Jesson's CofE Primary School (VA)

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 28 th 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. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Street Dudley West Midlands

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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. S. Yates

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th – 9 th May 1997 Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

14042 J. Sorsby Registered inspector Information about the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9052 H. Barter 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? 18703 C. Canniff Team inspector Geography History 30997 J. Considine Team inspector Design and technology Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 21171 S. Handford Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the foundation stage Provision for pupils with English as an additional language 25778 A. Hicks Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music 31963 M. Padmore Team inspector Provision for pupils with special educational needs Science Physical education

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

22778 A. Shannon Team inspector English Art and design Equality of opportunity Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Penta International Upperton House The Avenue Eastbourne East Sussex BN21 3YB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 13

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Jesson’s Church of England Primary School is located in Dudley in the West Midlands. It is in an area of considerable social deprivation and 32 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of 18.6 per cent. The school is very large, with 583 pupils on roll including, 100 pupils who attend the nursery either full time or part time. This compares to the national average of 226 pupils. Two hundred and ninety pupils are not of white United Kingdom heritage, these being mainly of Pakistani, Caribbean and Indian descent and including 15 refugees. More than half the pupils, two hundred and seventy five, speak English as an additional language, and 98 are at an early stage of learning the language. The main languages spoken among these pupils are Urdu, Punjabi, Patois and Lithuanian. Thirty-seven per cent of pupils have special educational needs, which is much higher than average, and 0.8 per cent have statements of special educational

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

needs, which is below average. Twenty per cent of all pupils joined or left the school during the past year at a time other than the normal joining or leaving time. Almost a third of all families choose that their children should travel to the school from places well outside the normal catchment area. The school has a very strong multi-faith religious ethos based on its strong Christian values. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is well below average for their age, and is lower than at the time of the last inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school that has continued to improve well since the last inspection. Because of very good procedures that ensure that each pupil’s academic and personal needs are provided for, almost all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are achieving well, particularly in English. Pupils join the school with standards well below those expected of children of their age. Pupils at the age of seven are attaining standards in line with the national average in writing, below average in reading and well below average in mathematics. At the age of eleven, last year’s cohort attained standards that were above the national average in English, below average in mathematics and well below average in science. When consideration is given to the proportion of pupils who joined the school late in their primary school life, the proportion at an early stage of using English and the high proportion with special

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

educational needs, these results represent good achievement at the age of seven, and good achievement in mathematics and science and very good achievement in English at age eleven. This year’s Year 6 pupils are achieving marginally better than last year’s. Teaching is good and often very good for children in the nursery and reception classes and Years 4 to 6. It is satisfactory for pupils in Years 1 to 3. The leadership and management of the school is very good. Although the cost per pupil is above average, the consistently good achievement by pupils, particularly those with learning difficulties or for whom English is a newly acquired language, means that the school continues to provide very good value for money. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 8 What the school does well  The quality of teaching in nursery and reception and of pupils aged nine, ten and eleven.  The leadership and management of the school, clearly focused on raising standards.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

 The motivation and management of pupils.  Pupils’ attitudes to school and learning, their relationships and their behaviour  Pastoral support and care, the assessment of what pupils know, understand and can do, and the inclusion of all through providing for pupils’ individual needs, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language.  The quality of the curriculum and the outstanding range of extra-curricular activities, which is a demonstration of the commitment of staff to their pupils.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved  Standards achieved by pupils aged seven and eleven could be further improved by addressing some teaching issues in Years 1 to 3.  For pupils aged six to eight, the quality of teaching, in particular, teachers’ expectations, the challenge presented by lessons and pupil management. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in May 1997. Since then, there has been overall improvement in the quality of teaching, with an increasing proportion of teaching being good or better. Standards in English have improved despite the overall lower standards of pupils when they join the nursery or reception classes. In particular, standards in writing have risen significantly. The lower starting point of most pupils has resulted in standards in science being lower than they were. In information and communications technology (ICT), standards have improved. The assessment of what pupils know, understand and can do has also improved and as a consequence, so has teachers’ planning to meet the particular needs of each individual in their classes. There has been a commensurate improvement in the quality of the school’s work with pupils with special needs and those for whom English is an additional language as the school has succeeded in further improving the inclusiveness of all it

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

provides. The school’s partnership with parents has continued to strengthen as has the leadership and management of the school. This improvement, together with the improvement in teaching, means that the school is well placed to deal with those areas this report identifies as requiring attention and to continue its overall improvement. All areas for improvement identified in the last inspection report have been dealt with well and the overall improvement in the school has been good.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English E D D A well above average above average A B Mathematics E E E C average below average C D Science E* E E D well below average E

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STANDARDS

Children join Reception with levels of attainment well below those expected for their age. By the time they enter Year 1, as a consequence of good teaching, children Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 9 have achieved well and their standards are in line with expectations in their personal, social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world, their creative development and their physical development. In the key skills of communications, language and literacy and mathematical ability, children’s attainment remains below expectations because of their low starting point and the proportion for whom English is an additional language.

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STANDARDS

In reading at the end of Year 2, standards have remained constant since the last inspection, despite pupils’ lower levels of attainment when joining the school. In the 2001 national tests they were average for similar schools. In writing, at the end of Year 2 in 2001, pupils’ standards have improved and were below the national average, but above average for similar schools. In mathematics there has been similar improvement, and in 2001 standards were no longer in the bottom five per cent nationally and had risen to be well below the national average and the average for similar schools. They had been in the bottom five per cent of all schools nationally. Pupils currently in Year 2 are achieving better in mathematics and their standards are below rather than well below the national average. These results represent good achievement in reading and writing and satisfactory achievement in mathematics by all pupils and were the consequence of the good foundation in

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STANDARDS

learning that pupils receive in the nursery and reception classes.

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STANDARDS

Standards at the end of Year 6 in English and science in the national tests have improved since the last inspection, while in mathematics, standards have been constant. Current Year 6 pupils are achieving better than their predecessors and their standards in English are in line with the national average and below national averages in mathematics and science. Considering the proportion of pupils who join the school late, the proportion who join with little or no ability in English and the proportion with special educational needs, pupils are judged to be achieving well in mathematics and science and very well in English. This is the result of good and often very good or excellent teaching in Years 4 to 6 and the care teachers take to ensure that individual pupils’ needs are appropriately met. A continuing weakness within these results, which is to be expected because of the circumstances described, is the below average proportion of pupils in each subject that reach

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STANDARDS

standards above those expected for their age.

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STANDARDS

Throughout the school less able pupils and those for whom English is an additional language achieve as well as all other pupils because of the good provision made for them. This includes pupils who have special educational needs. Higher attaining pupils are also being well provided for and are achieving as well as all other pupils in comparison to their prior attainment.

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STANDARDS

In English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2001 the school achieved its targets for the proportion of pupils who would achieve the expected Level 4 or above. The accuracy with which this was predicted is evidence of teachers’ detailed knowledge of their pupils. The school’s targets for 2002 are conservative. The school recognises that they are likely to be exceeded as a consequence of continuing improvements in teaching and provision.

