Other · Ofsted report

Boxted St Peter's Church of England School

Inspected — · published 5 Oct 2001 · URN 115072

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Full report text

BOXTED C.E. (V.C.) PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st –24 th May 2001

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BOXTED C.E. (V.C.) PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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BOXTED C.E. (V.C.) PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane Boxted Colchester Essex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st April 1997 Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr M. A. Mackay Registered inspector • English, • Science • Information and communication technology • Design and technology • Physical education • Religious education • Special educational needs • Characteristics of the school • Standards • How well the pupils are taught • How good the curriculum and other opportunities are • How well the school is led and managed Mr R. Ibbitson Lay inspector • The pupils attitudes values and personal development • How well the school cares for its pupils • How well the school works in partnership with the parents

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mrs J. Young Team inspector • Areas of learning for the under fives • Mathematics • Art and Design • Geography • History • Music • Equal opportunities The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Sandfield Educational Consultants Limited

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16 Wychwood Drive Trowell Park Nottingham NG9 3RB

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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:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Boxted School is a Voluntary Controlled Church of England primary school that serves the rural village of Boxted and some of the outlying districts. There are ninety-four full-time pupils, aged four to eleven, on roll. There are sixteen children in the reception class who follow the programme of study for the Foundation Stage. Twenty per cent of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is about average. All of the pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds and none is learning English as an additional language. The pupils’ attainment on entry is broad but, because there are so few pupils in each of the cohorts, the level of attainment can differ significantly from year to year. Currently, just over one fifth of the pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs. Because the school is so remote, most pupils need to use transport provided by the local education authority.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Boxted is an effective school. It provides a good education for its pupils. Standards are above average because the curriculum is very well planned, the teaching is consistently good, and the leadership and management are very effective in providing a caring and supportive environment in which the pupils enjoy learning. The pupils, therefore, work hard and achieve well. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The pupils attain above average standards because the teaching is good and the pupils work hard; • The pupils are very well behaved and have positive attitudes to learning and to each other; • The teaching is consistently good and often very good or better; • The curriculum is well planned and there are many opportunities for the pupils to learn through practical, problem-solving activities; • The school makes very good use of information from a range of assessments to plan work to meet the needs of pupils; • The needs of pupils are well met, particularly the pupils with special educational needs, and the higher attaining pupils. • The teaching assistants work very effectively with the pupils; • The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ well-being and for their spiritual, moral and social development; • The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher; • The governors are very well informed about the work of the school; their support for the

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What could be improved

• There are no areas in which the school needs to make significant improvements, but there are minor issues that the school should consider. These are included in the full report. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When the school was last inspected in April 1997, the standards achieved in English, mathematics and science were judged to be satisfactory and the school was considered to provide sound value for money. Since then, the school has made very good progress in addressing all of the issues raised by the inspection. As a result, some aspects of the school’s work that were identified as weaknesses in 1997 are now among its strengths. In Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 7 particular, the school has improved standards to above average in mathematics, science, art, geography and history. It has significantly improved how it plans the curriculum and how it monitors and assesses the pupils’ attainment and progress. The quality of teaching has improved significantly to the point where it is consistently good. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, and the governors make a significant and effective

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

contribution to the life and work of the school. The school has responded very well to the last inspection.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A A E E* well above average above average A B

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Key

Mathematics A B C C average below average C D Science A A A A well below average E

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Key

Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage are above average, and the children achieve well. In the most recent national tests at Key Stage 1, the pupils attained above the average standard in reading, well above the average standard in writing, but below the average standard in mathematics, when compared to all schools and similar schools. The inspection evidence is that standards in all three subjects are above average. The pupils did not achieve the expected standards in mathematics in the 2000 national tests because, in the period before the tests, the teaching was not as effective as it is now, and insufficient time was devoted to the subject. In the 2000 national tests at Key Stage 2, the pupils attained well above the average standard in science, the average standard in mathematics, but well below the average standard in English. The inspection evidence indicates that the pupils in the present cohort attain above average standards in science, mathematics and

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Key

reading, and average standards in writing. The standards attained in English are, therefore, better now than a year ago but still lower than in the other subjects. This is partly because the most recent cohorts included high proportions of pupils with special needs and pupils admitted part way through the academic year, and partly because too little time was devoted to the teaching of writing. Standards in the pupils’ writing are rising now because the teaching places greater emphasis on written language, the learning is better organised, and there are more teaching assistants to help the lower attaining pupils. The school has set appropriate targets for attainment in English and mathematics, which it is likely to achieve. The pupils attain above average in art, geography and history because those subjects are very well taught. In all of the other subjects, the pupils attain at least the expected standards. The school has successfully raised standards in information and

