Eastry Church of England Primary School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 28th February 2002

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SCHOOL

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

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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. Eastry C of E Primary School - 1

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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: Cooks Lea Eastry Sandwich Kent Postcode: CT13 0LR

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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: Rev Nigel Genders

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th May 1997 Eastry C of E Primary School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

18275 C Pittman Registered inspector The Foundation Stage Art History Religious education What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well is the school led and managed? How well are the pupils taught? 9710 R Burgess Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 22704 G Williams Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Science Geography Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

31218 Tom Allen Team inspector Equal opportunities English History Information and communication technology Design and technology Music 8332 P McLagan Team inspector Modern foreign languages

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Eastry C of E Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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 - 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Eastry is a one form entry primary school situated in a village near Sandwich in Kent. The school draws most of its pupils from the immediate catchment area, which is a mixture of social housing and owner occupied homes. Pupils come from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds; the population is mainly white British. The school is smaller than other primary schools. There are 193 pupils aged from four to 11 years in mixed ability classes. The overall attainment on entry is average, although this has varied in the past with pupils joining the school with below average attainment. Some, but not all, children attend a nursery or playgroup before joining the school.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (14 per cent) is broadly in line with the national average. Although, the percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need is below average, nearly a third of the pupils have a special educational need (SEN). This is above the national average. There is a high level of pupil mobility.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a school which despite challenging circumstances is set to improve. Its aims and objectives are now targeted on raising standards. All the teaching is at least satisfactory and a large proportion is good or better. The good teaching has recently begun to impact positively on pupils' learning. The trend of the school's results over the last four years has been broadly in line with the national trend. Given its circumstances the school has made satisfactory progress since its last inspection and is now beginning to respond well to the challenges it faces. It is led satisfactorily, is cost effective and provides sound value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teaching in the Foundation Stage is consistently good and pupils make good progress. • The provision for pupils' moral and social development is good. • The school's caring family ethos encourages good pupil attitudes, behaviour and relationships. Pupils enjoy school and are eager to learn. • Procedures for promoting good behaviour are effective. • The school has good links with parents.

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What could be improved

• Standards attained in English by pupils aged seven years and the standards attained in science and religious education by pupils aged 11 years. • Higher achieving pupils could be better challenged particularly in non-core subjects. • The contribution of staff with management responsibilities, particularly for Key Stage 1 and 2. • How assessment is used to change what is being taught in subsequent lessons. 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 inspected nearly five years ago, the standards achieved by pupils were good overall, the school's climate for learning was very good, the quality of education provided was good, as were the management and efficiency of the school. Since then standards in the core subjects have fluctuated with mathematics and science reaching levels well below average. However for the last two years they have been recovering and mathematics is now above the national average with science just below. The trend in the core subjects is now broadly in line with the national trend.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Although standards have fallen in some non-core subjects for example, religious education they have risen in art, design and technology, physical education and information and communication technology (ICT) as a result of improved provision. The school now uses nationally recognised schemes of work for most subjects. The monitoring of curriculum planning has enabled the headteacher to ensure that teachers have clear learning goals, although co-ordinators still do not monitor the teaching of skills Eastry C of E Primary School - 5 sufficiently enough in all subjects to identify areas for improvement. There are more opportunities for pupils to use their own initiative in problem solving and evaluate their own learning. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating standards in English and mathematics have also improved and assessment is used more effectively to evaluate pupils' progress, particularly from Years seven to 11.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

However, assessment information is still insufficiently used to change what is being taught on a daily basis. Governors are now more involved in financial planning and supporting the curriculum. They are beginning to know the school's strengths and weaknesses. Overall, the school has begun to make the changes necessary to significantly improve its effectiveness. It has made satisfactory improvement since 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 B C C C well above average above average A B mathematics E E B B average below average C D science D E D D well below average E

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Key

Most children when they start school are achieving standards in line with what is expected of children of this age. By the time they reach Year 1, their attainment is just above the expected standard in most cases. By age 11, pupils are attaining standards that are above average in mathematics, in line with the national average in English and below average in science. They attain similar standards when compared to the results of schools in a similar context. The percentage of pupils who reach the higher levels is above the national average in mathematics and broadly average in English and science. These results were an improvement on the previous year. Pupils' achievement at age 11 when compared to their prior attainment at age seven is well above average in English and mathematics and close to the average for similar schools in science.

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Key

In lessons seen, in both infant and junior classes, standards are in line with expectations in all subjects except mathematics, design and technology and physical education where they are above and science and religious education where they are below. Standards are affected by the significant turnover of some pupils who do not have the benefit of a continuous education and by the large number of pupils with SEN. The school met its targets last year.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils are keen to learn and eager to take part in all school activities. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour around the school and in lessons is good. Pupils respect each other and their teachers. Personal development and relationships The personal development of pupils is good overall. Relationships throughout the school are positive and older children are given specific responsibilities. Eastry C of E Primary School - 6 Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils are punctual and lessons start on time. Eastry C of E Primary School - 7 Pupils' attitudes to learning are good. They show sustained interest in their work. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite, well mannered and show respect for property. There is no evidence of bullying or disruptive behaviour.

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

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

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

Teaching is satisfactory overall. Just less than half of it is good and occasionally it is either very good or excellent. There is a positive ethos for learning in most classrooms. The best teaching is in Years 3 to 6. Most of the teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is predominantly good.

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

In English, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with some examples of good, very good and excellent teaching. Lessons are well planned and teachers manage the pupils well. In an outstanding lesson in Year 2, the teacher's infectious enthusiasm and meticulous management created a first-class learning environment where pupils made excellent progress. Lesson objectives are clearly explained to the pupils and appropriately revisited at the end of the lesson to evaluate what has been learnt.

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

The overall quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is good. The start of the lessons is well used to develop pupils’ mental mathematical skills. Group tasks are always well prepared. Pupils generally enjoy mathematics and are keen learners. Most teachers evaluate their mathematics lessons effectively.

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

With the exception of some literacy and numeracy lessons, day to day assessment is not used effectively to change what is being taught next. Marking is variable; it often includes a good range of positive, encouraging remarks. However, in some classes it is sometimes cursory and does not identify how pupils may improve. Homework is not used regularly enough to improve learning.

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

The school’s strategies for teaching literacy skills are underdeveloped and require a greater focus on teaching the basic skills. Insufficient emphasis is given to providing pupils with enough opportunities to use and apply literacy skills throughout the curriculum. The school’s strategies for teaching numeracy are satisfactory overall and are impacting positively on raising standards in mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 2. Support from teaching assistants is good.

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

The school meets the needs of most pupils well. Pupils with special educational need (SEN) receive good support. However, higher attaining pupils are not challenged enough in English at Key Stage 1, science at Key Stage 2 and some non-core subjects. Eastry C of E Primary School - 8

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of the curriculum is satisfactory overall. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Throughout the school there is good quality support given by the learning assistants. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. The principles of right and wrong are actively promoted and pupils' social and moral development are good. Provision for pupils' spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is good at caring for its pupils. Children are well known and this awareness is used effectively to support their personal development. Good procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress in mathematics and English have recently been introduced although assessment is still not being effectively used to inform planning in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The partnership between the parents and school is good. Most parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with a complaint or problem.

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Aspect Comment

The school provides a satisfactorily broad and relevant curriculum for its pupils overall but there is an imbalance in the time allocated to some subjects. This is impacting negatively on the standards in science.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership of the headteacher is sound and ensures clear direction for the work of the school. Staff have a shared commitment to improving standards. However, key staff are not taking rigorous enough action to monitor pupils’ achievement and raise standards in their respective key stages. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The Governing Body is very supportive of the school and takes an informed interest in forward planning and its day to day work. The governors fulfil their statutory duties and are beginning to take an active role in evaluating the school's strengths and weaknesses. The school’s evaluation of its performance Teaching is monitored satisfactorily by the headteacher, but there is insufficient monitoring of teaching, learning and target setting by some subject co-ordinators to improve standards. The strategic use of

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Aspect Comment

resources Decisions on spending are linked appropriately to educational priorities. This ensures that satisfactory value for money is achieved and the best use is made of resources.

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Aspect Comment

There is a good match of teachers to the demands of the curriculum. There are enough support staff and they are well trained. The accommodation is unsatisfactory. Three classes are housed in mobiles and, in spite of teachers’ best efforts, are unsuitable to meet the demands of the curriculum. Conditions are cramped and there is insufficient space to properly undertake practical activities. Resources are adequate in most subject areas despite a shortage in the number and quality of reading books. There is an inadequate play area for children under five and no large wheeled toys and climbing equipment. This Eastry C of E Primary School - 9 weakness was highlighted at the previous inspection but the situation remains.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The school expects children to work hard to achieve their best. • They would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. • Their children like school. • The quality and quantity of homework. • How the school reports on pupils' progress. • The way the school works with parents. • The range of activities provided outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the positive comments from parents. Homework is not systematically used to improve pupils' learning. This is a weakness. There is a good range of activities provided outside school. Inspection evidence found that the information on pupils' progress, provided by the school, is satisfactory. There are effective links with parents and they make a good contribution to the work of the school. Eastry C of E Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Many children when they start in the Reception class are attaining standards in line with those expected of children of this age. However, by the time they reach Year 1, most make good progress in their learning and their attainment is just above the expected standard although standards in writing are still below average. By the time they leave school at the end of Year 6, pupils are achieving results that are above the national average in mathematics, in line with the national average in English and below average in science. Pupils achieve similar results when their attainment is judged against schools in a similar context. Pupils' achievement is good in the Foundation Stage, satisfactory in Years 1 and 2, except for the progress made in writing, and satisfactory, overall, in the junior classes. Nearly a third of pupils have SEN and nearly one in ten pupils joins the school at some time other than at first admission.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Pupils’ achievement at 11 years, when judged against their prior attainment at seven years is well above average in English and mathematics and average in science. The underachievement in writing at seven years is beginning to be improved by the age of 11 but the rate of this progress is too slow. There is good analysis of attainment by gender showing that girls achieve better than boys in English and science, although there is little difference in the performance of boys and girls in mathematics. The school has made rapid improvement in the mathematics results since last year. This upward trend is largely the result of the successful targeting and monitoring of pupils. The school met its targets last year.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The results of the National Curriculum tests for English in 2001 for seven year olds are in line with the national average for reading but below average for writing. However, the percentage of pupils reaching higher levels when compared to all schools was close to the national average for reading and below average for writing. When compared to similar schools the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level is average in reading but well below average in writing. The number of pupils aged 11 years who reach the higher levels in English is in line with the national average. In comparison with similar schools, it is well above average. In English currently, standards in speaking and listening and reading, for seven year olds, are below expectations, although writing remains well below. The school is aware of the lower standards in writing and has implemented improvements that are beginning to have a positive effect. Inspection evidence and the school's