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STANDARDS

It was not possible to make judgements about pupils’ standards in music in Years 2 or 6. In all other subjects, at the ends of Years 2 and 6, standards are in line with national expectations. Given pupils’ attainment on entry to Year 1 and the particular circumstances described earlier, this represents good achievement. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 10

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils work hard and strive to succeed.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school, except in the dining room where it is satisfactory.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils develop into responsible young people ready for the next stage of their education. They get on very well together.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. Teaching has improved since the last inspection, with more teaching being good or better. In Years 1, 2 and 3, teachers’ good knowledge of their pupils is not always being effectively utilised to ensure that all pupils are sufficiently challenged by their work. The teaching of English and literacy and of mathematics and numeracy is satisfactory in Years 1 to 3 and good in Years 4 to 6. All aspects of teaching are good in Years 4 to 6. In Years 1 to 3, particular strengths are teachers’ knowledge of the subjects they are teaching and very good question and answer sessions, and the good use made of non-teaching classroom staff. A significant weakness is teachers’

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

expectations of pupils, which are too low, resulting in insufficiently challenging work for pupils.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

As a consequence of the good quality of teaching and of the care taken by teachers, particularly in reception, nursery and Years 4 to 6 to ensure that each pupil’s needs are fully met, pupils learn well in the years mentioned and satisfactorily in Years 1 to 3. In Year 1 to 3, teachers’ low expectations results in a slow pace of work and hence unsatisfactory acquisition of new knowledge and skills. Despite this, teaching and learning as a whole are still judged to be good. This is because of the good progress made by all pupils, including those who join the school late, those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. The school is aware of the problems in Years 1 to 3 and steps are in hand to resolve them. More able pupils are well challenged by the work they are set. Overall, the school meets the needs of its pupils well. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 11

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is well enhanced by support groups for pupils, visitors and visits to places of interest and by an outstanding extra- curricular activities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good support is provided to pupils with special needs following early and accurate identification.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Teachers and specialist staff are very skilled and manage and deliver the school’s provision very well, resulting in good teaching and good achievement by pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school provides very well for pupils’ moral and social development and well for their spiritual and cultural development. Pupils are well prepared for life in a multi-cultural society.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. Pupils’ well being receives equal priority to their academic success. Assessment of pupils’ needs is good and the information is well used.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well does the school work in partnership with parents Very well. The school values very highly the involvement of parents in their children’s learning and their views and suggestions. Parents are kept very well informed, particularly about their children’s progress.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. For the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior and middle management teams, pastoral team and subject coordinators, school improvement, the raising of pupils’ standards and their well- being are constant targets. All work very effectively and contribute significantly.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governing body is well informed and fully involved. The chairman plays a particularly significant role in the day to day life of pupils.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school collects and analyses all available relevant data and makes and implements appropriate decisions quickly and efficiently.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources All resources are used and managed very effectively to raise pupils’ standards. The school gets very good value from services and resources purchased.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school is well staffed by appropriately qualified and experienced teachers and competent and committed support staff. The accommodation and learning resources support the teaching of the curriculum well. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 12

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved  That their children like coming to school.  That their children make good progress.  That teaching is good.  That teachers have high expectations of their children.  That the school helps their children become mature and responsible.  The amount of homework set.  The information they receive about their children’s progress.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Overall, inspectors agree with parents’ positive views and disagree with their criticisms. However, in Years 1 to 3, inspectors judge teachers’ expectations to be too low and as a consequence, pupils’ progress to be only satisfactory. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Pupils achieve well in the nursery, reception classes and in Years 4 to 6, as a consequence of good and often very good teaching and very accurate identification of individual pupils’ needs. This results in the work being set being well matched to their ability. Achievement in Years 1 to 3 is satisfactory, being limited by teachers lower than appropriate expectations of pupils, the pace of learning and hence pupils’ acquisition of new knowledge and skills.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The combined result of the different quality of teaching in nursery and reception, and Years 1 and 2, is that standards in the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2001 in comparison with schools with pupils from a similar socio-economic background were average in reading, above average in writing and well below average in mathematics. However, this comparison does not take account of several factors that have a significant impact on standards in this school. A high proportion of pupils joins the school with little or no ability in English. Some of these, and many other pupils also have special educational needs. Finally, still further complicating the picture is the fact that many pupils join the school at times other than normal, and therefore derive limited benefit from the school’s provision because they are not there for sufficient time before the national tests to derive maximum benefit. The school’s

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

skills at identifying individual pupil’s needs and providing for them is the strength that results in pupils’ good achievement overall by the time they are seven, although achievement in Years 1 and 2 is only satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Pupils continue to achieve satisfactorily in Year 3, where the same limitations exist. However, in Years 4 to 6, pupils benefit from much improved teaching, where teachers succeed in challenging pupils to the full. Consequently, their pace of learning speeds up and so does their progress. In these year groups, they achieve well. This resulted in pupils’ standards in the 2001 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6 being average for similar schools in mathematics and below average in science. However, in English, pupils’ standards were well above the average for similar schools, despite the same limitations in making these comparisons as in the comparisons at the end of Year 2. The result in English is therefore particularly pleasing and a good reflection of pupils’ and teachers’ hard work. While disappointing to the school, the result in science still represents satisfactory progress overall, and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

because of pupils’ special needs, mobility and language, good achievement.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In mathematics at age 7 and English, mathematics and science at age 11, the standards at which current pupils are working indicate that they are making better progress than their predecessors. This is as a result of the school’s ongoing efforts to improve teaching and its continuing emphasis on the early identification of individual pupil’s needs and provision for them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Timetable constraints resulted in it not being possible to make judgements about pupils’ standards in music in Years 2 or 6. In information and communication technology, standards are in line with expectations for pupils aged seven and eleven. This is an improvement since the last inspection, and is a consequence of the school’s investment in new computers and software and teachers’ increasing skills and confidence in teaching the subject. Pupils achieve satisfactorily in Years 1 to 3 and well in Years 4 to 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In religious education, standards are broadly in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. In Years 1 and 2, insufficient lessons were observed to Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 14 judge the effect the quality of teaching is having on standards. In Years 3 to 6, standards are the result of satisfactory teaching.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In art and design, design and technology, geography, history and physical education, standards are in line with expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. In each subject, standards at the end of Year 2 (and in Year 3) are lower than might otherwise be the case because of teachers’ limited expectations of pupils. In Years 3 to 6, despite the mobility of pupils, their special needs and the school’s continuing emphasis on teaching English, mathematics and science, standards are maintained and pupils achieve well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. The school is effective in promoting good progress among pupils with special educational needs. The special educational needs co-ordinator has trained teachers in the early identification of need and in the writing of individual education plans. Individual education plans contain clear and achievable targets that include learning and behaviour. These are regularly reviewed to make sure progress is being maintained. The special needs co-ordinator, teachers and classroom assistants work well together to provide a level of support that enables pupils to make good progress in relation to their individual needs.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Since the last inspection, pupils have maintained their good attitudes to school and to their learning and continue to behave well. Pupils work well together and have very good relationships with each other and with adults. Pupils develop a good sense of responsibility and develop well in preparation for the next stage of their education. Their good attitudes, behaviour and personal development make a significant contribution to the effectiveness of their learning and the standards they achieve.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Nearly all parents say that their children like coming to school. Most feel that children’s behaviour is good and that, although there are a few with behaviour difficulties, most know what is expected of them because they are encouraged to do the right thing. They say that pupils have very good attitudes and values and that the school helps them to be mature and responsible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory. There is very little unauthorised absence because the school has very good procedures for monitoring pupils’ attendance and for following up unexplained absences. However, although attendance is good in many classes, and some pupils have very good attendance records, the attendance level is affected by pupils of all ages who are taken away on extended holidays. The disruption that this causes to their learning impacts on their standards. While punctuality is generally good, there are a few pupils who are regularly late for school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ attitudes to school mean that most are keen to do well. They are enthusiastic and involved in what they are doing and are happy in the classroom and around the school. The school’s very good leadership results in a positive atmosphere, which results in pupils working hard and behaving well. In lessons, when pupils are provided with challenging and interesting work, they concentrate hard and listen well to their teacher. They are keen to contribute to discussions and to answer questions. Pupils enjoy talking about what they are doing. For example, in an art and design lesson, pupils worked with great enjoyment on hats they had designed and were making. Pupils have less positive attitudes to learning where the work they are given lacks challenge or is uninteresting and where the teacher has not sufficiently established rules for behaviour. For example, pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 demonstrated some immaturity and were sometimes noisy and disruptive. They were