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Key

communication technology to a point where they are in line with standards found in most schools. Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils have very good attitudes to learning. They make good use of all of the learning opportunities provided at the school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The pupils behave very well in lessons and at other times. They work and play happily together.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The pupils maintain very positive relationships with their peers, their teachers and other adults. The pupils develop good personal skills that contribute to effective learning and productive relationships.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is very good and well above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils develop positive attitudes and values because the leadership and management of the school have successfully established an ethos that encourages the pupils to work hard, take a lively interest in lessons and act positively towards one another. A striking characteristic of the behaviour of the older pupils is their willingness to involve the younger ones in games activities in the playground. The younger pupils are very quick to emulate the positive attitudes and values of the older ones.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall: 34 Good 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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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good overall. It was good or better in all of the lessons seen. It was very good in twenty-three per cent of the lessons, and excellent in six per cent of them. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are well implemented. The quality of teaching in mathematics and science is good, and very good in English. It enables the pupils of all abilities to achieve well. Some aspects of the teaching of writing are excellent. As a result, the pupils learn very quickly, and the standards are rising. There are a number of other strengths. These include the skill with which the teachers organise learning in classes of children in more than one year group; the effectiveness with which the lessons are planned, using information about what the pupils know and can do; and the effective contribution of the skilled teaching assistants. There are no significant weaknesses in the teaching. Because the teaching is good,

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

the pupils are interested in the learning activities, and invest much effort in what they do. The pupils regularly agree targets for improvement with their teachers and work enthusiastically to meet them. The quality of learning among all pupils, including those with special educational needs and the higher attaining pupils, is good. Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 9

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is very well planned and is enhanced by the number of useful links between subjects.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The pupils who have special educational needs are well supported. The teachers and the teaching assistants ensure that all of the pupils benefit from full access to the curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is very good, particularly those aspects promoting the pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. There are many opportunities for the pupils to develop positive moral values and to acquire a good range of personal and social skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has effective arrangements for securing the well being of the pupils. It provides good support and guidance to all pupils. It has appropriate health and safety arrangements, including those for child protection.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The curriculum places an appropriate emphasis on the pupils’ acquisition of literacy and numeracy skills, and it offers the pupils good opportunities for the skills and knowledge acquired in one subject to be used in others. The school provides particularly well for learning in English, mathematics, science, art, geography and history. However, a lack of suitable accommodation restricts the amount of indoor physical education that can be provided. The school offers few activities outside normal lesson time because most pupils need to travel on the school bus.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school demonstrates its good care for the pupils in its arrangements for monitoring and recording the pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science. When planning what to teach and how, the school makes effective use of the outcomes of on-going assessment and assessments made each term. This is particularly important given the mixed year groups in each class and the very wide range of individual needs. The school works well in partnership with the parents. Its annual reports on pupils’ attainment and progress are good.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage-ment by the Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher provides a very clear vision for the school’s development. As a Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 10 headteacher and other key staff result, the ethos of high standards is well established, and the pupils achieve well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors’ fulfil their duties very well. They know the school thoroughly, and are very good at monitoring and evaluating the progress the school makes in implementing its educational priorities.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has excellent arrangements for monitoring teaching and learning. It sets challenging targets for both teachers and pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of time and the available resources to provide a well-planned and interesting range of learning opportunities.

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Aspect Comment

The school has sufficient teachers to teach the curriculum. They are very well supported by an appropriate number of well-trained and effective teaching assistants. The school has sufficient resources to teach the full curriculum, but the accommodation, though very pleasant and well maintained, does not provide the facilities needed for indoor physical education lessons. There are significant strengths in the leadership of the school. The headteacher leads by example in maintaining the high standards of teaching, and has excellent arrangements for monitoring the teaching. The headteacher and governors have successfully addressed all the issues arising from the last inspection. They work closely together to ensure that the school applies the principles of best value in planning educational change and in making prudent spending decisions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children are making good progress in school; • The school expects the children to work hard and achieve their best; • The children behave very well; • The school is helping their children become mature and responsible; • The school is well led and managed; • The teaching is good; • Their children like school; • The parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem; The number of parents who felt they would like to see one or more aspects of the school’s work improved was not significant. Nevertheless the following were identified by a small minority of parents:

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons; • Their children get the right amount of work to do at home.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection evidence fully supports the parents’ positive views. The inspectors agree with the view that the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons, but note the difficulties faced by the school on account of the very high number of pupils who must travel to and from school by bus. The parents were divided on the issue of homework: some felt too much was set, others, that too little was set. The amount of homework provided is similar to that found in most other primary schools. The school makes good use of English homework for higher attaining pupils. Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The attainment of a large proportion of the children who enter the reception class at the age of four is at the expected level, but the range of attainment is very wide and the cohorts are small. This leads to significant differences in attainment on entry from year to year. Most of the children make good or better progress towards the Early Learning Goals during their time in the reception class. As a result, they are likely to exceed the Early Learning Goals in language, literacy, mathematics, creative development, physical development, and knowledge and understanding of the world. Their personal development and social development are well above the expected level.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. In the 2000 national tests for the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils’ attainment in reading was above the national average in relation to all schools and similar schools. In the writing tests, the proportion of the pupils attaining the expected standard was well above the average for all schools and for similar schools. In mathematics, the number of pupils who attained the nationally expected standard was below average for all schools and for similar schools. The test results in mathematics are not typical of standards attained at the school. In fact, with the exception of last year, standards have been average or above average since 1996. They are likely to be above average again in the 2001 national tests. The main reasons for the lower standards in mathematics in the 2000 national tests were the lack of time devoted to the subject, and weaknesses in the teaching. The school has fully addressed these issues. In reading and writing the trend in attainment in recent years has

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The school’s results and achievements

been above the national trend, but slightly below it in mathematics. There were no significant differences in the results of boys and girls.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Standards in the work seen in English during the inspection are above average for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. In mathematics, too, the pupils reach above average standards because the teaching is better, and more time is devoted to teaching the subject. Standards in science are above average because the teaching now provides greater opportunities for the pupils to experience practical and investigative activities. In art, the standard the pupils’ attain is above that expected of pupils aged seven. In all other subjects, the standards the pupils attain are at the expected level.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In the 2000 national tests at the end of Key Stage 2, the proportion of pupils attaining the nationally expected standard was well below average in English, average in mathematics and well above average in science when compared to all schools and to similar schools. It should be noted that last years results in English are not typical of standards attained at the school. In fact in 1998 and 1999 standards were well above average in English. However, the Year 6 cohorts for the past two years had an unusually high proportion of pupils with special educational needs who found it difficult to acquire and use written language skills. In 2000, four of the eleven pupils were admitted partway through the school year and eight of them had special educational needs. In 2001, six pupils out of a cohort of eleven began the year on the special educational needs register.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The standard of work at Key Stage 2 that was seen during the inspection was above average in mathematics and science. Although pupils attained above average standards in reading, speaking and listening, the standard of their written work was about average. Nevertheless, this represents good achievement. Six of the eleven pupils in the cohort began the year on the school’s register of special educational needs but, with greater support from teaching assistants and a stronger focus on teaching writing skills, three of them were able to come off the register before the national tests were taken. The cohort for 2002 has a more typical distribution of attainment among its pupils. The pupils in it are Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 12 in line to achieve above average standards in writing. In particular, the higher attaining pupils are achieving very well because they benefit from extra teaching that is very well

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The school’s results and achievements

matched to their needs. In art, geography and history, the pupils’ attainment is above average. In design and technology, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education, the standards the pupils attain are close to those expected of eleven-year-old pupils. The pupils achieve well across a wide range of subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. The school has responded well to the key issue to extend pupils’ learning in all subjects, but particularly in information and communication technology at Key Stages 1 and 2. The standards in information technology have improved because the teachers are better informed, and the curriculum places much greater emphasis on the direct teaching of skills. The teaching is beginning to make greater use of technology to support the pupils’ learning across a greater range of subjects, including English, mathematics, science, history, geography and art. Overall, standards at both key stages have improved significantly since 1997. The level of achievement among all groups of pupils is good. The pupils make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1 and 2.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. The pupils with special educational needs make good progress at the Foundation Stage and thereafter because they are well supported by the teachers and by the teaching assistants, and have well-chosen learning targets in their individual education plans. The teachers receive good support from the special needs co-ordinator and the named governor for special educational needs. The school’s effective use of new technology in drawing up individual education plans is helping teachers to plan more effectively for the pupils’ needs. The higher attaining pupils make good progress, particularly in reading and writing because the school has good arrangements for providing them with suitably challenging work. Examples of the high standards being attained by these groups of pupils were seen in writing lessons for Years 1 and 2, and Years 4 and 5 where the teaching was excellent.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. The good attitudes and behaviour of the pupils, reported at the last inspection, have been maintained. Pupils enjoy coming to school and have very good attitudes to their learning. The pupils are well behaved and interested in activities in the classroom. During a design and technology lesson for Years 1 and 2, for example, there was intense concentration as the pupils considered how to make the materials rigid enough to construct swings and roundabouts for a model playground they were building. In a lesson for Years 3 and 4, in religious education, the pupils were still and silent as they reflected on the significance of the Jewish Sabbath, about which they had been learning through demonstrations involving role-play by the teacher and two of the pupils. Throughout the school the pupils listen carefully to their teachers and are eager to answer questions and contribute to discussions. Their very good attitudes to learning help them to achieve well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The pupils behave very well in and around the school. They are fully aware of the school’s code of conduct, which they themselves helped to formulate. The pupils move around the school sensibly and come into class in an orderly manner, ready to start work. In the playground, and on the playing field they are enthusiastic and active. They participate in and enjoy a good range of playground activities. Both girls and boys play football and other competitive games. They use their time well in imaginative play. For example, three pupils devised a game of their own, pretending to be galloping horses; two girls played recorders, and others picked flowers to display in the classroom. The pupils play well together in pairs and groups. Boys and girls of different ages mix freely. There were no signs of bullying or other aggressive behaviour. The pupils are friendly and polite to visitors and enjoy talking to them. At lunchtimes, the pupils wait patiently for their meals,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