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

own pupil analysis indicates that current standards in listening for 11 year olds are as expected. Speaking, reading and writing are below average. These lower standards are due to the large proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the unusually high mobility of pupils in the group. Overall, achievement is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Mathematics test results for seven year olds were close to the national average. At the higher levels pupils' performance was below both the national average and the average of similar schools. Test results for pupils aged 11 years show pupils are attaining above the national average. The number of pupils who reach the higher levels is well above the national average and when compared to similar schools. Evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that standards in mathematics are in line with the national average by the end of Year 2. This is the same as at the time of the last inspection. Standards in Year 6 are above average despite the large number of pupils with SEN in the group. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and good in Years 3 to 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In science, teachers' assessments of seven-year-old pupils in 2001 showed standards were judged to be below the national average, with pupils only achieving the expected level in investigative science and living processes. Attainment at the higher level was estimated to be close to the national average. Test results for pupils aged 11 years showed standards of attainment to be below average. The number of pupils who reached the higher levels was close to the national average and was comparable to similar schools. Standards of work seen during the Eastry C of E Primary School - 11 inspection are average at the end of Year 2 and below average at the end of Year 6. Standards in Years 1 and 2 have been maintained. They have declined at Years 3 to 6 since the previous inspection. Achievement in science is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 and unsatisfactory in Years 3 to 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. There has been good improvement in the standards attained in numeracy since the last inspection, although there has been little improvement in literacy. The teaching of basic skills is insufficiently developed across the curriculum. The National Literacy Strategy has been successfully implemented but is not impacting positively enough to raise standards. Pupils have adequate opportunities for speaking and listening. Teachers actively encourage and develop these skills in lessons. However standards of reading are insufficiently developed at age seven and 11. Pupils lack the basic skills for reading unfamiliar words, particularly the application of letter sounds to decipher new words. Writing standards at age seven and 11 are still below average. Handwriting sessions take place regularly but the skills learned are often not used in writing tasks in other subjects. Pupils are making satisfactory progress with their writing in literacy lessons but

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the standard of writing produced in other curriculum areas is often much lower and unsatisfactory overall.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The National Numeracy Strategy has been successfully implemented within mathematics lessons and the use of numeracy in other subjects is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' achievement particularly in Key Stage 2. Most pupils are being taught to apply a range of techniques to solving mathematical challenges. They are taught to find ways of breaking up difficult calculations into manageable sections. The pace of their learning is beginning to improve.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards of attainment in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6 and pupils achieve appropriately. Since the last inspection, overall provision has improved significantly. For example, by Year 2 pupils are able to enter text and use the keyboard successfully to delete, backspace, change the font, alter the size of print, introduce colour, save and print their work. Good use is being made to support other subjects, for example constructing graphs in mathematics, finding out about foods in science, drawing pictures in art and obtaining information for geography and history. Year 6 pupils confidently use spreadsheets to input data on rectangles of given perimeters but varying lengths and widths to calculate the surface areas. They evaluate information by discussing the variations which occur. By the time pupils leave school they have acquired a sound basis for using ICT in all

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. By the end of Key Stage 1 attainment is broadly in line with national expectations in all other subjects. Pupils' progress is satisfactory in most subjects with the exception of music where it is good. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils' attainment and progress is in line with expectations in all other subjects except physical education and French where it is above expectations and religious education where it is below.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils with SEN make satisfactory progress in acquiring basic literacy and numeracy skills to achieve the targets on their IEPs. However, higher achieving pupils, particularly in English at Key Stage 1, science at Key Stage 2 and some non-core subjects, are not always sufficiently challenged.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Since the last inspection, at Key Stage 1, there has been good improvement in standards of attainment in art. Standards in English have declined. Standards in the rest of the subjects have been maintained. At Key Stage 2, there has been very good improvement in art and design and technology and good improvement in physical education and ICT. Standards have been maintained in English, mathematics, geography and history. They have declined in science and religious education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ attitudes to school are good overall. Attitudes during lessons are always satisfactory, usually good and occasionally very good in the Reception class and at Key Stage 2. Pupils Eastry C of E Primary School - 12 come to school enthusiastically and are happy there. Very good enthusiasm for learning was seen in Year 3, particularly during a counting exercise in numeracy where the whole class was involved. In a design and technology lesson pupils persevered well to find ways of making a piece of card into a free-standing structure. They sought advice and talked animatedly about their achievements with a good awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses. Pupils join in discussions in class and work well when they feel they are fully involved and the work is challenging. For example 11 year olds produced thoughtful responses to pre-teenage “Agony Aunt” questions in a personal and social education lesson. They are confident to express

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

opinions: for example, eight year olds articulated their feelings well about how others might have thought in the circumstances leading up to the crucifixion.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour overall in the school is good. In lessons, it is always satisfactory and more often good or better. If pupils of any age lapse into unacceptable behaviour they are quickly brought into line by their teachers and accept the school’s sanctions without argument. All pupils, including those with SEN, were well behaved during a Year 5 design and technology lesson, where practical work was difficult to carry out in the cramped conditions of the mobile classroom. Pupils behave well in assemblies and arrive and leave in an orderly way. They move about the school sensibly, are friendly and polite towards each other, adults in the school and visitors. In the playground behaviour is generally good, particularly in the lower years where a range of activities and play equipment are provided.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. There is an absence of oppressive behaviour, including bullying, sexism and racism. Pupils’ understanding of the impact of their actions on others is very good. They know what constitutes the sort of behaviour which is hurtful to others and that positive attitudes and actions make the school a happier place. Pupils generally show a good respect for other people’s feelings, values and beliefs. In a religious education lesson nine-year-olds were appreciative of each other’s views on the crucifixion and were fully involved in a polite, well mannered and purposeful discussion. Pupils show a sound sense of initiative and personal responsibility. They use equipment sensibly and share it well, for example in science and music. Year 6 pupils maintained positive attitudes in an information and communication technology lesson when they were frequently frustrated by the lack of hands-on experience.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils in all classes are taking an effective part in presenting their ideas about how the school could be improved, through representation on the school council. Older pupils are able to talk calmly and sensibly about their views on the school, what they like about it and what they feel could be better. When treated as young adults they behave in a mature way. They show themselves to be developing an inner spirit; ten year olds responded well in an English lesson to the task to complete the phrase “It was so quiet that I could hear…" using phrases such as “a beautiful butterfly’s silky wings” and “the earth moving round to become night”.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Relationships throughout the school are good. This is evident between the pupils themselves and between pupils and adults. A Year 1 numeracy lesson was more effective as a result of the openness between the teacher and pupils, who were encouraged to point out her deliberate mistakes on the board. In many lessons pupils demonstrated a good ability to work together, in pairs and in groups. Children under five were seen to share materials well in an art lesson, including a child who has problems communicating with others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance is just satisfactory. The overall rate has declined over the past two years and equates with the national mean for primary schools. Unauthorised absence is below the national average. Parents provide valid reasons for most absences, which are therefore authorised by the school. There is no clear pattern to explain reasons for absence. Most pupils arrive on time in the morning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Since the last inspection good attitudes, behaviour and personal development have been maintained by all groups of pupils. There were five temporary exclusions last year.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Eastry C of E Primary School - 13 19. Overall teaching throughout the school is satisfactory. This takes into account teachers' performance in lessons, in pupils' books, planning and assessment. In nearly half the lessons teaching was good or better. The rest was satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory or poor teaching. There is a positive ethos for learning in most classrooms. The best teaching occurs in the Foundation Stage, where two thirds of the teaching was good. In Years 1 and 2 just under two thirds of the teaching was satisfactory, just under a third was good and occasionally the teaching was excellent. In Years 3 to 6, nearly half the lessons were satisfactory and nearly half were good. One in ten lessons was very good. There has been satisfactory improvement in the quality of teaching in lessons when compared to the previous report. The percentage of good teaching has increased. However, the teaching of skills are still insufficiently developed

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

throughout the school. Teachers' expectations of pupils are not as high and their use of day to day assessment to inform future planning is not as secure as it was during the previous inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers' subject knowledge overall is good in the Foundation Stage and junior classes. It is satisfactory in infant classes. The teaching of basic skills is good in Early Years but needs improvement in other areas. This is evident in English, science, religious education, history and geography. The teaching of writing skills is particularly weak across many subjects. Teachers match work well to pupils' abilities in English and mathematics. Numeracy skills are taught appropriately. Literacy skills less so in some subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers plan appropriately and are generally well organised. They use a good range of questions to check pupils’ understanding and knowledge. They have good relationships with pupils and usually teach with good discipline and control. Management of pupils is a strength of teaching. Across the school teachers generally have high expectations of behaviour, but expectations of the standard of work achieved could be higher in both key stages and particularly in the standard of writing. For example, in an otherwise satisfactory religious education lesson in Year 6, work was particularly undemanding. Pupils were more challenged to sit still and understand what the teacher wanted than being challenged to show their understanding of the significance of the Qu'ran for the Muslims, by researching and writing about it in some detail.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. In the excellent or very good lessons, such as an English lesson in Year 2, the teacher’s style, fast pace, enthusiasm for the subject and constant challenge are most effective. Good listening skills are enhanced by the excellent teaching strategies employed. Very good subject knowledge is combined with observational assessment of pupils’ skills and development. These lessons contain a good balance of varied activities: whole class teaching; investigative work; and opportunities to use pupils' own learning. Work is well matched to pupils’ abilities so that they build on previous knowledge and understanding. Good features of teaching include enthusiastic and clear explanations, well-organised classrooms, established routines and opportunities for pupils to work in various ways. Resources are well used to motivate pupils and to extend knowledge. In most of these lessons the work is demanding and time is used effectively for