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

slow to get going with their work and wasted time when they are not directly Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 15 supervised. On the whole, however, most pupils show good levels of personal motivation to improve and this contributes well to their success. Pupils have very good levels of interest and motivation in activities outside lessons. Many attend the very large range of extra-curricular activities on offer and are keen to come to school early, for example for Breakfast Club and Readers Club.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils behave well in school and in lessons. Most are clear about the expected standards of behaviour and follow the school and class rules. They treat school equipment, such as science materials, sensibly. In some lessons, the management of pupils was not sufficiently effective and some inappropriate behaviour was seen. Consequently, learning was less effective and in six lessons it was unsatisfactory or worse. Outside the classroom, pupils are happy and lively and they play well together in the playground. However, at lunchtime, although pupils appear to behave appropriately, there is a large amount of food left on the floor every day. There were no exclusions last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils make good progress in their personal development. They have very good relationships with each other and pupils of all backgrounds get on well. For example, in an excellent dance lesson, pupils worked together in mixed gender and race groups. They valued each group’s performance, showed respect for each other and offered supportive and constructive comments to help each other improve. This is an inclusive school which values pupils’ backgrounds and this is evident in the way that all pupils listen to each other and to their opinions and develop a good understanding of other people. Pupils with special educational needs are very positive about their time in school. They enjoy the work they do and work hard in lessons. They develop good relationships with their classmates. They happily accept support and advice from teachers and their assistants.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils respond well to any opportunities for taking responsibility in the classroom and around the school, such as acting as monitors or when older and younger pupils read together in their partner classes. Some pupils have not yet developed the ability to work independently. For example, younger pupils, particularly in Years 1, 2 and 3, often seek adult support and their work rate is slow when they are not directly supported.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Overall, the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. It is now characterised by many strengths but a few weaknesses in Years 1 to 3, which have a significant impact on the standards pupils achieve and their results in the national tests at the end of Years 2 and 6. Seven out of every ten lessons seen were good or better and one in every four was very good or excellent. However, six lessons were unsatisfactory or worse, one in reception but five in Years 1 to 3. Of the teaching that was satisfactory three-quarters occurred in Years 1 to 3, while only a quarter of the good, very good or excellent teaching occurred in the same year groups.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The teaching of children in nursery and reception classes was good. Staff have a very secure understanding of how young children learn and the importance of play and first hand experiences. This has a positive effect supporting children’s progress towards the Early Learning Goals and provides a firm foundation for learning in Year 1 and beyond. Children learn well, and this has a good effect on the standards they achieve. Staff are particularly skilled in providing for the needs of individual pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In Years 1 to 3, the teaching of English and of literacy skills was satisfactory. In Years 4 to 6, it was very good, with almost every lesson being good or better. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 16 Particular strengths are the teaching by specialists in English as an additional language, teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the National Literacy Strategy and the imaginative lessons they prepared for pupils. The needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and potentially higher attaining pupils were consistently met, although, as stated earlier, because of their very low initial standards, few higher attaining pupils reach above expected standards. High attainment for them is, in effect, achieving at the nationally expected Level 4 at the end of Year 6. In Years 1 to 3, the weakness relates to teachers’ expectations of pupils and pupils’ resultant slow pace of learning. As in all other subjects to be

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

described, lack of challenge in some lessons resulted in pupils becoming bored and behaviour sometimes deteriorating.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Observed teaching in mathematics has several factors in common with that in English. Years 3 to 6 were characterised by high expectations and good teaching and learning, while in Years 1 to 3, lower expectations and a lack of challenge for some pupils resulted in only satisfactory teaching and learning. In Years 1 to 3, two unsatisfactory and one poor lesson were observed. In Years 3 to 6, teachers’ planning and the setting of objectives were good and they provided good demonstrations using their good subject knowledge to inform and motivate pupils. Teachers managed pupils well and the relationships in the classroom were also good. These factors created a good environment in which learning was purposeful and pupils achieved well. As in other subjects, teachers are particularly skilled at using assessment data to ensure that the needs of individual pupils are met and all pupils are appropriately challenged by their lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The teaching of science was satisfactory overall in Years 1 to 3. In Years 4 to 6 teaching in a majority of observed lessons was good. In Years 1 to 3, the problems already described , low expectations and a lack of challenge for some pupils, were present. In Years 4 to 6, teachers planned their lessons carefully and used their very good subject knowledge to provide stimulating opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of the topics they study. They encouraged pupils to use their initiative when organising resources and to develop their ability to work well both independently and within groups. This enabled pupils to learn and to achieve well as a consequence. As with other subjects, very good attention was paid to ensuring that each individual pupil was enabled to participate fully in lessons and that all were suitably challenged, regardless of their prior attainment.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Insufficient evidence was available to judge the quality of teaching or learning in art and design, design and technology, geography, history or music. With the exception of music, in all these subjects, the few lessons seen were good. In music they were satisfactory overall.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Five ICT lessons were observed. In Years 1 and 3 the quality of teaching and learning was good, while in Years 4 to 6 it was very good. Teachers are growing in confidence and subject expertise. They use learning resources well in the new ICT suites, to explain and demonstrate new techniques. Lessons are a good mix of whole class teaching and practical pupil work. Most lessons are taken at a brisk pace. Teachers ensure that all pupils are engaged well in activities, and appropriate demand is placed on all, including lower attaining pupils. In ICT, this includes the demands placed on pupils in Years 1 and 3. The reason for the difference between the expectations teachers have of their pupils in this subject and others is a consequence of the recent developments in the subject. Teachers have recently undergone extensive training in the teaching of ICT, and are therefore approaching it with little or none of the pre-conceived ideas with which they approach other

