pupils become confident in their playing. Songs are well chosen to give opportunities to practise musical elements such as high and low and the repetitious nature helps pupils to quickly commit both words and tunes to memory. Use of actions reinforces the content of songs and the phrasing of melodies as pupils try to fit in actions to words; this is helpful for all pupils, but particularly for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English

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MUSIC

as an additional language, who may take longer to become familiar with the words.

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MUSIC

123. None of the staff profess a particular expertise for music and so the school meets its commitment to musical education by employing a part-time teacher for one morning per week. This ensures that each class receives a regular, though short, music lesson to supplement class lessons. There is no subject co-ordinator although the headteacher oversees provision informally and keeps it ticking over while music is not a high priority for development. There are no formal procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment or recording their progress over time.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. Standards in physical education are in line with national expectations. Although standards are not as high as at the time of the last inspection the school has done well to maintain standards to their present level given the considerable changes in staffing this term.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. During the inspection, lessons were observed in dance and games. In both areas, pupils achieve satisfactorily. In dance, pupils are developing their awareness of space effectively and they move around the hall with ease and confidence. Most pupils respond well to a pre-recorded audiotape and listen attentively to instructions but a small number of pupils do not find this presentation stimulating and do not respond as positively as they normally do in class, with the result that they are not able to fulfil their potential. Many show imagination and inventiveness in their movements and more able pupils put together a sequence of movements. In games, pupils throw and catch with reasonable levels of skill. There are no significant differences between the attainment of St Peter-in-Chains RC Infant School - 44 boys and girls, although in both dance and games, girls show greater effort and achieve slightly better than boys.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. Teaching is satisfactory. Lessons are well planned and teachers make good use of plentiful resources, including the spacious hall. The management of pupils is satisfactory, though it is usually very good in class lessons in other subjects and, as a result, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are not as good as at other times. Lessons are lively with plenty of action. A common weakness, which meant lessons were judged to be satisfactory rather than good, is that pupils are not consistently taught the importance of planning and evaluating for themselves. Teachers make reasonable use of pupils’ demonstrations to illustrate a good performance, but the strengths and weaknesses of a particular effort are not made clear to pupils. The effect of this is that pupils are not clear what they have to do to improve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. Leadership is satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator has developed a useful scheme of work that guides teachers in their planning of lessons and shows that all aspects of the National Curriculum are being covered. Although teaching is not monitored, a scrutiny of teachers' plans shows consistency so that pupils receive the same range of experiences regardless of which class they are in.

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