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

higher and lower attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs. Adults in the classroom are well organised and work effectively to raise standards.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. In the less effective, but never-the-less satisfactory, lessons, the pace of work is slow, insufficient demands are placed upon pupils and work is not well matched to their ages and attainments. Teaching is less dynamic so pupils are less engaged and become compliant rather than enthusiastic. In a satisfactory but undemanding history lesson in Year 1 the teacher’s introduction went on too long. Pupils consequently became increasingly disinterested and little learning was accomplished. The pace of the lesson was too slow and the work set was unchallenging and of mediocre quality. There was a lack of artefacts and good resources. This inhibited pupils' ability to develop the skills of good independent learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. Higher achieving pupils, particularly in English at Key Stage 1, science at Key Stage 2 and some non-core subjects, are not always sufficiently challenged. Work is sometimes not well matched to pupils' capabilities. Conversely, where activities are well matched to pupils' capability this has a positive effect on raising standards. This is particularly so in mathematics. Eastry C of E Primary School - 14 25. There is a clear emphasis on developing pupils’ skills of literacy and numeracy and these are beginning to be taught well. However, numeracy is better taught through the whole curriculum than literacy. Teaching of phonics is insufficiently well developed and this is evident in Years 1 and 2, where some average and lower attaining pupils do not have the strategies to work out simple words. Pupils' spelling is improving but errors are not always identified to help them to correct their mistakes. Writing skills are taught well in some classes although, throughout the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

school, writing skills are not emphasised through other subjects. Work is not always well presented. The amount and quality of extended writing required by teachers is often much less than what is achievable by pupils. Handwriting sessions take place regularly but the skills learned are often not used in writing tasks in other subjects. The quality of handwriting is sometimes poor. Occasionally teachers’ comments give the impression of excellence where this is not reflected in the quality of the work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

26. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) ensures that good support is given to pupils with SEN. Teaching assistants work well with the teacher to enable all pupils with SEN to play a full part in the lesson and make appropriate progress. However individual education plans need to be better used in the everyday context of lessons and inform planning for the next lesson. All staff are very aware of the individual needs of pupils and always provide them with good support and appropriate help. Support is well targeted and based on early identification of pupils and detailed assessment of their needs.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

27. The day to day assessment of pupils’ work is underdeveloped and is not used consistently to change what is taught next. It is very good for the Foundation Stage and unsatisfactory in both Key Stage 1 and 2. In the better lessons good verbal feedback is given and work is usually marked conscientiously. However there are instances when marking is cursory and does not inform pupils how to improve. The use of homework to support pupils’ learning and attainment is satisfactory in the Foundation Stage and the infant classes but insufficient to help raise standards from Years 3 to 6.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school provides a satisfactorily broad and relevant curriculum for its pupils overall but there is an imbalance in the time allocated to some areas of the curriculum. This impacts negatively on the standards achieved. For example, the time allocation in subjects, such as science, is lower than required to raise standards, whilst that for physical education and mathematics is higher. However, the school acknowledges this and has identified it as an area of concern. The situation is somewhat similar to the previous inspection, which identified art and design and technology as not being sufficiently balanced. This situation has now been addressed.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. In the Reception class, the carefully planned and organised curriculum is taught in a lively and interesting way. It provides the children with relevant and rich opportunities for learning and is structured creatively to enable all children to make progression in all required areas of learning. Overall, there is good provision of the full range of activities for children under five. However there is no adequate provision for a secure play area with a climbing frame and large wheeled play equipment to develop children's gross motor skills.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The school’s strategies for teaching literacy skills are insufficiently developed. Strategies for teaching numeracy are satisfactory overall and impact positively on raising standards in mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 2. Across subjects, numeracy skills are better taught than literacy skills. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils recorded their predictions about an investigation that they were about to conduct and then compared their actual findings for comparison. Numeracy was used in a Year 2 science lesson when pupils researched healthy eating by collecting and collating data about the contents of lunch boxes on a block graph.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The school has introduced new teaching schemes based on national guidelines, which enables Eastry C of E Primary School - 15 teachers to plan appropriately and to satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum. In mathematics and science, the investigative element is now planned appropriately to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Because of the serious decline in the mathematics SATs results in 1999 and 2000, the school increased the time allocation and developed strategies to raise standards in mathematics as a matter of urgency. The focus in this area, although successful, has subsequently impacted negatively on other subjects.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good. There is a wide range of clubs open to pupils, which are well run and well attended. Pupils’ learning also benefits from visits to local museums, towns and a foreign country. Visitors to the school complement these visits. This enhances pupils' personal, health and social education programme.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Appropriate emphasis is placed on personal, social and health education. The school pays satisfactory attention to developing pupils’ awareness of citizenship, health and safety issues through circle time and when the ‘health bus’ visits the school for several days each year. The experiences provided encourage pupils to take responsibility and co-operate whilst developing their powers of decision-making. Sex education is appropriately taught under the health education programme and opportunities are regularly provided for pupils to air their concerns and investigate different topics in depth. The residential visit to France for Year 5 and 6 pupils provides the opportunity to focus on developing their social and personal skills in addition to their linguistic skills.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. The school has a clear and appropriate policy for equal opportunities for all pupils. The school’s ethos as a caring community supports this. The school aims to provide a high quality educational experience in a secure atmosphere free from harassment in which staff and pupils can participate with confidence. Any incident which infringes this commitment is investigated immediately and addressed. Records are kept of reported harassment and dealt with accordingly. These are few and far between. All school clubs and extra-curricular activities are open to all pupils equally with the exception of mini-rugby. There are mixed boys' and girls' teams in netball, football, cricket, rounders and athletics. Support for pupils with special educational needs is given in the lesson unless it is more appropriate to do so outside the room. In such circumstances the work is directly related to what is being covered in the classroom. All clubs and music tuition are

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

arranged outside the teaching day so as to avoid pupils missing their normal lessons. All educational visits are open to all pupils regardless of their ability to pay. Parents are informed of this and assistance is given when necessary. Boys and girls perform in the musical productions which occur throughout the school year. The school accommodation includes toilet facilities for disability and good access exists for wheel chairs.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

35. The school is socially inclusive, ensuring quality of access and opportunity for all pupils in its planning, although, greater emphasis could be paid to providing more challenging work for higher attaining pupils in some curriculum areas. Pupils with special educational needs are successfully integrated into groups within the classroom and appropriately included in all additional activities provided by the school. During class lessons, they are well supported by teaching assistants who have established good relationships with them. They share the same lesson objectives and lesson content as other pupils but work at a pace and level commensurate with their own level of ability and need.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. Provision is principally through assemblies, religious education, personal and social lessons and through visits and visitors. Although not specifically planned in schemes of work, other lessons also provide incidental opportunities for spiritual development which are often ad hoc but effective none-the-less. For example, in an English lesson six-year olds were encouraged to think about caring for natural things and to observe the beautiful colours of daffodils.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

37. Provision for moral and social development is good. There is a clear code of conduct and each class displays its own interpretation of the rules. In assemblies, religious education and personal and social education lessons, pupils are taught the principles of right and wrong. Pupils’ achievements are recognised in assemblies and small acts of good behaviour or consideration Eastry C of E Primary School - 16 are rewarded. Trips and visits which extend learning in a variety of subjects are made which also further social development. Pupils in all year groups contribute to the school community by involvement in a school council, which has raised funds to make improvements in the school environment, such as providing play equipment for younger children to use in break times. Teachers and other adults in the school have clear expectations about behaviour, for example so that dinner times may be seen as social occasions. Pupils are encouraged to take advantage of

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

the extra-curricular provision to broaden their interests and experiences.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

38. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils are given good opportunities in lessons and through visits to places of interest such as museums, castles and churches, to experience western cultures. They learn French and are given the opportunity to visit France in Years 5 and 6. Some lessons provide an opportunity to experience other cultures, such as studying life in Jamaica and composing rap songs. They put on dramatic and musical productions and learn traditional country dancing. Visitors extend pupils’ experiences of western cultures. Overall pupils do not experience enough of the diversity and richness of other cultures which make up modern British society.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

39. Since the last inspection the school has improved the curriculum balance and reviewed schemes of work. Target setting has been started but pupils' academic targets are not yet specific enough to effectively drive up standards. Pupils are still not involved enough in the setting of their own targets. Monitoring of the curriculum, an issue raised in the previous report, although addressed, remains underdeveloped and needs to be more rigorous to identify key targets for future curriculum development to meet the continuing demands of the wide range of pupils’ capabilities and needs.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school provides a safe and secure learning and working environment for its pupils and staff, although the mobile classrooms are unsatisfactory work spaces and are a priority for replacement. Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are satisfactory. The headteacher is the designated child protection person and has received appropriate training, as has another member of staff. There is a health and safety policy. Appropriate safety checks on the building and equipment are routinely carried out. There are appropriate arrangements to deal with minor emergencies and first aid. Pupils and their individual circumstances are well known by their teachers and other adults in the school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Overall, procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ academic progress are satisfactory, and for personal development are good.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are satisfactory. Registers are carefully completed by a member of the office staff. Reasons are always appropriately sought to explain absences but parents do not always supply this information soon enough, which makes it difficult for the school to monitor any unauthorised or unusual patterns of absence. The services of the educational welfare officer are effectively used when necessary.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. There are good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour. The school’s code of conduct is consistently applied by staff. Pupils are appropriately rewarded for good work and behaviour. A record is kept of the pupils who achieve certificates for good work or attitudes in assemblies. Teachers keep their own records of pupils’ personal development in a manageable format. Personal and social education lessons and assemblies, teach the need for discipline in all areas of school life and bullying is kept to a minimum. The school's procedures for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour are good.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory but use of assessment information to guide curricular planning is inconsistent and unsatisfactory overall. Teachers assess pupils’ performance and monitor it through the school in line with National Curriculum levels in some but not all subjects. For example, there is little formal assessment in religious education. In mathematics, assessment is good and teachers have a good knowledge of each Eastry C of E Primary School - 17 pupil's progress. Individual lesson plans are routinely adjusted to ensure that pupils build on previous learning and do not attempt to learn new concepts without the necessary background understanding. When teachers find pupils have grasped a concept more quickly than expected they move on, as was seen in a Year 1 numeracy session on the concept of one number being “more than” another. However this approach is not evident in all other subjects and the volume of