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

subjects. Pupils’ high levels of motivation and interest make class management easy, and contribute well to the busy, purposeful lessons seen. All pupils achieve at least well, regardless of their prior attainment or language or special needs. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 17 23. A limited number of lessons was observed in physical education. In Years 2 and 3, the overall quality of teaching was satisfactory while in Years 5 and 6 it was good. However, because of the school’s programme for teaching the subject, these lessons covered only a limited range of activities from the physical education curriculum. Lessons were well planned, organised and resourced. Teachers are secure in their subject knowledge and impart it well to pupils, particularly older pupils. This results in lessons being enjoyable and pupils achieving well, overall.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Teaching of religious education was only observed in Years 1, 2 and 3. In two of these lessons, teaching was satisfactory and pupils, including those with language and special needs and more able pupils learned satisfactorily and made satisfactory progress. Teachers have satisfactory subject knowledge and incorporate into their teaching a respect for other people within the class, the school and the wider environment. Pupils respond positively to their teachers and are keen to learn. The ethos created by teachers pervades the whole school and is reflected in the very positive relationships that exist. However, one lesson was unsatisfactory due to a very slow pace and a lack of appropriate content.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The good progress pupils with special educational needs make is the result of good planning by a combined team comprising the special educational needs co- ordinator, classroom teachers, and the special needs and classroom assistants. Plans set out the ways in which the curriculum is to be adapted to meet individual needs. Classroom assistants meet regularly with the special educational needs co- ordinator to monitor and review the progress pupils make against their individual education plans. Teachers have regular meetings with the special educational needs co-ordinator to consider and evaluate how well targets are being achieved. Classroom assistants make a good contribution to the progress of pupils with special educational needs. They are experienced in supporting pupils with special educational needs and are very capable. They know pupils well and foster the trust that plays a significant part in the school’s good learning environment.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

26. Overall, the curriculum is good and provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Each has maintained its quality since the last inspection. The school provides a well-enriched curriculum that meets statutory requirements and the needs of all pupils including those who have special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language. It is supported by good curriculum policies and schemes of work identifying what is to be taught in each year group, which ensures that pupils learn systematically and progressively as they move through the school. The school is committed to offering all pupils a range of opportunities that develop the whole child and broaden their experiences, taking particular care to meet the needs of individuals. This has a positive effect on the standards they achieve. In addition to the statutory curriculum, the school also holds focus weeks such as religious education week, book week,

p.17

TO PUPILS?

science week and arts week. During these weeks all pupils in school pursue different aspects of the subject, finishing with a sharing of successes in assembly at the end of the week. This further motivates pupils and similarly contributes well to their achievements.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

27. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully introduced and well adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. The curriculum overall is well enriched by an outstanding range of extra – curricular activities. This aspect of the school’s work is a particular strength and has improved significantly since the last inspection. Activities followed by pupils include homework and breakfast clubs, Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 18 sporting and arts clubs and a range of activities such as cross stitch, feel good, computer and JAM clubs, each of which appeals to specific interest groups. Booster classes for maths, Springboards and Buddy readers are also held out of school hours. Additionally there are activities for parents such as cooking, dressmaking and literacy and numeracy workshops so that parents have opportunities to learn alongside their children. The school is very committed to, and successful at being, a

p.17

TO PUPILS?

learning community. All these extra activities serve to increase pupils’ enjoyment of school, their motivation to learn and to enhance their achievements and the standards they reach.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

28. Attendance for all activities is monitored by a co-ordinator who seeks to encourage all pupils to take up at least one additional interest. Views about provision are sought from pupils who are keen to make suggestions about other activities that could be offered. These activities and the consultations surrounding them contribute to pupils’ social and personal development. The school’s monitoring procedures are rigorous and enable the activities and achievements of all pupils to be tracked. In this way the school is able to ensure that all pupils have equality of access to all learning and developmental activities on offer, and that appropriate activities are followed.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

29. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. There is an atmosphere of reverence in assemblies and pupils participate by singing or reading. Some assemblies take place in the local church and pupils fully engage with the act of worship in a meaningful and solemn manner. The school held a spirituality in-service training day in 2001 that enabled teachers to better identify opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual development. Consequently, spirituality is also evident in some lessons. For example in a literacy lesson one pupil observed that “ A bud is a secret treasure which, when it opens, has something lovely inside.” There was real pleasure expressed by all pupils at photographs of flowers and blossom in the big book “Spring”, in a literacy lesson. There was also a sense of awe present when pupils attended the local church for lessons about Christianity, and for a service.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

30. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good and is a strength of the school. Pupils are taught right from wrong through the values promoted in assembly and in lessons. Most classes have circle time during which feelings towards and about each other are explored. All classes have classroom rules prominently displayed and referred to when appropriate. Corridors and communal areas have posters with messages about care for others. These include reference to bullying “Turn around and tell” Other displays feature friends and the qualities that make a good friend. The very good role model presented by all adults in the school, and reflected in pupils’ good behaviour, reinforces these messages.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

31. Throughout many of their lessons, pupils are encouraged to view themselves as part of a community. They are taught to value their own lives within the school community and the different experiences of others. They are given responsibilities such as pairing older classes with younger classes for activities such as reading, ICT and assemblies. Pupils undertake telephone duty and help in the nursery at lunchtimes. Pupils are valued by the school and have a voice in putting forward their own ideas for clubs, activities, and how they can be more involved in their school. There is a strong sense of valuing the individual as evidenced by some older pupils who are e-mailing a friend who is spending time in the renal unit of the hospital. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

32. Provision for the cultural development of pupils is good. This is addressed through subjects such as art and design, music, religious education and personal, social and health education. In literacy, pupils had been using myths from native America as a stimulus and in Year1 they had been looking at fairy tales as the focus of lessons. In design and technology pupils had been looking at the design of chairs Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 19 from different countries including Egypt, Ghana and France to stimulate their own ideas. There was also an art display featuring Rangoli patterns. The work of artists such as Andy Warhol had been used to motivate pupils’ own work. Cultural development is also a strong feature of religious education lessons where a variety of other faiths is taught. However, despite the school being a multicultural society, there were surprisingly few images of people from other backgrounds overtly displayed.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

33. The school makes good provision for pupils personal, social and health education. The Governors have agreed a formal policy for sex and relationships education. It places the focus on learning about physical, moral and emotional development within the framework of marriage for family life, stable loving relationships, respect, love and care.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

34. The school rightly prides itself on the effective links it has made with the local community to support and enhance learning and the personal and social development of pupils. The local church is very involved with the school. Pupils attend church for various services and the vicar is a frequent visitor to school in her capacity as chair of governors and to support the teaching of religious education. The school also has links with other places of worship such as the mosque. Pupils enjoy visitors such as the police, a man to talk about taking care of animals and the Kingswood Christian Community. Opportunities are taken to visit local facilities such as the zoo and the local park and to venture further afield to Blackpool and Alton Towers as part of a Year 6 technology project. Older pupils are encouraged to take part in a residential visit to Astley Burf where they are able to experience a range of

p.19

TO PUPILS?