and act sensibly at the table, enjoying the opportunity to talk to friends. Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 13 10. Relationships among the pupils and between pupils and adults in the school are very good. In discussions with some of the pupils from Years 5 and 6, all agreed that the pupils get on well with each other. The pupils feel secure in school and respect and trust the adults who care for them. This is a considerable factor in the quality of their learning and their enjoyment of school. In lessons, the pupils help each other, and, when asked to, work independently without the need for close supervision.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The pupils’ personal development is very good. There is a good community ethos in the school and the pupils have a strong awareness of their responsibilities towards others. Older pupils, for example, help to clear away after the younger ones at lunchtimes, and prepare for assemblies. The younger children take turns in carrying registers and dinner lists back to the school office. Many of the pupils work with their parents in managing the environmental area. They also look after paths and feed the birds in winter. Through their interest in charities, particularly their concern for a Kenyan boy, whom they support financially, the pupils show their awareness of others less fortunate than themselves.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance has improved since the last inspection; it is well above the national average and is very good. The pupils arrive punctually for school, and respond well to the registration procedures, enabling teachers to mark the registers promptly and begin lessons on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The school has fully addressed the key issues in the last report to improve teaching. This has been accomplished by the effective use of monitoring of teaching, and good use of opportunities for teachers to improve their classroom practice. In all of the lessons observed, the teaching was good or better. In seventy-one per cent of the lessons, the teaching was good, in twenty-three per cent of them it was very good, and in six per cent of lessons, the teaching was excellent. The proportion of lessons in which the teaching was good or very good is similar at all three key stages. Some very good teaching was observed in lessons in English, art, geography, design and technology, music and religious education. The examples of excellent teaching were in English at Key Stages 1 and 2. The teaching in the Foundation Stage was very good in language work and in lessons in knowledge and understanding of the world.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The teachers know how to plan lessons well and how to organise pupils effectively for learning. These skills are particularly useful in a small school where the teaching needs to take account not only of a wide range of attainment within each class but also the wide range of ages and levels of maturity. In all of the lessons, the teachers set appropriate learning objectives that the pupils understand. The teachers match the content of their teaching and the learning tasks very well to the age and attainment of the pupils. All of the pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are higher attaining pupils, are able to participate fully in lessons. In an upper Key Stage 2 science lesson, for example, the teaching assistant working with the lower attaining pupils used skilful questions and the pupils’ answers to them, to help the pupils record their observations. As a result, the pupils gained a deeper understanding of how forces of gravity and upthrust

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

affect the weight of objects. In a Key Stage 1 history lesson, in which the pupils were learning about changes in seaside entertainment since 1900, the teacher carefully differentiated the work according to the needs of the pupils. As a result, the pupils tackled their work confidently and stayed on task until it was completed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. A significant strength of the teaching is the management and organisation of the pupils. The teachers expect and achieve high standards of behaviour from the pupils. They achieve this because they ensure that the pupils know that they are expected to listen carefully and work hard. The teachers give them clear instructions and have well Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 14 established classroom routines. These help the pupils to feel secure and to understand what it is they have to do. The teachers organise the pupils well for learning. This allows the pupils to participate fully in discussion work and in the many well-designed practical activities. In an English lesson at Key Stage 1, for example, the teacher used whole class sessions very well to establish the theme and nature of the work to be tackled. She used question and answer sessions to help the pupils understand what each group had to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