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

data collected is sometimes impractical. Data is used satisfactorily to predict outcomes at the end of Year 6. These then become the school’s targets.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The educational and personal support for pupils is satisfactory. Teachers and other staff in the school know pupils well, which usually ensures appropriate guidance. Children’s progress is carefully monitored in line with early learning goals as soon as they start school in the Reception class. Teachers in all classes maintain written records which are sufficient to track back when concerns arise. Whilst each teacher has a picture of each pupil’s progress through the school in terms of attainment, this is not extended to provide a simple tracking record of development in other areas. Records for personal and social education are well maintained on a class basis, but over-rely on teacher knowledge of his or her pupils for interpretation about an individual. Pupils with special educational needs are appropriately identified.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Parents have a satisfactory view of the school. They feel that their children enjoy coming to school. Over 40 per cent of parents replied to the questionnaire and a number attended a meeting with the registered inspector. Parents are particularly pleased about how approachable the school is when they have questions or problems; they feel that their children make good progress and that they are helped to become more mature and responsible. Parents did express some concerns. Some disagreed that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons; a number felt they were not sufficiently well informed about how their child was getting on; they were unhappy about homework arrangements and whether the school works as closely with them as it could.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The inspection team agree that the school is approachable and most children are happy there. Pupils are helped to become more mature and responsible and personal development is good. Parents are rightly concerned about the arrangements for homework which is not consistently set in line with the published timetable, especially in Year 6. Inspectors found that there is a good range of extra-curricular activities, that parents are given satisfactory information about their child’s progress and that generally good communication between home and school make for a good and effective partnership with parents of all groups of pupils.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents is good. Parents are provided with information of a satisfactory quality and they are very willing to be involved. The school publishes a prospectus and a governors’ annual report; some of the information required in these statutory documents is not detailed enough. The governors are aware of these shortcomings and are taking steps to improve them. Other documents, such as the ‘Welcome Pack’ and regular newsletters, are clear and informative. Many parents make good use of the home and school link books. Parents are appropriately informed about their children’s progress with a written report at the end of each year, supplemented by formal meetings with teachers. Written reports are satisfactory. They clearly show what pupils know, can do and understand and what work they have covered during the school year. However, the targets set are of a general nature and do not always make

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

clear what a pupil or his/her parents could do to improve in individual subjects. Parents are welcome to contact teachers at other times should the need arise. Governors have made efforts to involve parents in the life of the school by consulting them when the last school improvement plan was drawn up.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school is good. Parents’ contribution to children’s learning at school and at home is good. Many listen to their children read at home and make appropriate use of the home link book. The parent teacher association plays a significant role in the school; through events such as the summer fair and quiz night they raise substantial funds that have contributed to improvements in learning resources and in the learning and play Eastry C of E Primary School - 18 environment outside. Parents contribute their expertise, particularly in extra-curricular activities such as mini-cricket and football clubs.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Since the last inspection an effective partnership has been maintained with parents.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The headteacher's leadership is sound and ensures clear educational direction for the school. He monitors its work effectively and this has had a positive impact on raising the quality of teaching. The school has clear aims and values and staff support each other effectively. There has been a sound ethos established in which to implement these aims and policies positively. Policies and schemes of work are developed collaboratively; co-ordinators have a shared commitment to improving standards. The co-ordinators in literacy and numeracy effectively monitor their subjects' strengths and weaknesses in terms of curriculum provision, teaching and learning. The headteacher monitors teaching but there is insufficient monitoring by other senior managers and subject co-ordinators of teaching and learning to raise standards in English and science and reinforce how skills are taught throughout the school. Standards of work are not monitored

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

sufficiently to ensure that all pupils are given work that matches their capabilities and are making adequate progress year on year. Higher achieving pupils, particularly in English at Key Stage 1, science at Key Stage 2 and some non-core subjects, are not sufficiently challenged as a result.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The governors are committed and actively involved in promoting the interests of the school. They have appropriate committees, enabling them to be effectively involved in decision-making processes. The school's improvement plan is appropriately used as a tool for strategic planning. Overall, governors work well in a committee structure, give their time willingly and meet most of their statutory obligations. They are beginning to take a more active role in evaluating the school's strengths and weaknesses and prioritising areas for development.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school is appropriately managed overall. Staff, accommodation and resources are deployed well. There is an adequate number of suitably qualified teachers. There is an appropriate induction policy and regular training for staff. There are enough well trained teaching support staff, who are committed and work hard. They are beginning to be well trained. School administration is very good; it gives clear support to staff and pupils alike and enables the school to operate efficiently in quiet good order. Resources are unsatisfactory overall. There is need for more reading books in the library, artefacts in history, geographical maps and a safe and secure area with large wheeled toys and climbing equipment for the Foundation Stage. The need for an appropriate secure outdoor area for Foundation Stage children, to develop their gross motor skills, was identified in the last inspection and little if anything has been done about this since then.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The accommodation is unsatisfactory. Three classes are housed in mobiles and, in spite of teachers’ best efforts, are unsuitable to meets the demands of the curriculum. Conditions are cramped and there is insufficient space to undertake practical activities properly. The difficult working conditions affect standards in many subjects. There is a good sized hall in which the whole school can assemble and is suitable for indoor physical education and the serving of dinners. The grounds are attractive and free from litter and graffiti. They provide suitable play space during break times as well as good facilities for outdoor physical education and nature study in science.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Effective procedures ensure satisfactory financial control. All spending is carefully monitored and regular financial statements are available for governors. All plans are costed and relate well to the overall budget. The recommendations of the last audit have been implemented. Specific grant is used effectively for its designated purpose. Expenditure is managed effectively so that the best value is achieved for the money spent. The school has started to make sound use of new technology.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. All the statutory requirements of the Code of Practice for special educational needs are met; the management of this area is satisfactory. Eastry C of E Primary School - 19 57. There has been sound improvement in leadership and management since the last inspection. Governors are now linked to subject areas and they have begun to monitor standards. The school has taken steps to improve the quality of education and is now systematically monitoring all pupils in English and mathematics, with plans to extend this to all areas of the curriculum. Teaching is also much more effectively monitored but there remains room for improvement. Recent developments indicate that the leadership and management at the school have the capacity to move it forward appropriately. Eastry C of E Primary School - 20

p.20

11 by:

• ensuring that sufficient time is given to the teaching of writing skills throughout the school and science in Years 3 to 6; • monitoring, evaluating and targeting pupils' outcomes to improve their achievement and using monitoring and targeting more effectively to raise the performance of pupils to higher levels in National Curriculum tests; and • encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their own learning and developing the use of self assessment by pupils.

p.22

11 by:

(Paragraphs: 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 69, 70, 71, 83, 85)

p.22

Improve the way assessment is consistently used to guide curriculum planning by:

• improving procedures for assessing pupils' work, particularly in lesson plenaries, to ensure potential weaknesses are identified early; • ensuring that assessment is used to inform teachers' daily lesson plans to change if necessary what is taught lesson by lesson; term by term; • devising a manageable and practical system of assessment for each subject to enable teachers to evaluate consistently what has been learned and improve pupils' progress; and • ensuring that assessment is consistently used to identify higher attaining pupils.

p.22

Improve the way assessment is consistently used to guide curriculum planning by:

(Paragraphs: 19, 27, 44, 51, 70, 87, 88, 102, 111, 113, 127, 142)

p.22

reinforce skills and improve standards particularly in core subjects by:

• compiling appropriate job descriptions which are used as performance reviews; • consistently monitoring and evaluating teaching and pupils' achievement; setting challenging targets across the school and taking appropriate action to meet them; and • encouraging the teaching of basic skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICT in all subjects and training teachers to identify the specific skills necessary for individual subjects.

p.22

reinforce skills and improve standards particularly in core subjects by:

(Paragraphs: 25, 30, 39, 51, 70, 76, 96, 108, 112, 136, 143, 144)

p.22

Other issues for consideration

- An appropriate secure play area with climbing equipment and large wheeled toys for the Foundation Stage.

p.22

Other issues for consideration

- Improvement in the use of homework to help raise standards.

p.22

Other issues for consideration

(Paragraphs: 27, 29, 53, 60, 81, 87, 108) Eastry C of E Primary School - 21

p.22

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 35

p.23

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.23

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.

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 186

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 23

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 53

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.23

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

p.23

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Eastry C of E Primary School - 22 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Eastry C of E Primary School - 23

p.23

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 12 12 24

p.25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

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

Boys 8 10 11 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 12 12

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (81) 92 (84) 96 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.25

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys 8 11 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 12 12

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (81) 96 (94) 88 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.25

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

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

p.25

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 12 14 26

p.25

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys 9 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 9 10

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (86) 69 (50) 77 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 81 (85)

p.25

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

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

Boys 10 7 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 6 10

p.25

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

Percentage of pupils School 77 (75) 50 (54) 77 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.25

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Eastry C of E Primary School - 24

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.5 Financial year 2000 - 2001

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.7

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 468,237

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6.0 Total expenditure 425,434

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 115 Expenditure per pupil 2,076

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 24,711

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0 Balance carried forward to next year 67,514

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Eastry C of E Primary School - 25 FTE means full-time equivalent. Eastry C of E Primary School - 26

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 44 5 5 3

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 25 56 9 3 6

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 45 22 8 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 25 39 25 6 5

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 45 47 3 3 2

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 50 45 3 2 0

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 30 39 22 3 6

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 39 44 8 2 8

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 42 2 3 3

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 36 16 5 14 Eastry C of E Primary School - 27

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. The school has successfully maintained the good standards of provision found in the previous inspection. Children make good progress in their learning. The quality of teaching is good overall and the teachers and support staff work closely together as a team. Children are made to feel secure and happy and they settle well into school routines.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. The teaching is good overall and occasionally very good. There is a clear link between the activities the teacher plans and what the children learn. Explanations are careful and well paced and make sure that all children are involved in discussions and activities. The reception teacher has a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and a very good understanding of how each of the stepping stones moves through to the Early Learning Goals. Assessment procedures are developing well. There are simple, formal records of children's progress over time, measured against the stepping stones in the six areas of learning. The teacher uses these assessments of children's progress to ensure that lesson preparation is well matched to children's capability.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. The accommodation is used effectively to enable children to move freely and have access to a wide range of interesting and challenging activities, although the outdoor play area is not large enough. The lay out of the toilet area makes constant supervision difficult.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Most, but not all, children have pre-school experience from local nurseries or playgroups. There is good liaison with feeder nursery schools. This helps them settle quickly into their new environment and the teacher effectively builds on previous learning. Children join in enthusiastically with the rest of the school for assembly and other school activities. Good liaison between the teacher and support staff ensures success in planning for these children.

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. The results of tests carried out when children enter the Reception class show that attainment, although variable, is average. Children achieve well and by the time they are ready to begin work in Year 1, most have achieved the Early Learning Goals of the Foundation Stage in all areas of learning.