outdoor activities not available at school. Pupils take part in various performances at school, to which parents are invited throughout the year. These include harvest, Christmas and a performance of Jack and the Beanstalk by older pupils. Class assemblies are held regularly to an audience of parents and siblings and Black History Week was recently celebrated. They also take part in various inter- school sports competitions such as netball, football, cross-country and cricket.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

35. The school has effective links with local partner schools. Teachers from the local high school visit Year 6 pupils prior to transfer and Year 6 pupils have the opportunity of attending their selected high school for a series of taster days. There are also Bridge Curriculum links in subjects such as mathematics, which involve teachers from both primary and secondary schools. The headteacher of a local secondary school took a recent assembly in which a GCSE drama group performed to the school. All these activities contribute to pupils’ personal development and to preparing them well for the next stage of their education.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

36. The school makes sure that there is equality of access to the curriculum for all pupils with special educational needs. The school is largely successful in the way it adapts the curriculum to the individual needs of pupils. This gives them the grounding they need to make progress. The special educational needs co-ordinator and classroom teachers write clear and appropriate individual education plans that are shared with classroom assistants and the other adults working with the children. Very good planning and the effective use of resources help pupils to work towards their targets. The use of ICT, in particular a computer-aided learning programme designed specifically for pupils with special educational needs, makes a very good contribution to pupils’ progress in literacy and numeracy.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school continues to care very well for its pupils and this has a very positive impact on their lives at school and the standards they achieve. The overall quality of educational and personal support and guidance provided for pupils is very Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 20 good, with particular strengths in the pastoral support provided, including the monitoring of attendance and supporting personal development.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Parents appreciate the pastoral care that is provided for their children. They feel that they can speak to the school if they have any concerns. They are positive about the school’s strategies for improving behaviour and say that the reward systems work well. Overall, they feel that the school works hard to create a harmonious multi-racial community in which pupils are highly valued and cared for well, and is successful in so doing.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school has very good arrangements for ensuring that pupils and staff work in a safe and secure environment. Staff carry out regular risk assessments. The school recognises that, although many staff have basic first aid training, there is currently an under-provision of staff who have received full first-aid training and some staff also need up to date training in dealing with some of the medical problems presented by pupils . Despite these shortcomings, staff are very caring when pupils hurt themselves or are unwell. There are good procedures in place for child protection and staff are aware of how to report any concerns about a pupil’s welfare. Staff have received very good child protection training.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school’s Pastoral Team supports pupils and their families very well, makes a significant contribution to the quality of care provided by the school for each individual pupil. There is very good monitoring of pupils’ attendance and the school works closely with parents to impress upon them the importance of regular attendance at school. This has resulted in better than average attendance for the local area although the school continues to try and reduce the number of extended holidays taken in term-time. The Home-School Liaison Officers and the Learning Link Worker (employed by the Education Action Zone) know pupils and their families very well and work with them to build positive links that strengthen the learning environment and contribute to the standards pupils achieve. Links with outside agencies, such as the educational welfare service, are strong and contribute well to this very positive feature of the school.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has good procedures for monitoring and promoting pupils’ behaviour and for providing support where this is required, further enhancing the learning environment. The school’s discipline policy is clear in its expectations of what is and is not acceptable and how any bullying will be dealt with, and is well understood by pupils and parents.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school monitors and supports pupils’ personal development very well. It helps pupils to develop maturity and confidence by rewarding them for improvements in behaviour and attitudes and celebrating their achievements and successes. In Years 4, 5 and 6 the use of targets chosen by pupils and self-evaluation helps pupils to understand how well they have achieved and what they need to do next to improve. Staff know their pupils well and, through their commitment to providing an inclusive environment, help them to mature and develop in a caring and supportive atmosphere. This has a positive impact on pupils’ standards.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school has made good progress in developing effective procedures to monitor and assess pupils’ academic performance and achievements. At the time of the last inspection there was no policy or guidance for staff to support the assessment and recording of pupils’ attainment. There is now a detailed marking policy which is consistently used, but marking does not always give pupils enough information on how they can improve their work. The use of pupils’ assessment folders is long established and good for English, maths and science, but a recent development that is less well utilised in other subjects. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 21 44. The detailed data that is now systematically and regularly analysed includes data from the results of the national tests for seven and eleven year olds, and the optional tests that are taken annually by each year group. The information gleaned is well used in future planning. Additionally, the Year 5 data is used to set school

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

targets for the end of Year 6. All data is also used to set individual targets at the start of each year, to track individual achievement and to ensure that the school’s inclusion policies are working and that there are no inexplicable differences in attainment between, for example, pupils of different genders or from different ethnic backgrounds. Consequently, in lessons, inspectors noted that all pupils were able to play a full part and that no individual was disadvantaged because of special needs or ethnicity. Data collection and the good use to which it is put is also central to the school’s success in providing well for pupils who have special educational needs.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Since the last inspection, the school has continued to build on its partnership with parents and has further strengthened its very effective links with them. This has a positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and the standards they achieve. Parents commented at the meeting that they feel very well informed and that teachers are always available to speak to them. They feel that, since the last inspection, the school has continued to improve its communication with them through regular newsletters and that there is even more support from parents for the school.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Parents have very few criticisms of the school. A small minority is not happy with the homework provided, although the inspection team finds that, overall, homework provision is good and is used well by teachers to support learning. Although there were no comments made at the meeting, a few parents feel that they are not as well informed as they might be. No evidence was found to support this concern.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. School documentation such as the prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents is very well presented, full of useful information and encouraging to parents to involve themselves in school life and their children’s learning. Fortnightly newsletters help parents to know what is being taught in school and how they may help their children at home. Parents of children in the nursery receive excellent newsletters which keep them fully informed, provide ideas for working with children at home and an activities page for the children themselves. Pupils’ end-of-year reports clearly identify what they know, understand and can do in all subjects. Although there is no specific written information about the levels at which pupils are working and the targets that have been set for their improvement, these are discussed at termly consultation

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

meetings. Through the work of the Home-school Liaison Officers and the Learning Link Worker (employed by the Education Action Zone), parents from all of the communities represented in the school are fully included in its activities. Home visits for all parents are a very good feature of this work and help to develop positive relationships with parents from the beginning. The Pastoral Team plays a vital role in listening to parents, working with them to solve their difficulties and supplying information to teaching staff to improve their knowledge of pupils and their families. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept fully informed of the progress their children make. They are involved, where appropriate, in the special educational needs review process.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents, grandparents and carers make a very good contribution to children’s learning at school and at home. There is good attendance at meetings, class assemblies and concerts. Many parents support their children’s learning well by hearing them read and encouraging the completion of homework. A Readers Club for parents of children in Year 3 which takes place before school starts is well Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 22 established and gives parents an opportunity to share books with their children and talk to staff. The very active Friends of Jesson’s group is very successful. As well as providing resources for the school, it offers opportunities for parents to participate in school activities and to get to know one another.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents are able to take part in a very good range of educational and learning opportunities, either for their own benefit or as a partnership activity with their children. For example, during the week of the inspection, a large group of parents worked with their children in the nursery to make biscuit faces. Through the very good quality support of the Learning Link Worker, they learned about the use of mathematical language when choosing shapes and numbers of sweets and about changing properties of materials in science when they mixed icing sugar with water. In their evaluation of this activity, parents showed their appreciation of the opportunity to work alongside their children and the positive impact that this would have when playing with their children at home. Parents are learning to use desk-top publishing and word-processing computer packages to make books for children in the Pacesetters group. Classes in, for example, dressmaking and tailoring and healthy