accomplish. She also used carefully graded activities that matched the needs of the different groups, and she deployed adult help well to ensure that the pupils who needed support got it. The work for all pupils was challenging and excited the pupils’ interest. The lower attaining pupils had good resources such as word-bank cards that were carefully designed to help them identify patterns in their sentence-making exercises. The higher attaining pupils had ready access to dictionaries and thesauri and used them well to complete their work. In the plenary session, the teacher used large cards displaying parts of sentences. The pupils were invited to re-arrange the cards to make a set of sentences and to explain the differences in meaning that the changes created. The pupils not only hugely enjoyed this activity; they also found the exercise useful because it helped them to consolidate what they had learned about adjectival phrases in the main part of the lesson.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The teachers are clear about the strengths and weaknesses of each pupil’s attainment. They make good use of discussion and questions during whole class and group work activities, and the observations made by the teaching assistants to assess each pupil. They also make consistently good use of marking. The teachers supplement the information they gather from these sources with more formal assessment carried out each half term. As a result, the teachers have a good knowledge of what the pupils know and can do. The teachers make effective use of this information to inform their curriculum planning, their planning for lessons and the way they deploy and use support staff and resources for effective learning. They regularly review each pupil’s work and agree targets for improvement with each one. This motivates the pupils to work hard and to accept a measure of responsibility for their own learning. Because the pupils regularly agree targets

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

for improvement, they have a good knowledge of what they are doing and how well they have done. This has a positive impact on the rate at which the pupils learn and make progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The teachers have a thorough knowledge of the national strategies and frameworks for literacy and numeracy, and teach them well. Even though the classes contain more than one age group, the teaching takes account of the recommended structures for lessons in literacy and numeracy. In literacy, these are informed by a flexible yet systematic approach to teaching reading, spelling and handwriting. The school has adapted the structure of literacy hour lessons to meet the needs of its pupils. For example, much of the guided reading work is done outside the hour, leaving more time for the teaching of writing. This has allowed the teachers to address weaknesses identified in the national tests results. Another strength of the teaching is the success the teachers have had in implementing a reading and phonics programme that is having a significant impact upon the pupils’ ability to use phonic knowledge to aid reading and spelling.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Another significant strength of the teaching is the range of methods used to support learning. In particular, the teachers make very effective use of practical work, problem- solving activities and opportunities for firsthand experiences. They also make good use of modelling, demonstrations, resources and artefacts, and opportunities for pupils to discuss what they are learning. In science lessons, for example, the pupils are presented with many opportunities to investigate for themselves important scientific processes. In a lower Key Stage 2 lesson, the teacher carefully organised the activities to allow the pupils to investigate the relative strengths of bar and horseshoe magnets. The pupils were encouraged to approach their tasks scientifically by making careful observations and measurements, and by checking to see whether or not they had set up fair test conditions. In an upper Key Stage 2 design and technology lesson, the pupils were asked to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

investigate cams and how they could be used to control the movement of toys they were Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 15 making. The teacher carefully reviewed with the pupils what they had learned previously, but insisted that they investigate for themselves how they might solve design problems. Examples of this approach to problem solving were also seen in an art lesson. In geography and science lessons, the teaching makes effective use of the rich resources offered by the school grounds and the local area to give the pupils firsthand experiences of the topics they study. In learning about life processes for example, the pupils use the local woodlands and ponds to learn about plant and animal growth and development. During the inspection, the younger pupils were following with interest the metamorphoses of tadpoles into frogs. In English lessons, the teachers are very skilled at modelling the writing process.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

This helps the pupils to grasp what writers do when they plan, organise, draft and edit their work in order to make it more effective. In lessons in religious education, history and mathematics, resources are well used to support learning. In a lower Key Stage 2 lesson, the teacher made good use of artefacts to help the pupils understand how followers of Judaism celebrate Shabbat. The range and quality of these teaching methods motivate the pupils to work hard and help them to gain a good understanding of their learning.

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PUPILS?

19. The key issues for action from the previous inspection have been addressed in full. The school now has a clear, effective curriculum framework that enables the teachers to plan systematically. 20. The school has a well-planned curriculum for the children at the Foundation Stage. It is based upon the Stepping Stones and The Early Learning Goals and includes all six Areas of Learning. The curriculum provides a set of learning activities that are well matched to needs of the children. It is based upon the school’s successful implementation of new curriculum, and its effective use of information on children provided by parents, and by regular assessments of each child’s attainment and progress. The curriculum for the children in the reception class, therefore, helps them to make good progress towards the attainment of all the Early Learning Goals.