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

63. Children exceed expectations in their personal and social development. Assessments on entry showed personal and social skills to be above average and children make good progress due to good teaching. At this stage in the academic year many children have already achieved the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. They are well behaved and polite and have good awareness of the school rules. They are developing good listening skills and make good progress in the ability to concentrate on the tasks they are set. The reception teacher effectively plans a variety of interesting tasks and activities. For example, during circle time in the Reception class, children know they can only talk when they have the cushion. Most children are beginning to link cause and effect. They know that some things are dangerous and can hurt them, like playing with an electric plug or bin bag. Some offered sensible suggestions on how to play

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

safely that demonstrated their growing awareness of being part of a group and a developing sensitivity to the needs of others. For instance, one child suggested that they could share their toys in class. Teachers ensure that there are good levels of support for the activities set during the day to develop co-operation. Children are increasingly prepared to take turns and to share resources. This was demonstrated by the ‘peg’ system. This means that a child cannot do the activity if all the peg spaces are taken and must find another activity with a vacancy. This works well and teaches children to socialise and understand that they must take turns. The focus of teaching helps children become more independent and self reliant; a good range of activities encourages them to make choices and decisions for themselves and to take the initiative in some situations. Children play and work well together. Friendships are quickly developing and all

p.29

Personal, social and emotional development

children are happy and secure in the school environment. Eastry C of E Primary School - 28

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Communication, language and literacy

64. Children make good progress and most are in line to achieve the expected levels in language and literacy by the end of the Foundation Stage. Speaking and listening skills develop well and most children can express themselves clearly, using simple sentences. Speaking and listening is stronger than writing. There is a well planned focus on the development of knowledge and understanding of the features of a book using some elements of the National Literacy Strategy. Higher attaining children can already identify the title, cover and author. Teaching is good. It is well planned to introduce children to the significance of letter sounds, so that most are able to identify the initial sounds in rhyming words. Children enjoy books and handle them with care. They discuss pictures and pretend to read, with most recognising a few familiar words. In writing, good planning is evident by the progress children quickly make. All children understand

p.30

Communication, language and literacy

that writing conveys meaning. Most children recognise their own name and make good attempts to write their name on their own or by copying. The higher attainers can independently write a few commonly used words. They are beginning to use writing as a means of recording and communicating.

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Mathematical development

65. Attainment in the mathematical area of learning meets expectations. Children achieve well in this area of learning, due to well planned, appropriate activities which hold their interest and enable them to make good progress. Resources are used well to allow plenty of practical mathematical experience. In lessons the teacher demonstrates high expectations of work and behaviour. Most children can recognise and count numbers to ten and confidently use language such as ‘big’ or ‘little’. Higher attaining children can order numbers in sequence and correctly count an irregular group of items. Most have begun to use mathematical names for common two and three dimensional shapes. Children are secure in their understanding of 'long', 'short' and 'small' and use their knowledge correctly as, for example, when they identify which toy animal is the shortest. In a mathematics lesson, children demonstrated that they were beginning to recognise

p.30

Mathematical development

numerals one to nine. Most are able to make arrangements with objects and show an awareness of similarities in shapes.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

66. Children make good progress in their knowledge and understanding of the world. The indications are that, by the time they are ready to start Year 1, most will have achieved the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. Children bring their knowledge of their own families and backgrounds to their imaginative play. They are beginning to differentiate between past and present, for example, when they talk of themselves when they were babies and to make comparisons between then and now. From discussions with teachers and a scrutiny of displays and planning, it is clear that a good range of experiences is successfully developing their knowledge and understanding. To promote children's understanding of the world around them effectively, teachers prepare interesting and motivating activities. Most children can build and construct a wide range of objects, selecting the appropriate pieces and changing the shape to

p.30

Knowledge and understanding of the world

suit their purpose. When using the computer, most children use the mouse confidently to direct the cursor to draw lines and change colours.

p.30

Physical development

67. The outdoor play area is not large enough for pupils to have appropriate climbing equipment and large wheeled toys with which to develop gross motor skills. This weakness existed at the time of the last inspection. Physical skills are more successfully developed during sessions in the hall. The teacher's use of time and her management of the children was very good. Children manage to find spaces well and listen and respond quickly to instructions. Most can experiment with different ways of moving. In a dance lesson, the teacher's praise and encouragement resulted in positive improvement. However, children are sometimes too closely directed, denying Eastry C of E Primary School - 29 them the opportunity to develop individually and restricting their own use of imaginative interpretation to create movement in response to music. In the classroom children use and manipulate construction and play equipment with growing confidence and dexterity. They are

p.30

Physical development

provided with a good range of resources and plenty of opportunity to develop their skills. Fine motor skills are well developed; they fold, join, build and successfully roll and shape malleable materials. Good pencil control is developing in their attempts at writing. The teacher and her support staff manage young children well and show awareness of safety.

p.31

Creative development

68. There are good activities to develop children's confidence and skills and by the time they leave the Foundation Stage they have achieved the Early Learning Goals. Teachers' records show that children exceed expectations in artistic development and have already achieved the Early Learning Goals in this area of their creative development. The majority of children can make a considered choice of colours and mix paints effectively to acquire the correct shade. For example, they have enjoyed creating faces in poster paint and using ‘colour magic’ software to draw faces on a computer. Skills in modelling are also very well developed. Some children demonstrate good modelling skills when they make plasticine cats in boxes. The provision of good resources allows children the opportunity for a wide range of experiences. For example, the role play area enhances learning most effectively by providing children with a very good forum to

p.31

Creative development

engage in imaginative play. In music, children enjoy singing in assembly as they sing a range of songs from memory and express and communicate their feelings with a range of musical sounds.

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ENGLISH

69. Overall, in lessons seen standards in English at the end of both key stages are below expectations. In Key Stage 1 pupils are encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills from Year 1 by means of good questioning by their teachers. By the end of Year 2 most pupils listen attentively especially during shared reading and answer questions appropriately. The standard of reading among the current Year 2 pupils is below average. They lack the basic skills for reading unfamiliar words especially the application of letter sounds to decipher new words. While higher attaining pupils read with some elements of expression, the majority of pupils lack the skill of conveying the meaning of text through variation of tone and volume. Each word is treated as an entity instead of being part of a flow of communication. Little use is made of picture or contextual cues to enhance reading. Consequently reading is hesitant, with inaccuracies.

p.31

ENGLISH

Insufficient time is devoted to hearing pupils read. Nor is there sufficient attention given to the use of the library.

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ENGLISH

70. Writing standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are below expectations. The work is not always well presented; handwriting quality inhibits the ability to decipher what is intended. The amount and quality of extended writing is below what is achievable. Insufficient attention is paid to the needs of higher attainers and work often lacks challenge. The teaching of basic skills in literacy is insufficiently developed across the curriculum. The National Literacy Strategy is implemented throughout the school but this is not impacting positively enough to raise standards. Handwriting sessions take place regularly but the skills learned are often not used in writing tasks in other subjects. The standard of spelling is below expectation because the pupils’ basic phonic skills are underdeveloped. Occasionally teachers’ comments give the impression of excellence where this is not reflected in the quality of the work.

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ENGLISH

71. The overall standard of work currently in Key Stage 2 is inconsistent and is below expectations overall. These lower standards are due to the large proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the unusually high mobility of pupils in the group. Whereas the standard of work produced by Year 5 pupils is indicative of high expectations for quantity, variation and quality of presentation, this is not always seen throughout. Pupils’ listening skills are well developed as a result of the respect they show for the opinions of others and the overall ethos of the school. They listen very attentively as demonstrated in a Year 5 lesson when the teacher explained the use of adjectives for personification in poetry writing. The standard of speaking however is below expectation because by the end of Year 6 pupils are given insufficient opportunities to develop Eastry C of E Primary School - 30

p.31

ENGLISH

their speaking skills. Consequently their verbal communication skills are underdeveloped. Younger pupils are given a satisfactory foundation in reading with expression and awareness of the audience. They use computer software to complement the work in literacy. However pupils at the end of the key stage lack confidence in reading aloud and do so with the minimum of expressiveness. They have very little time allowed for reading. Discussions with the pupils indicate that they are allowed five or ten minutes occasionally once a week. This is inadequate for developing their reading potential. Although they read at home there is no organised system to monitor their progress. There are not enough books in the library and pupils do not regularly make use of what is available. The standard of writing is also below expectation. At the end of the key stage the pupils are given limited opportunities to practise extended writing. A scrutiny of their

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ENGLISH

work shows significant gaps of sometimes two or three weeks between samples of extended writing. The quality and quantity of the written work shows that overall teachers' expectations were not high enough in some classes. The quality of handwriting does not reflect high standards. The misspelling of familiar words often remains uncorrected. The amount of writing in an extended exercise is often less than a page of a small exercise book. There was little evidence of written work produced on the computer.

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ENGLISH

72. When pupils enter Year 1 their literacy skills are in line with expectations. By the end of Year 2 they have acquired satisfactory speaking and listening ability, some reading and writing skills, and are ready for the next stage of learning. They make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs also make satisfactory progress because of the good support they receive from the learning support staff. In Key Stage 2 pupils make satisfactory progress in the development of their knowledge and understanding of English. Good support is given to pupils with special educational needs and as a result they make satisfactory progress based on their prior attainment.

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ENGLISH

73. The pupils have a positive attitude to their work. They are co-operative and respond well to their teachers even when they find the work unchallenging. They willingly contribute to discussions and suggest ideas of their own, for example, in Year 6 when discussing arguments against vivisection. They behave well partly because of the good management skills of the teachers. In Year 3 they showed great pleasure and excitement in writing their e-mail replies to the pupils in Year 5 and in Year 4 they enthusiastically analysed words which sound different from the sum of their letter strings. Overall attitudes and behaviour are very positive and these contribute to working in an environment that is conducive to learning.

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ENGLISH

74. Since the time of the last inspection the National Literacy Strategy has been implemented and teachers are confident in its operation. New texts including a wide range of big books have been acquired plus related ICT software to accompany the text. These are well used to consolidate and extend learning. However, standards in lessons have declined overall.

p.32

ENGLISH

75. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with some examples of good and very good teaching. However basic skills are not sufficiently reinforced in many classes. In a Year 3 lesson on the moral in the story the very good use of puppets by the class teacher to tell the story of the sly fox and the crow, held the pupils spellbound and elicited very perceptive responses from them about what they considered to be the moral of the story. Lessons are well planned so that no time is lost in covering the range of activities intended. The different strands of the lesson follow logically as arranged and this helps to maintain the pupils’ interest. Teachers in both key stages manage the pupils well, enabling the lessons to proceed uninterrupted. Day to day assessment is effectively used by some teachers but the majority do not use it to ascertain the pupils’ level of understanding, to consolidate the knowledge acquired and to move to the next stage of learning

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ENGLISH

76. Effective use is made of resources such as the white boards which pupils use to practise spelling or to construct and modify sentences. Class computers are regularly used during lessons when pupils take turns to work in pairs on related topics. The lesson objectives are explained to the pupils at the outset and revisited at the end of the lesson to evaluate what has been learnt. In these sessions the pupils sometimes produce fresh ideas resulting from independent thinking, for the class to consider. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support from the Eastry C of E Primary School - 31 learning support assistants under the guidance of the class teachers. There was little evidence of homework being systematically set to extend learning at home.