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

cooking attract good numbers of parents and some have received accreditation for their learning in ICT classes.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The leadership and the management of the school have improved since the last inspection. Overall, both are very good.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. This is a school where very strong leadership and management by the headteacher coupled with very effective and meaningful delegation of authority and responsibility to her senior management colleagues and subject co-ordinators has had, and continues to have, a significant impact on raising pupils’ standards.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher leads by example. Through her work she demonstrates the ability to strive for the realisation of the school’s motto, “excellence for all, excellence by all”. She sets a tone and an ethos that produce a very positive learning environment to which pupils and staff respond most positively.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy headteacher, oversees a management structure that further encourages involvement and development of staff. As well as the senior management team, who capably handle strategic management decisions, there is an “A Team” made up of middle managers, which acts as a focus for developments and communications with all staff. The various levels of management work very well together and jointly contribute significantly to raising pupils’ standards.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Subject co-ordinators effectively monitor teachers’ planning and in some subjects, teaching. They strongly influence the teaching of their specialist subjects and hence pupils’ achievements. Their respect for each other and the manner in which they seek and receive each other’s support and guidance is very good. This is an exceptionally strong and cohesive team of middle managers. There is effective monitoring of teaching, but while the strengths and weaknesses of teachers are known, appropriate action is not always taken quickly enough to support and improve teaching as required. Governors also play a role in monitoring through their curriculum responsibilities and their visits to classrooms.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school is successful in using available data in evaluating its own performance. Characteristically, the school takes effective and prompt action to deal with areas of relative weakness. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 23 56. The school is very clear about its educational priorities, and the senior management set a very clear and appropriate educational direction. This is reinforced and consolidated by the very precise targeting of funds to support areas in need of improvement. Throughout all its work, the management team clearly reflects the school’s aims and values, in particular the valuing of every pupil and the inclusion of all. The school development plan, the budget and planning all contribute well to purposeful hard work by all, and the raising of standards.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The Chairman and governors provide good leadership, firmly rooted in their good knowledge and understanding of the school. They are fully involved and carry out their responsibilities well.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school's educational priorities are exceptionally well supported through meticulous financial planning. The headteacher, governors and administrative staff have an excellent understanding of school finance, and work well together bringing their complementary skills to bear on the financial planning and management aspects of the school’s work. The school very effectively achieves best value in the purchase and deployment of all its resources. In this regard and in many others the school receives very good support from its administrative staff.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Financial planning is excellent, an improvement since the last inspection. The school development plan sets out very clearly the school's priorities for development. These are very well focused on raising standards in all aspects of the school's work. Financial planning is intimately linked to the development plan and similarly targeted at raising standards. The school makes excellent use of all the additional funds it receives, for example, to support pupils for whom English is an additional language and in staff training. As exemplified in ICT, this investment is having a good impact on the quality and standards of pupils' work by improving teachers’ skills in areas identified for development.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well managed. There is a caring ethos which is shared by all those working with pupils with special educational needs which is underpinned by thorough processes for the identification of special needs and for the generation of individual work programmes to meet pupils’ needs. The school has invested in up to date software which speeds up procedures. The special educational needs co-ordinator is highly organised and has instituted very good systems for the management of all the information that is generated. She has worked to ensure that the systems can be easily handed on to her successor. She manages the work of a large number of classroom assistants very effectively. They are well briefed and as a consequence make a good contribution to the progress of the children they work with. The special educational needs co-ordinator makes sure that she is up to date on developments in special

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

education, and that information available to her is shared with all other staff in meetings. She has weekly meetings with assistants in which the progress of individuals is reviewed and targets revised. The accommodation and learning resources for special educational needs are sufficient to support the work that is done.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school is well staffed with teachers who are suitably qualified to meet the needs of the curriculum, to manage individual subjects and to teach pupils with special educational needs and pupils for whom English is an additional language. At the time of the inspection, there were no newly qualified teachers in the school but there are well-established systems for supporting any teachers new to the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. Pupils benefit greatly from the large number of support staff, including qualified teachers and special teaching assistants, who support their learning very well. Teaching assistants are deployed well across the school to support individual Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 24 pupils and groups within the classroom and in withdrawal groups. They meet regularly with their line manager and with the special needs co-ordinator. The quality and effectiveness of training for teaching assistants and the management of them by the Learning Link Worker is very good.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school’s arrangements for performance management are good. Staff at different management levels have been trained and there are now well-established systems in place for regular reviews of staff effectiveness and for planning staff development. There are good opportunities for staff to undertake whole-school and external training, which results in a number of staff achieving promotion either internally or at other schools. The opportunity for staff to meet regularly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher a their ‘surgeries’ is a particularly good feature where staff can discuss any concerns in an informal setting. Through its Investors In People status, the school makes good arrangements to provide staff development reviews and training for teaching assistants, administrative and premises staff.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The wide range of skills present among staff and the large number of specialist support staff contribute very significantly to pupils’ standards, in particular those of pupils with special needs or for whom English is an additional language.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The school’s accommodation is good. Except for the exterior of the Reception and Nursery building, where paint is peeling, the buildings are well maintained. The interior is clean and bright, and attractive displays add to the stimulating environment. There is particularly good space for practical activities in the nursery, reception and Year 1 areas. There is good provision for school assemblies and dramatic/musical productions in the school hall, and provision for design and technology is enhanced by a well-equipped food technology room. The computer suite, installed since the last inspection, is excellent, and easily accommodates classes with room to spare. The lack of a playing field places some restrictions on what can be taught in physical education, but otherwise the school’s accommodation supports teaching and learning well. In particular, the large number of small multi-purpose rooms available lends

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

itself to the wide range of extra-support activities designed primarily for pupils with special needs and those with English as an additional language. For these pupils in particular the accommodation contributes well to the standards they achieve.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. Overall, the school has sufficient learning resources to meet the needs of the curriculum. They are well organised and stored around the school. The school’s provision for ICT is excellent, and supports learning in this area very well. New resources to support the National Numeracy Strategy are good, and are used effectively in lessons. Play equipment for use in the nursery and reception classes is of high quality, and contributes significantly to the quality of teaching and learning in these years. Geography resources have improved since the last inspection, where they were reported as unsatisfactory. They are now good. Learning resources in other subjects are satisfactory overall. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 25

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

67. In order to further improve the quality of education and build on the many strengths of the school identified in the inspection the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

68. Continue to raise standards in English, mathematics and science through improving the quality of teaching in Year 1 to 3 by:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Ensuring that all teachers’ expectation of pupils are appropriately high (Paragraphs 1,18,19,20)  Planning for all pupils in these year groups to be appropriately challenged by their work (Paragraphs 18,19,20)  Consistently implementing the school’s behaviour management policy and procedures (Paragraphs 12,13)  Allowing and enabling pupils to become more independent in their learning (Paragraphs 15)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