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PUPILS?

21. The school provides a broad and very well planned curriculum for the pupils at Key Stages 1 and 2. The curriculum includes all of the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The school gives a high priority to the teaching of literacy and numeracy throughout both key stages. It has implemented the strategy for literacy very well, and has modified it in order to meet the particular needs of its pupils. This has had a positive impact upon the standards the pupils attain and is clearly evident in the pupils’ written work, and the confidence with which the pupils discuss their writing. Furthermore, the school has been very successful in implementing an effective programme of work in phonics. As a result, the pupils’ are better readers and better spellers than they were. The pupils hugely enjoy the learning activities and are highly motivated to work hard. The school provides well for most subjects, but particularly for English, mathematics, science, art,

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PUPILS?

design and technology, geography and history. These are well planned to allow the pupils many opportunities to engage in practical activities. The school’s provision for information and communication technology is much improved since the time of the last inspection. The provision is now satisfactory overall. There is much good work done in physical education, but the lack of suitable accommodation sometimes prevents the school from providing a balanced programme of work. For example, there are no suitable indoor facilities for gymnastics, and lessons, therefore, have to be taught outdoors. This limits the range of activities the school is able to provide. The weather, too, affects the frequency of lessons. The weather for this academic year has been particularly unsuitable and has seriously Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 16 disrupted the planned work. Despite these difficulties, the school meets statutory

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PUPILS?

22. The school has successfully adopted many of the model schemes of work published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. It has devised and implemented a well- constructed two-year rolling programme for the teaching of all subjects. This has helped it to overcome the challenge presented by mixed-age classes, and has provided the pupils with the learning experiences they need at each stage of their education. As a result, the pupils acquire an appropriate range of skills, knowledge and understanding across the whole of the curriculum. Through careful and imaginative planning, the school has devised strong links among the subjects so that work in one subject supports and extends work others. For example, what the pupils learned about soil and its properties in science lessons was used effectively in art lessons in which the pupils explored ‘Earth colours’. What the pupils learned about natural colours and shades in art lessons was, in turn, used

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PUPILS?

to produce attractively decorated plain shapes in lessons in mathematics. The language the pupils acquired in order to discuss colours, properties of materials and mathematical shapes was well used in literacy lessons. The themes that link the subjects help to give coherence to the learning.

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PUPILS?

23. The school’s subject plans for each term are well thought through. The teachers use a common format to record what they will teach and how they will teach it. They are guided not only by clear statements in the schemes of work about what the pupils learn, but also by a set of agreed statements about how the pupils are expected to develop as learners . The plans are carefully monitored by the subject co-ordinators and the headteacher. The teachers evaluate their own lessons and use the information well to inform future planning. For example, for each of the subjects, they make very effective use of the Programmes of Study and model schemes of work in order to meet the needs of pupils of different levels of attainment. One outcome of the school’s diligent planning is the good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Its arrangements ensure that these pupils are taught the full curriculum and are helped to benefit from it through careful well-matched activities and

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PUPILS?

good levels of support from the teaching assistants. Another outcome is the school’s particularly effective provision of English work that matches the needs of the higher attaining pupils. This enables the pupils to tackle very challenging literary texts and extend their writing skills to a level that is well above average. The inspection revealed abundant evidence of the higher attaining pupils’ very good knowledge of literature, and their skills in producing well-crafted stories and other forms of writing.

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PUPILS?

24. The school’s arrangements for health education are good. Much of the work is taught through the curriculum for science, in which there is an appropriate emphasis on developing a healthy lifestyle. This is done in lessons on the properties of different foods and in work on the effects of exercise on the lungs and heart. The governors have agreed policies on sex education and drugs awareness. The school conscientiously implements them.

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PUPILS?

25. Overall, the school makes satisfactory use of homework to support pupils’ learning at home. It has a new policy to inform how homework is used. In practice, there are minor inconsistencies in its implementation, and some parents are unsure of what to expect. However, some aspects of homework practice are good. For example, the homework set in English for the higher attaining pupils is very well planned. It is challenging and successfully enriches the pupils’ experience of literature. It also extends the opportunities the pupils have to write experimentally and at length. The school runs a dance club and a recorder group, but because most pupils travel to and from school by school bus, it is difficult for the school to provide a sufficiently wide range of activities.

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PUPILS?