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ENGLISH

77. The subject is well managed by a conscientious co-ordinator who gives support to her colleagues. Although some monitoring of teaching has taken place with written reports and feedback, there is a need for more sharing of good practice across the school and the development of a whole school commitment for raising standards. The analysis of statistics and the setting of realistic targets for pupils, based on prior attainments will contribute to improved standards.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

78. Standards by the end of Year 2 are in line with the national average, whilst pupils' standards by the end of Year 6 are above average. The implementation of the numeracy strategy, supported by good teaching, is having a positive impact on learning. Higher achieving pupils are supported appropriately overall and given particularly good support in Year 6. Progress at Key Stage 1 is satisfactory and good at Key Stage 2. This represents a similar picture to the previous inspection.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

79. By the age of seven, many pupils understand pattern in number to one hundred and place value of tens and units. They understand division as a process of equal sharing and the process of multiplication as going up in the same numbers on a number line. Pupils use shopping lists to count in money. They divide objects into halves and quarters of the number and display their answers by colouring them in. They guess lengths in centimetres, find the exact length and record the difference on charts. They work well on one-step problems, estimate weight in grammes accurately and most pupils can interpret pictographs and block graphs well.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

80. By the age of 11, pupils use their knowledge and understanding of number including money, measures and shape well to solve problems in a good range of real life situations. Both high and average achieving pupils can subtract thousands, hundreds, tens and units. All have a good understanding of fractional parts of shapes and understand the relationship between vulgar fractions, decimal fractions and percentages. In Year 3, pupils are partitioning into tens and units. In Year 4, they recognise and extend number sequences formed by counting from any number. In Year 5, pupils derive and apply a formula for area and display a good knowledge of square numbers. By the end of the key stage, pupils confidently find the area of irregular shapes and the higher attaining pupils extend the class exercise and discover their own methods.

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MATHEMATICS

81. The overall quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is good. Lesson objectives are consistently shared with pupils at the beginning of the lesson and reminded during the plenary session so that assessments may be made of learning that has taken place. The start of the lessons is well used to develop the pupils’ mental mathematical skills but in some lessons insufficient attention is paid to varying questions to extend pupils of all abilities. Pupils’ attitude and behaviour is always good and group tasks are always well prepared. Pupils generally enjoy mathematics and are keen learners who demonstrate respect for their teachers. Most teachers evaluate their lessons effectively as they progress and, in all lessons, pupils with special educational needs are well supported. Marking is variable; it is always undertaken and often includes a good range of positive, encouraging remarks. However, in some classes it does not

p.33

MATHEMATICS

82. The co-ordination of the subject is sound. Monitoring of teaching and learning has been undertaken but this is still at an early stage of development and is not yet impacting on future planning and teaching. Performance data gained from both statutory and non-statutory testing is taking place and used to identify strengths and weaknesses. Regular and identified cross- curricular use and computer support remains an area for further development. Resources are good.

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SCIENCE

Eastry C of E Primary School - 32 83. Standards are average at the end of Year 2 and below average at the end of Year 6. The previous inspection judged pupils at the end of both key stages to be attaining standards in line with the national average. Pupils effectively use enquiry skills to develop their knowledge and understanding of scientific facts, which indicates an improvement since the previous inspection. However, in both key stages, pupils make insufficient use of the computer to enter data from investigations and of data handling programs to look for patterns. Pupils have made insufficient improvement since the last inspection.

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SCIENCE

84. By the age of seven, pupils record data from interviewing others about types of food brought in their lunch boxes in their study of healthy eating. They then collate and transfer the information to a block graph. A group of pupils interviewed regarding this particular investigation were able to analyse the graph and retrieve the required information to respond to the questions asked. They did this confidently and competently. Pupils are aware of fair testing and know that only one ingredient must change when using this process and that it is important to predict and then compare the prediction with the actual result. They have good attitudes to work and present it carefully. They list electrical appliances used at home and recognise that electricity is a source of light, heat, sound and movement. They are acutely aware of the dangers of mains electricity and that when conducting experiments only batteries must be used.

p.34

SCIENCE

85. In the junior classes, although pupils have a generally satisfactory understanding of scientific facts, the amount of time allocated to the subject does not allow skills progression and scientific investigation to be developed at an appropriate pace. Consequently, from the work scrutinised, opportunities for the development of skills was inhibited by time, organisation and planning. In the lessons, standards achieved were generally average. In Year 3, for example, pupils understood that forces between magnets could attract and repel each other. They carried out the investigations with enthusiasm, recorded their findings using an appropriate vocabulary and each group reported their findings to the class in the plenary session. In Year 4, pupils make observations and measurements and use them to draw conclusions. They discuss their findings in groups, for example, to discover that solids consisting of very small particles behave like

p.34

SCIENCE

liquids in some ways; such as changing shape. By Year 6, pupils investigate the theory of reversibility and irreversibility. They discuss and record their findings and higher attaining pupils offer explanations, which indicate a good level of understanding of this subject. However a scrutiny of pupils' books shows that the standard of work and progress overall made throughout the year is unsatisfactory. The time allocation for the subject is currently insufficient to allow all pupils to reach the standards they are capable of.

p.34

SCIENCE

86. Pupils’ attitudes, values and behaviour in science are good overall. They listen attentively and respond well to questioning. They show good levels of co-operation and support each other well in groups. They participate in good quality discussion that promotes their understanding. Pupils throughout the school enjoy carrying out investigative work. They are encouraged to use scientific vocabulary, which most do well and answer questions confidently.

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SCIENCE

87. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with some good teaching observed, however, basic literacy skills are often not adequately reinforced. In the better lessons, pupils acquire skills at a satisfactory rate but the progress observed in the scrutiny of books suggests that the pace of learning is too slow and work is not well matched to pupils' capability. A key point for action in the previous report was promoting investigative opportunities. This has now been addressed and pupils’ enquiry skills are developing well. Support staff work closely with pupils who have special educational needs and good relationships have been established. The presentation of work is variable with some good examples, which are well set out, but this is not consistent across the school. Homework is not used effectively to raise standards in Years 3 to 6.

p.34

SCIENCE

88. The curriculum is broad but not balanced. The scheme of work is appropriate and sets out clearly what needs to be covered but the limited time available restricts effective progress. Work in books is marked regularly, but this is often cursory and there is a lack of consistency in identifying and informing pupils about what they need to do to improve. Teachers monitor the work through book trawls and are generally secure about judging levels of attainment. However, Eastry C of E Primary School - 33 day to day assessment does not change what is taught next.

p.34

SCIENCE

89. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory overall but the time allocation is inappropriate and in need of urgent review if pupils are to achieve their potential. Resources are accessible and are used effectively in the classrooms. Teaching and learning are not monitored sufficiently enough to drive up standards. Eastry C of E Primary School - 34

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ART AND DESIGN

90. Standards of attainment are in line with expectations at age seven and 11 and most pupils make sound progress. They are beginning to develop their ideas and compare methods and approaches to modify and improve their work. They are also learning how to explore the work of others to assist them in developing their own.

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ART AND DESIGN

91. From the time pupils start school they are encouraged to experiment with paint and colour, to explore pattern, to work from observation and imagination and to respond to examples of art in the world around them. Children in the Reception class have enjoyed working with different materials to create hair bands decorated with a variety of materials to depict puppies. They have also enjoyed creating faces in poster paint and using ‘colour magic’ software to draw faces on a computer. Some children demonstrate good modelling skills when they make plasticine cats in boxes. In Year 1 pupils effectively draw self-portraits. Some take this further experimenting with the use of different materials and posing in the style of Picasso. By the age of seven pupils have done work on photographs and have made clay plaques. Some higher attaining pupils have incorporated simple yet effective patterns onto their plaques. Some good design work was

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ART AND DESIGN

observed when pupils were required to identify similarities and differences between drawings and photographs of the same viewpoint. Even at this age they are learning how to look at their work in different ways. The majority of pupils understand terminology like 'landscape' and 'portrait.'

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

92. Pupils in Year 3 have made clay mosaics and hedgehogs. Appropriate art skills are being successfully learnt by the majority of pupils. This is sound progression. By Year 4 pupils are competent at colour mixing and matching, using pastels and are able to use a variety of media, to achieve the results they want. Higher achieving pupils are working above expectations and develop quite complicated pictures from a simple stimulus. They understand how to focus on line and composition as in their depictions of the work of Paul Klee.

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

93. By Year 5 and 6 pupils are beginning to see art as a process. They are learning to evaluate their work. There is a readiness to question, adapt and modify their own work and learn from their own mistakes. Pupils in Year 6 have researched Caribbean carnival and show competence in making carnival headwear out of a variety of materials. They can compare the ideas of selected painters. They discuss the purpose of the painter's work and a few have interesting ideas about the intended audience. Pupils enjoy creating from their own imagination and much is being learned from each other.

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

94. Pupils enjoy their artwork and are enthusiastic about the practical nature of the tasks. Attitudes are good. Most pupils demonstrate concentration, collaboration and respect for the work of others. They work as individuals and most can also co-operate well in groups when required to do so. Behaviour in lessons is always good.

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ART AND DESIGN

95. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers are knowledgeable and enthusiastic and this is reflected in the pupils' positive response to the subject. A strength in learning is the pupils' ability to explore ideas and share information to make improvements. Pupils use the correct terminology for the subject throughout the school. Art skills are taught well in some classes. Most teachers have high expectations of pupils of all abilities and pupils respond well to the stimulus achieving better results than they at first anticipate. In a good Year 3 lesson pupils of all abilities acquired good learning skills. They were encouraged to explore ideas by investigating and using different ways to achieve what they wanted. They could talk easily about what is successful in their work and that of others and readily adapt and make improvements.

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

96. Teachers' planning is good, it gives details of learning objectives and careful attention to the development of skills and techniques. Teachers are responsible for their own assessment. However, some are not recording pupils’ individual progress in art. Although good learning is taking place at both key stages, there is insufficient monitoring of the quality of teaching, assessment and the standards being achieved. The school is aware of this. The use of information and communication technology for graphic work is beginning to be developed well in the junior school. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils' spiritual and cultural Eastry C of E Primary School - 35 development.