69. Further areas identified in this report which should be considered by the school are as follows:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 The range of images of people from other backgrounds displayed around school is limited and there is to little music available from other countries and cultures to fully support pupils’ multi-cultural awareness. (Paragraphs 32,163)  There are too few staff with full first aid qualifications. (Paragraphs 39)  In the reception classes, there are insufficient opportunities for children to develop their speaking skills. (Paragraphs 81)  ICT is not sufficiently used to support the learning of all other subjects. (Paragraphs 117,157,163)  In design and technology, there is insufficient opportunity for pupils to evaluate their work and make suggestions about how designs can be modified and finished product improved. There is insufficient challenge for more able pupils. (Paragraphs 133,136)  In geography, there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to develop their skills through fieldwork. (Paragraphs 142)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Standards in swimming do not meet national expectations. (Paragraphs 165)

p.25

AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

70. There is very good provision, including teaching, for pupils with English as an additional language. Its quality is similar to that seen at the time of the last inspection. There is a very good number of teachers and assistants who work throughout the school to support pupils. They have a good understanding of the needs of pupils and contribute very well to pupils’ development of English and their achievement. Where specialist teachers share responsibility with class teachers and jointly teach classes, the quality of teaching is always very good and in some lessons, excellent.

p.25

AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

71. Support for pupils for whom English is an additional language and others from minority ethnic communities is very well managed and ensures that pupils who might potentially underachieve are enabled to achieve as well as all other pupils. This includes the support provided to children of refugees. The changes following the devolution of support to the school, funded through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, have been managed well to maintain a good level support for all pupils. There is good intervention in the nursery and reception classes, so that young children receive good support to acquire English and also have the opportunity to extend their Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 26 mother tongue competence. Well planned and executed regular assessment of pupils’ language skills results in good records being kept and the data being well used in teachers’ planning to ensure the needs of each pupil are being met. Newly

p.25

AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

arrived pupils are given good support so that they are able to participate fully in lessons. There are good resources available to specialist staff and teachers. Specialist teachers attend relevant training and, because of the good liaison between class teachers and specialist staff, they ensure that their colleagues understand the needs of pupils with English as an additional language.

p.26

AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

72. Good analysis is carried out to compare and contrast the achievements of all pupils in the school. This shows that pupils who are learning English as a new language achieve as well and in some cases, better than their native English- speaking peers. In the nursery and reception, children achieve very well because of the good level of support and a curriculum that provides very good opportunities for learning. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 27

p.26

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 39

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage 7 20 41 25 6 1 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching.

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 58 525

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 153 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 4

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 195

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 275

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 63

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 39

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 28 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 35 37 72

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 26 29 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 31 27

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 74 (74) 83 (74) 76 (65) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 27 31 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 28 30 27

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 76 (74) 85 (70) 76 (74) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 27 55

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 19 14 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 16 22

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 76 (71) 55 (66) 73 (68) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 21 17 19 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 19 22

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 80 (49) 65 (58) 75 (61) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 29 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 79 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 26 Financial year 2000/2001

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1 265 780

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 22 Total expenditure 1 260 108

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 279 Expenditure per pupil 2 312

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 1 819

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Balance carried forward to next year 7 491

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 29

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 8

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 230

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per FTE adult 10 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 30

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 50 46 1 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 44 5 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 30 49 15 1 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 45 42 12 1 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 30 2 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 31 1 1 2

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 47 41 7 1 4

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 55 36 4 0 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 42 2 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 50 35 4 1 8 Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 31

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. Children enter the nursery with attainment in all areas of learning well below expectations. They achieve well and make good progress so that, on entry to the reception, although children are still below expected standards for their age, standards have improved. In both nursery and reception, progress is good because of good teaching that is planned to meet the assessed needs of each child. The majority attain the early learning goals in personal social and emotional development, knowledge and understanding of the world and in creative and physical development by the time they enter Year 1. Few reach these standards in communication, language and literacy and mathematics, largely as a result of the high proportion for whom English is an additional language and the significant number who are still in the early stages of acquiring English. Despite their lower starting point, children make similarly good progress as they did at the time of the last inspection.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Children enter the nursery in the term after they are 3 years, and attend on a part-time or full time basis. The majority have 4 to 5 terms in the nursery before joining the reception in the September of the year in which they are five. A number of children who start in the reception are very young and will not reach the age of five until the summer term. For this reason the three reception classes are arranged by age, so that children of similar ages learn together. However, within each of these classes there is a wide range of abilities, as well as children for whom English is an additional language and others with special educational needs.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

75. The nursery is arranged as one large unit that is managed by a Nursery Nurse, with other support staff being in charge of different areas and groups of children. This provides children with a secure environment and the chance to develop a stable relationship with one adult. All the adults involved in the nursery and the reception classes have very good knowledge of the ways young children learn and develop. The curriculum is based on the early learning goals and national guidance for children in the foundation stage. Children with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs are given very good support. The links made with parents of nursery children are exemplary. Everything is done to develop a positive, active partnership, through, for example, the welcoming procedures for new parents and their children, and activities in which parents work together with their children in the nursery unit. This enables parents to understand how children’s

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

knowledge can be developed through such activities as cooking and how they can support their children’s learning at home. Regular attractive newsletters that provide parents with games and ideas on ways to help their children learn are a further feature of the strong link between the nursery, reception and parents.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

76. The accommodation is good and the nursery and reception classes provide children with bright stimulating environments in which plentiful, well-used resources contribute well to the standards they achieve. There are also well appointed small outside areas where children can play safely and a small hall in the main building that is well used for physical education lessons and for assemblies.

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Personal, social and emotional development

77. By the time they enter Year 1 the majority of children achieve the early learning goals in this area, because of the high priority given this area of development and the very good role model adults provide. There are clear expectations of children’s conduct so that children know what is expected of them. From the youngest children in the nursery, all children understand the daily routines. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 32 They tidy up when requested and can be heard to remind others that they must stop and put things away. Children in the nursery and reception happily choose from a range of activities and show a good degree of independence. There are very good relationships between adults and children and between children. Older children in the reception classes set up games and play imaginatively, sharing toys and equipment very well.

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Personal, social and emotional development

78. Teaching for this aspect is good and often very good. Provision of activities is well thought out so that children are given good, stimulating experiences. Quiet moments are managed well, so that when, for example, reception children have their snacks, they behave well, handle their drinks and snacks very carefully and remember to say please and thank you. They help to serve each other. There are good opportunities provided in both the nursery and reception classes for children to discuss their feelings. One very good example was seen in the nursery, where the nursery nurse sensitively guided children to say what made them happy, and so helped them to develop their ideas as well as reminding children that they needed to listen to each other.

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Personal, social and emotional development

79. Children learn about their own beliefs and cultural practices and those of others. They celebrate the different religious festivals of all the religions represented in their classes. This leads naturally to their discussions in reception where they learn to thinks about the similarities and differences between people. Children play and learn together harmoniously.

p.32

Communication, language and literacy

80. By the time children enter Year 1 few achieve the early learning goals in language and literacy, although many become confident speakers.