26. The school enriches the curriculum by making effective use of visits and visitors. A visiting poet works with the younger pupils to help them explore the language of poetry. The older pupils attend performances of Shakespeare’s plays. The school makes good use of visits to places, locally and further a field, to enhance the curriculum. It takes full Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 17 advantage of interschool events organised by the local cluster of small schools. For example, it arranges for its pupils to participate in a literature and art weeks, and in sessions devoted to drama and music. The activities planned for this year include dancing, singing and artwork from Bolivia and Columbia.

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PUPILS?

27. The school makes good provision for the pupils’ spiritual development. It uses opportunities in the daily acts of collective worship very well. The assemblies are well planned and hold the pupils’ attention. The school chooses the themes carefully and makes sensitive use of opportunities for prayer and reflection to help the pupils to consider the spiritual dimension to life. In an assembly and act of worship on the theme of friendship, for example, the teacher helped the pupils to acquire a deeper understanding of the spiritual aspect of friendship though an exploration of how a famous composer had celebrated his friends in one of his compositions. The hymns, too, were well chosen to reflect the theme of the assembly and to deepen the pupils’ understanding of the importance of friendship. The school makes effective use of contributions from other subjects to deepen and widen the pupils’ spiritual development. Learning activities in art, music, literacy and religious

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PUPILS?

education help the pupils to reflect on nature and humankind. In religious education lessons, the pupils learn about an appropriate range of faiths that helps them to respect the religious beliefs and values of others. The school is closely associated with the local parish church and this provides opportunities for understanding how worship can deepen spiritual understanding. The pupils are very proud of the church and are keen to show it to visitors.

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PUPILS?

28. The school provides very well for the pupils’ moral development. Through assemblies, religious education and stories, it successfully encourages the pupils to think about moral issues and to consider the differences between right and wrong. The pupils are given responsibility for developing their own moral standards and codes of behaviour in discussions with teachers and other adults. As a result, the pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes moral action and good behaviour. The teachers, and other adults at the school, share expectations that pupils will be polite, show respect for people and property, and understand the need for fairness. As a result, few sanctions are needed or used.

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29. The school makes very good provision for the social development of its pupils. Relationships are good between staff and pupils, and very good among the pupils themselves. As a result, the daily life of the school is harmonious, friendly and supportive. The teachers and classroom support assistants offer good role models to the pupils. They encourage the pupils to carry out tasks that contribute to the smooth running of the school. For example, the older pupils often help to supervise the younger ones at playtimes. They include them in their games. Many pupils carry out routine tasks, too, such as collecting and returning registers.

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PUPILS?

30. The school’s provision for the cultural development of the pupils is good. Appreciation of their own and other cultures is fostered in lessons in religious education, music, English, art, geography and history, and in assemblies. The contribution made by activities organised by the local cluster of small schools that support the pupils’ cultural development has already been noted. The school has links with the community in Durness, in Sutherland, Scotland and, through its sponsorship of a young boy called Moses, with Kenya.

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PUPILS?

31. The school successfully enhances the curriculum through its good links with the local community. It uses the history and geography of the local area well to support the pupils’ learning. A local farmer makes available a swimming pool to enable the Key Stage 1 pupils to benefit from swimming instruction. A parent, who is also a qualified swimming instructor, helps with the teaching. The Key Stage 2 pupils, however, are not provided with swimming instruction because there is no suitable pool in the area and the costs, in terms of money and curriculum time, prohibit travelling further a field. The school uses its own extensive grounds very well to provide its pupils with opportunities to study plants, trees and insects. The school has developed a wide range of local contacts to support its work. Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 18 32. The school’s relations with the partner schools, such as the local secondary school and