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

97. There has been significant improvement in art since the previous inspection when it was a key issue. Higher achieving pupils are still insufficiently challenged although pupils with special educational needs now make good progress. Standards of teaching are now good at both key stages and the management of the subject has been improved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. Standards for pupils aged seven and 11 years are in line with national expectations.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. By the end of Year 2 pupils develop their making and designing skills by working with a wide range of tools and materials in constructing houses, vehicles and boxes. They develop skills in joining materials together using different agents and processes. They skilfully design, cut and paste to make a variety of playground structures. They gain experience with textiles in making puppets of various designs skilfully demonstrating the impact of colour and texture. Each unit of work in design and technology includes the aspects of designing, making and evaluation, including attempts to improve.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. In the junior classes the youngest pupils develop their skills in food technology when they determine the ingredients required for making sandwiches of their choice. They establish cross curricular links with literacy in giving instructions in the form of a recipe. They examine different ways to make structures rigid when they experiment with designs for a stand alone card frame. They understand that the quality of the materials used, as well as the type of support provided, influence the rigidity of a structure. Year 4 pupils made a range of Tudor buildings for homework as part of their history lessons on the Tudor period. These made an excellent display in the hall and demonstrated a good range of skills in designing and making. The way in which a cam will change rotary motion into linear motion was admirably demonstrated in a Year 5 lesson where the pupils used construction kits to produce different results. By the end of Year 6 pupils have

p.37

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

extended their learning to the design and construction of different types of bridges. They test the load bearing capacity of their constructions to ascertain the best possible design. They learn about cantilever, arch and suspension bridges and search the internet for examples of each, including Tower Bridge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge. They use computers to draw graphs of load bearing capacity and to illustrate their constructions. Pupils make good progress in developing their skills in design and technology. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress as a result of the support given by the learning support assistants.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Pupils all enjoy making things. They have a positive attitude to the subject and want to achieve well. They are co-operative and show respect for property. They share equipment and handle tools carefully. They are well behaved because of the good management skills of the teachers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with evidence of good teaching. There is no significant difference between key stages. The teachers are more confident with the subject since the time of the last inspection and as a result the standard of work produced by the pupils has improved. The work is appropriately planned so that the pupils have the necessary resources to complete their tasks and the progress made by pupils is monitored. Higher achieving pupils are not always sufficiently challenged.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. The subject is satisfactorily managed by the headteacher in the absence of a co-ordinator. Teachers are given good support in planning and teaching the subject. Resources are adequate and are arranged in the classrooms to ensure good accessibility. Teaching is satisfactorily monitored with proper records and feedback.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104. There have been good improvements since the last inspection. A nationally recognised scheme of work has been adopted and modified to reflect the specific needs of the school. Teaching has improved as teachers have become more confident in the subject. More resources have been made available to meet the needs of the new syllabus. Assessment and record keeping have enabled the tracking of pupils’ progress. The increased use of computers has improved the Eastry C of E Primary School - 36 quality of planning and design.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. The previous report identified overall attainment as average and that pupils make satisfactory progress. It was only possible to observe two lessons during the week of the inspection but these observations together with a scrutiny of pupils' work, and discussions with pupils confirmed that pupils at both key stages are attaining in line with national expectations and making satisfactory progress. Pupils with SEN attain in line with the targets in their individual education plans.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. By the age of seven years, pupils study the local area and can identify different landmarks in and around the school. They know what a map is and can identify the sea surrounding the British Isles. Most are able to draw lines across the map to separate England from Wales and Scotland and label the countries. As part of their comparative study they identify and label Eastry on the map and record its position as being in the South East of England. Similarly, they pin-point and record the position of the Isle of Struay and record its position as being on the West of Scotland. When studying the local features, such as shops, they are able to identify where people can be found who help them, such as the police and fire stations. They compare the jobs in Eastry and those on the Isle of Struay and record their findings pictorially. They study climate in holiday destinations and the transport used to get there.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. By the age of 11 years, pupils investigate places, make maps and draw plans. Pupils in Year 4 interpret the different features identified on maps. They investigate rivers, are aware of the water cycle and confidently answer questions on this. They understand and explain clearly about aspects of rivers, such as waterfalls and meanders. Pupils are familiar with how water arrives at their homes and the different filtration systems necessary to purify the water. They are able to identify symbols in Ordnance Survey maps and are confident using the eight points of the compass. Higher attainers can extend this to 16 points. In Year 6, pupils study the similarities and differences between school in Jamaica and schools in their own area. The pupils themselves determine the headings on which to make comparisons, such as buildings, climate etc.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Lessons are managed effectively, which allows learning to proceed smoothly and tasks are generally well matched to pupils’ capabilities. Pupils, including those with special educational needs behave well and concentrate on the tasks set enabling them to make satisfactory progress. Objectives are clearly identified to the pupils at the beginning of each lesson and the plenary session used to assess the extent of learning as well as areas which may need to be reinforced. The locality is used to enrich the teaching of geography. There are insufficient resources in the form of maps. Marking is unsatisfactory. It is inconsistent and often does not inform pupils how to improve. Monitoring and evaluation of planning is regularly carried out but the monitoring of teaching, learning and standards is less rigorous. The school field is used for orienteering.

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HISTORY

109. The teaching of history alternates with geography; consequently fewer lessons were observed. Additional evidence from a scrutiny of work and review of planning suggests that pupils are making sound progress across the school. By the time pupils are aged seven and 11 years their attainment is in line with national expectations.

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HISTORY

110. In Year 1 pupils are beginning to understand chronology; they have done a timeline of their toys and looked at artefacts a hundred years old. Many showed good understanding of the differences between then and now but there was little evidence in books of them recording their findings. By the end of Year 2 pupils have looked at Samuel Pepys' diary and have drawn pictures of London at the time of the Great Fire and written about it. In Year 3, children have covered invaders and settlers. They start with Britain 2000 years ago and the growth of the Roman Empire. They have studied the Roman invasion of Britain, Roman clothes and looked at Roman homes. In this work Eastry C of E Primary School - 37 they show that they have acquired some knowledge and understanding of the period.

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HISTORY

111. Year 4 know about Henry VIII and how he lived in Tudor times. They have taken evidence of recorded incidents and know how the Tudors built their homes and what would be inside. Pupils have discussed the differences between how rich and poor people would have lived then. This appropriately makes pupils aware of the social and moral implications of the period in contrast to the present day. Pupils in Year 5 have looked at exploration, early civilisation in America and Elizabeth I. They know about the possible contents of a Victorian home, country life and what life was like for those who worked in the factories and mines. Pupils in Year 6 have worked on a topic about the ancient Greeks and used different sources of evidence to answer questions. They work well independently to extract information from books, texts etc.

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HISTORY

112. Teaching ranges from satisfactory to good but is satisfactory overall. In good lessons there is a clear explanation of the task and teachers provide attractive displays with resources to use in the lessons. Detailed planning matches work well to pupils' capabilities, particularly for higher and lower attaining pupils. In a Year 5 class, pupils with average ability were developing a good understanding of the social injustice of the working classes in Victorian times. Higher attaining pupils were able to compare the conditions of the black slaves with those of children from the orphanages who were sent to the coal mines. The good pace of the lesson kept pupils well motivated. Teaching was less good when in a Year 1 lesson on life a hundred years ago there were no artefacts to bring the lesson to life. Opportunities were lost to engage in role play and the sources of evidence for individual reference were mainly confined to books and photocopied

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HISTORY

sheets. Skills of literacy are not well taught, pupils are sometimes asked to write in books without lines. Presentation is often poor in the infant classes. Although words are wrongly spelt in some junior classes, teachers put ticks at the bottom of the page with the comment ‘Good answers.’ This is giving pupils the wrong idea about the quality of their work.

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HISTORY

113. The co-ordinator has not yet had time to adequately monitor the teaching in the subject. Assessment is not used sufficiently to change what is being taught in future. Overall standards have been maintained since the last inspection. There are insufficient artefacts to support learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are in line with national expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

115. In Years 1 and 2, pupils use ‘Talking First Word’ to enter text, using the keyboard successfully to delete, backspace, change the font, alter the size of print, introduce colour, save and print their work. Using ‘Colour Magic’, they select specific functions to draw shapes and fill with favourite colours. They demonstrate their skills in producing successful images of Bonfire Night. Year 1 pupils program the floor turtle to move forwards, backwards and make 90 degree turns while Year 2 pupils use the on-screen Roamer to input and execute simple movements. They demonstrate their ability to find information from CD-ROMs and through the Internet, for example, exploring websites on the Great Fire of London. Good use is being made to support other subjects, for example constructing graphs in mathematics, finding out about foods in science, drawing pictures in art and obtaining information for geography and history.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

116. In the junior classes word processing skills are extended and Years 3 and 5 exchange letters by e-mail. They successfully combine text and graphics and in Year 4 construct branching databases. Year 5 pupils demonstrate their skills in control and modelling. They input commands for the computer to switch lights on and off at fixed intervals. They successfully write and implement the procedures to alternate lights and buzzers. Extension exercises challenge them to set up procedures so that the bulb will flash the same pattern as the South Foreland Lighthouse. Year 6 pupils confidently use spreadsheets to input data on rectangles of given perimeters but varying lengths and widths to calculate the surface areas. They evaluate information by discussing the variations which occur. They successfully generate graphs of the function y = 2x. Their multimedia presentation on ancient Greece adds a new dimension to their history lessons.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Eastry C of E Primary School - 38 By the time pupils leave school they have acquired a sound basis for using ICT in all areas of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

117. Pupils, including those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress and good use is made of ‘Power Point’ by teaching assistants to support pupils with SEN.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

118. Pupils are very enthusiastic in their use of computers. They enjoy making things happen. They concentrate well and persevere with their work. They work co-operatively in pairs and show a positive attitude when working independently. They are always well behaved during these lessons which are mainly in small group situations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119. The quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout both key stages. Teachers are sufficiently knowledgeable about the subject to guide pupils’ learning. They have increased confidence since their training and this is having a positive impact on learning. Pupils are acquiring new skills as, for example, in multimedia presentations. The pace of lessons is good. Pupils are given clear, step by step instructions on procedures and as a result no time is wasted in lessons. Lessons are well planned so that learning proceeds logically from the known to the unknown and the pupils make sound progress. However, in some classes higher achieving pupils are not sufficiently challenged.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. The subject is well managed by an enthusiastic and dedicated co-ordinator. She gives good support to colleagues and has a good overview of the work throughout the school. There is sufficient monitoring of teaching skills to improve standards throughout the school. There is a sound scheme for assessment operating, to record the progress of all pupils. Computer use in all subjects is being established.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Since the last inspection, overall provision has improved significantly. Each classroom has been equipped with a new computer, router and ISDN line. Equipment for photographic work, roamers and remote control have also been added. Nationally recognised schemes of work have been adopted and modified to suit the needs of the school. Resources and accommodation are being considerably improved and will add a new dimension to the overall provision of the school.

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MUSIC

122. The standard of music in both key stages is in line with national expectations.

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MUSIC

123. By the age of seven years pupils gain experience in recognising and creating different rhythms. They maintain the beat in simple patterns. They sing harmoniously together and listen attentively to a variety of music styles, for example, African drums. Some pupils learn to play the recorder and are proud to demonstrate their level of competence.

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MUSIC

124. By the age of 11 years pupils have a good sense of rhythm and are sensitive to the different moods which music evokes. Year 3 pupils use percussion instruments to create a simple rhythmic pattern of sounds and successfully use this to compose a tune. By varying the sequence of three notes they extend their composition to fit the lyric of ‘The Sound of the Falling Rain’. They evaluate and interpret the intention of the composition to project the required conditions. Year 6 pupils study the music of Bob Marley in their work on the geography of Jamaica. Pupils have the opportunity to learn an instrument through peripatetic tuition. The choir club meets regularly and is making good progress. Pupils sing tunefully especially for assemblies. The recorder group accompanies the singing, supported by percussion instruments.

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MUSIC

125. The pupils enjoy their music lessons and are proud of their achievements. They take good care of the instruments and carry out their duties as monitors responsibly. They are well behaved in their lessons, listen attentively and show good, spontaneous appreciation of each other's contributions.

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MUSIC

126. The subject is taught satisfactorily. The teachers are confident in teaching the subject and are given good support by the music co-ordinator. The lessons are well structured and good use is Eastry C of E Primary School - 39 made of percussion instruments to develop a sense of sound variations and rhythm. The pupils are managed well so that lessons proceed in an orderly and enjoyable manner. Good use is made of instruments to support composition and recordings are carefully selected to illustrate the objectives of the lessons.

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MUSIC

127. Lessons are monitored satisfactorily and feedback given to colleagues. There is a satisfactory supply of resources to enable all pupils to participate in music making. The scheme of work enables coverage of all aspects of the National Curriculum and there is a range of music from different cultures. This contributes positively to the provision for the pupils’ social and cultural development. However there are no formal assessment procedures to monitor pupils' attainment and progress. Day to day assessment does not adequately inform curriculum planning. 128. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Although standards have fallen relative to what they were then, they are still in line with expectations and other aspects of the subject have improved significantly. This includes the adoption of a nationally recognised music scheme. Teaching and learning are also now monitored and new resources have been

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. Standards in physical education are in line with those expected at the end of Year 2, but above those expected at the end of Year 6. This indicates a different picture from the previous inspection when at the end of Year 2 standards were above, but reflects a similar position at the end of Year 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 work enthusiastically in their warm-up exercises, use space awareness effectively and are developing body movement well. They are aware of health and safety issues and the need to warm up and cool down. In a dance lesson observed in Year 2, they very effectively combined dance with their art project on the movement of waves.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. In the junior classes pupils' ball skills are well taught through a variety of games including, netball, hockey, rugby and football. Both boys and girls enjoyed the various activities, taught on a carousel basis and made good progress in the lessons developing ball control, using both hands and feet and also using other equipment, such as hockey sticks. The wide range of activities using the available playground and field space very effectively promotes the games aspect of physical education. In gymnastics, pupils listen carefully to instructions, respond well, set up apparatus carefully and use it well to display their twisting and curling skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. Pupils in the infant classes, including those with SEN, make satisfactory progress, whilst those in the juniors make good progress. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 have two years of swimming instruction and almost all achieve the 25 metres unaided swim award. Those pupils who do not achieve this award by the time they leave Year 4 are given further opportunities in Years 5 and 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. Pupils show enthusiasm for their physical activities, dress appropriately and enjoy their lessons. Many show good co-ordination skills in gymnastics, dance and games. They interpret music well, respond rhythmically and produce good quality movements. In the summer months, pupils participate enthusiastically in athletics.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. Teaching is good overall. Most teachers have high expectations in terms of behaviour and skills development. Planning is good and pupils, particularly in games, enjoy brisk, enjoyable and energetically challenging lessons, which proceed at a good pace. The good quality of teaching is having a positive effect upon pupils’ response to the subject. Pupils and staff dress appropriately. Teachers have high expectations and behaviour is good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. The range and quality of the curriculum has improved in the junior classes. The programme of activities is broad and balanced and comprises of gymnastics, dance, games, athletics and swimming. During the inspection lessons in gymnastics, dance and games were observed. There is a good range of extra-curricular sporting activities including football, mini-rugby, netball and cricket. Good opportunities are provided throughout the year for pupils to participate in Eastry C of E Primary School - 40 competitive sport, such as football, rugby and netball and both boys and girls are represented in school teams. Several members of staff contribute to these activities, which has a positive effect upon pupils’ attitudes to sport as well as extending their skills and participation in team games.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. The curriculum co-ordinator has been recently appointed and is committed to improving standards. The scheme of work is appropriate. However the monitoring of teaching and learning is underdeveloped.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. Standards of attainment are in line with expectations for pupils at the age of seven, but below expectations for pupils by the age of 11. While pupils in the infant classes, including those with SEN make satisfactory progress overall, the progress made by pupils in junior classes is unsatisfactory. As a result there has been little improvement in standards by the end of Year 2 and a decline in standards by the end of Year 6, since the time of the last inspection. There are two reasons why this is the case. Insufficient time has been allocated to the subject, particularly in the junior classes. Furthermore, the limited amount of work covered in pupils' books is not challenging enough for average and higher attaining pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. By the age of seven, pupils know the significance of key Christian festivals and recall details of important events in the life of Jesus such as the miracle of the paralysed man. They are developing an ability to relate the lessons of such stories to their everyday lives and experiences. They are able to reflect on their attitudes to the school's rules and values and on the importance of their behaviour and respect for others. Year 2 pupils know how a baby is christened in a church but few understand that the godparents look after the baby in a spiritual sense. Much of their work is colouring in worksheets that are pasted into their books. Writing skills are underdeveloped.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. Year 3 are studying Christianity and Judaism. They are looking at worship and ceremony in religion. They have dealt with the rites of passage and know the rudiments of why a child is baptised, marriage and death in Christianity. There is little work in the books from September to January in relation to what should be covered in the Agreed Syllabus. Pupils have some knowledge of Jewish festivals such as Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur although the work done does not show an understanding of the reasons for festivals in the religious sense. There is very little in the books and not a lot of understanding is evident from the work.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. Most of the Year 4 work is well below average. Much of the same work that was covered in Year 3 is also covered in Year 4. This does not challenge pupils sufficiently. However, Judaism is looked at in more depth. Pupils know of the Jewish rites of passage, what the inside of the synagogue is like and have some knowledge of religious symbols such as the Menorah. Pupils have also done some work on famous Christians, like Mother Teresa.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. In Year 5 there is a very similar curriculum followed to that of Year 6. However, although the standards reached in Year 5 are below average there is more work completed in line with the requirements of the Agreed Syllabus and it is much tidier and better presented. Pupils understand the roles of the parish priest, monks and nuns and the story of Thomas Becket and how he was martyred in Canterbury Cathedral. The class has visited Canterbury Cathedral and there is much well written work in their books about it. Pupils have looked at when the Bible was written by drawing a timeline and know the difference between the Old and New Testaments by looking at the different books of the Bible. They know something of the story of Mohammed. By the end of Year 6 pupils' work in books is below average although on speaking to pupils, their conceptual understanding of the things that they have covered is much better.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers' knowledge and understanding of the subject varies from good to unsatisfactory and is satisfactory overall. Daily lesson plans are appropriate as is the management of pupils and the way teachers use time, support staff and resources. However there are weaknesses in the way basic skills, such as ICT, are taught and the quality and use of ongoing assessment. Most teachers have low expectations of the quantity and quality of the work required from pupils of all abilities. This is particularly the case in the junior classes. With Eastry C of E Primary School - 41 the exception of Year 5, higher attaining pupils are not being sufficiently challenged.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. In a significant majority of classes literacy skills are poorly taught; poor work is praised inappropriately; spellings are not corrected and marking is cursory. In some cases there are ticks at the bottom of pages where there mistakes and saying ‘well done’ by the teacher. In other books religious terminology is wrongly spelt and uncorrected.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. The co-ordination of the subject needs development. There has been insufficient monitoring of teaching, learning and provision through the school to ensure the subject is being taught for enough time and in enough depth to comply with the requirements of the locally Agreed Syllabus particularly at Key Stage 2. There are insufficient learning resources.

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French

145. All pupils in Years 5 and 6 benefit from the teaching of French which enhances the curriculum and adds an extra dimension to their social and cultural learning. Pupils are enthusiastic and participate fully in lessons, showing great interest in learning French. Although there are no national expectations for modern languages at Key Stage 2, achievements are good in both years, given the amount of teaching time and the length of time between lessons.

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French

146. The overall quality of teaching is very good on the basis of the small number of lessons observed. Planning is very good, with clear and appropriate aims which are communicated effectively to pupils. The teacher provides a wide range of lively and motivating activities so that pupils can practise their new skills and language in a variety of ways. For example, pupils act out role-plays in pairs, learn through songs and action games and work outside in the playground when learning directions in French. The teacher encourages more advanced pupils to extend their contributions. These pupils would also benefit from the gradual introduction of activities to develop reading and writing skills.

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French

147. Year 5 pupils, who have had one and a half term’s French tuition, have made good progress. Most pupils can ask and answer simple questions about themselves, giving their name, age and where they live. They are very attentive and co-operate fully in the lessons. As a result, their listening comprehension skills are developing well. All pupils are able to understand the teacher’s instructions, single words and short phrases. They are able to ask and give directions to places in the town, using good pronunciation. In Year 6 pupils can ask and answer questions, giving longer answers in full sentences. Most pupils in Year 6 speak with confidence, many of them performing above expectations.

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French

148. Some pupils have difficulty in linking spoken and written words and would benefit from a more gradual introduction to reading. More frequent and shorter lessons would help this gradual learning process.

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French

149. The school provides the opportunity for pupils to go on an annual residential trip to France. Those pupils who have been on the trip were able to use some of the French learned in class in real situations and have improved their cultural and social knowledge and skills as a result.

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