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the cluster of small primary schools, are good. The school has developed useful curricular links with the high school, such as the technology day for Year 5 pupils when pupils benefit from being able to use the technology resources of a large school. Work done on this day is followed up in lessons in design and technology and information and communication technology when the pupils return to their own school. The school’s links with the cluster of local small schools has helped to strengthen provision for the pupils across a wide range of subjects.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Boxted is a caring school and the high standard of care mentioned at the last inspection has been maintained. The school has good procedures for dealing with issues of child protection. The headteacher is the named person responsible for child protection matters, and all members of staff are aware of the need for vigilance. Good relationships are maintained with external agencies, who are readily contacted should the need arise. Records are kept securely.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school’s heath and safety policy and the procedures for implementing it are good. Staff and governors regularly carry out health and safety checks, the results of which are carefully recorded and filed. There are two qualified first aiders in the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. With the written permission of parents, the school may administer medicines to pupils. The school follows strict procedures for this to ensure effective control. All staff, including mid-day assistants and members of the governing body, have received training in the administration of medicines to pupils, and two members of the staff have received training in responding to the effects of food allergies in pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school’s Christian ethos is a major influence on pupils’ behaviour. The pupils are well aware of what constitutes the good behaviour expected of them. Teachers and ancillary staff serve as good role models for pupils to emulate, and pupils respond well to their caring attitudes. Procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour are very good. The parents and the pupils were involved in drawing up the school’s Code of Conduct. Members of the school staff ensure that these are fully implemented. Attendance is well monitored and all unexplained absences are followed up the same day. The school uses its reward scheme to encourage pupils to behave well, to attend regularly and to do their best.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Through the implementation of its sex education and drugs education policies, the school ensures that the pupils have an understanding of these matters, appropriate to their age. The school aims to give pupils the confidence they need to be able to cope with these social pressures.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. In order to prepare the children for entry into the school, the reception teacher visits play groups in the village to meet the children. She also visits children at home. The school arranges induction mornings for these children and their parents. When they leave the school, most of the Year 6 pupils attend the local secondary school, with which the school has very good relationships. Various induction events are held at the secondary school prior to the pupils being admitted. These help to ensure a smooth transfer from primary school to the next stage of education.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school has very good arrangements for assessing the attainment and progress of its pupils. The pupils are assessed soon after they are admitted to the reception class. They are assessed again at the end of the reception year to establish the progress they have made towards the Early Learning Goals. The school has good procedures for assessing pupils at seven and eleven and for tracking progress in English, mathematics Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 19 and science. The teachers supplement what they learn from formal assessments with information gained from diligent marking of the pupils’ day-to-day work. This provides the teachers with useful insights into what the pupils know and can do, and what they need to do next to improve. The teachers use less formal assessment methods during lessons. For example, they make good use of questions, and the pupils’ answers to them, to assess how well ideas and skills have been learned. The teaching assistants record their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

observations of individual pupils and share these with the teachers. The teachers make effective use of the half-termly assessments and the national tests to analyse patterns of attainment in the pupils’ work and their rates of progress. The outcomes of assessment and the tracking of pupils’ progress are used effectively when teachers come to plan further work for the pupils. The pupils who have special educational needs are carefully assessed and provided with appropriate support. The school is very effective in implementing Statements of Special Educational Need and the pupils’ individual education programmes.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The school has maintained the positive partnership with parents mentioned in the last report, and this has a direct bearing on the quality of support the school gives to the pupils’ learning at school and at home. Nearly all of the parents are satisfied with their children’s progress and are very supportive of the work of the headteacher and the members of staff.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The school encourages parents to help their children at home and gives them useful information on how to do this. For example, the parents of pre-school pupils are sent a book giving them advice and guidance. Some parents come into to school to help in the classrooms and to accompany children on school trips. One of the parents, who is a qualified swimming instructor, helps with the teaching of swimming to pupils at Key Stage 1. The reception class teacher makes home visits and organises a suitable induction programme to help the under-fives prepare for school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The standard of information to parents is very good. The documents made available to them clearly emphasise the vital role parents play in their children’s education. This is identified clearly, for example, in the home/school partnership statement, which sets out in detail the respective responsibilities of teachers and parents. The school has good arrangements for involving the parents of pupils who have special educational needs in reviewing their children’s progress and in supporting their learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The annual prospectus and the governor’s annual report to parents are both well presented. They give essential information about the school, including information on the curriculum and on major spending decisions. There are frequent newsletters to keep parents advised about every aspect of school life. All parents receive annual reports on their children’s attainment and progress. The reports are detailed and enable parents to see clearly the academic and personal progress their children have made. Following receipt of the reports, the parents have an opportunity to discuss them with class teachers at one of the school’s open evenings. Two other open evenings for parents are held at different times of the year. These are well attended. In discussions with parents, it was apparent that they find school staff very approachable, and feel that members of staff are willing to listen to any concerns about their children. The school uses home/school books as a useful

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

means of communication between parents and class teachers.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. There is a thriving school association of parents and teachers. The association holds events nearly every month and is well supported by school and parents. The substantial contributions made by the association have a significant impact on the life of the school. For example the association pays for a specialist games teacher to help pupils in Key Stage 2. The association contributes funds towards the cost of the five-day residential visit for pupils in Years5 and 6. This helps the school to bear half the cost of the course. Although the events arranged by the association are primarily to raise funds, they also Boxted CE (VC) Primary School - 20 serve as useful occasions for parents, pupils and teachers to meet socially. A good example of such an occasion is the summer barbecue.

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