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Communication, language and literacy

81. Teaching in this area is mainly good in the nursery and satisfactory in the reception classes. There is good adult involvement in children’s play in both the nursery and reception, to encourage them to think and talk about what they are learning. However, particularly in the reception classes, there is not enough encouragement to children to develop their speaking skills through providing them with good opportunities to develop their vocabulary and extend their ideas. Adults tend to phrase questions that limit children’s responses to one or two words or fail to model appropriate language so that children develop their speaking and thinking skills. This is because, although planning for activities is good, it fails to identify explicitly how language will be used and the opportunities for literacy which can be developed and shared with children.

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Communication, language and literacy

82. Most children in reception set up imaginative games and role-play characters. For example, two children were observed using dolls to play out an imaginary situation “in the garden”. Children listen well to their teachers and to each other. Children with English as an additional language are given good support by specialist adults who help them develop their English and mother tongue.

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Communication, language and literacy

83. There is satisfactory support for the development of language and literacy skills. In the nursery there are areas where children can experiment with writing, and listen to stories, songs and rhymes. There are regular occasions for children to listen to stories and develop their understanding of narrative. In the reception children begin to identify the sounds of initial letters through weekly letter themes. They enjoy looking at books and listening to stories and show that they understand the sequence of events. They practice writing, such as sending invitations to a party. They contribute captions to their drawings and the more able are beginning to copy and form letters correctly. Children of average and above average ability are able to read Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 33 simple caption books and use the initial sounds of words to help their reading. They are keen readers and handle books well and know how they are organised.

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Mathematical development

84. By the time children enter Year 1 few attain the early learning goals in mathematical development. This is because many start from a low baseline. Children learn well. They sort and count “teddies” by size and learn symmetry by using a mirror to complete a drawing of “Incy Wincy Spider”. Through their play activities they develop mathematical language, such as measuring in the shoe shop, or writing bills and using money to pay for goods and give change. They learn to programme the programmable toy, and are able to decide for themselves which way they want it to move and begin to understand that 3 is more than 1 because the toy moves further. In the reception children count the number of places to set at the party table, and make enough pizzas for the party. Children learn to sort and match through sorting the “washing” into patterned and plain articles. This engenders plenty of discussion between children – “we’re separating it – we’re folding it up and these are the plain

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Mathematical development

and these are the patterns”, and one child knew that “lots of lines” are stripes.

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Mathematical development

85. Teaching is mainly good in the nursery and reception classes. Provision is very good, with children learning well through the many activities provided and the good support from adults, so that there are many informal opportunities to develop an understanding of shape, space and measurement and the language to talk about it. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to record what they have learned in picture or number form, so as to make them aware of their learning. Knowledge of number is reinforced with number rhymes and songs.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

86. Children enter the nursery with a limited understanding of the world. Because of the very good provision that is planned for this aspect, the majority achieve the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1. Children learn about the natural environment through observing seasonal changes in the school woodland and the local park. Nursery children observe mini-beasts and look for spiders. In the reception, they observe plants and learn about their parts when they plant pansies for outside planters. They talk and write about the weather. They observe changes to materials when they cook popcorn and pizzas for their class party. Nursery children melt fat to make bird feeders. Children learn about the changes in themselves as they grow older and begin to identify the different seasons. They learn about health and hygiene, and visits from the community police and fire service develop their awareness of danger and safety.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

87. Provision in both the nursery and reception classes is very good. In both classes, where adults are involved, they ask well-focused questions to develop children’s knowledge. There is good planning so that children receive a rich curriculum.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

88. Provision for children to use technology is good in the nursery and reception. Children regularly listen to tapes and operate the machines themselves. They learn to use the programmable toy. Adults support them to develop their computer skills, so that in the nursery they can click, drag, and drop, and produce drawings using paint programs. In the reception classes, children have regular sessions in the computer suite where they continue to develop their skills well. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 34

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Physical development

89. Most children achieve the early learning goals for this aspect because of the good provision for their physical development. In the outside play area, both nursery and reception children move round the space carefully with a good awareness of others. They enjoy pedalling round the spaces on bikes. In the nursery, children move imaginatively to music and control their movements well, so that they find imaginative ways of making shapes. In the reception, children work hard to make different shapes to bridge a “puddle” made with a rope. They follow instructions well, try hard and behave very well. They develop balance and control very well.

p.34

Physical development

90. Children use tools and equipment appropriately. They develop coordination in building with bricks and small construction material. They thread beads and complete jigsaws. The majority of children in the reception hold their pencils and crayons correctly.

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Physical development

91. Teaching is mainly good. A very good reception class lesson was seen in the hall, in which children were encouraged to feel their hearts after the warm-up session to see how quickly they were beating. There was good regular review of what had been achieved and very good use of praise and encouragement which motivated the children well.

p.34

Creative development

92. Most children achieve the early learning goals in this area by the time they enter Year 1 because of the very good provision. Children in the nursery and reception classes explore a range of media. They use paint, make prints with different shapes and select materials to make collage. They make different kinds of puppets that they use to develop their imaginative play.

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Creative development

93. Children in the nursery and reception classes enjoy playing in the role-play areas. They play very well together and set up good imaginative games that stimulate them to talk together and negotiate their roles. Children enjoy singing and join in the songs and rhymes with enthusiasm. In the reception, children select and play different percussion instruments.

p.34

Creative development

94. Teaching is mainly good and teachers provide good opportunities for creative development. In both the nursery and reception classes, it is better where adults intervene and give support to creative play. Children are encouraged to experiment and to enjoy the well equipped role-play areas.

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ENGLISH

95. Given their very low starting point, and the proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language, pupils achieve very well. On entry to the school pupils’ attainment is well below average but by the time they leave at the end of Year 6 they are achieving national average standards. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Their attainment is well above that of pupils from similar schools by the end of Year 6. Year 2 pupils’ attainment in writing is above the average for similar schools and average in reading. The improvement in writing reflects the emphasis the school has placed upon raising standards.

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ENGLISH

96. By the end of Year 6, standards in the 2001 national tests were well above average when compared to similar schools. Although the majority of pupils achieve the national expectations, few achieve the higher levels and this lowers the school’s overall results compared to all schools nationally. However, children start school with well below average attainment in language and communication skills. Also there is a Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 35 high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language.

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ENGLISH

97. Pupils make satisfactory and often good progress in acquiring speaking and listening skills. By the end of Year 2, pupils listen carefully and follow instructions. For many, their speaking skills are restricted to one-word-answers to questions and they rarely answer in sentences. Teaching provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils to talk and offer their ideas during lessons. Where this is done well, pupils respond with well-chosen vocabulary and speak clearly and confidently. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, pupils collaboratively wrote a description of the House that Jack Built. One boy suggested that ‘ the floor is blue like the sky in summer’ . More able pupils discuss their reading books and confidently offer opinions about the story. Teachers try to ensure that all pupils make a full contribution to lessons and pupils with English as an additional language have very good support from specialist teachers and support

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ENGLISH

staff to help them to do so. Pupils make good progress in their speaking and listening skills as they move through Years 3 to 6. They regularly work in pairs, sharing their ideas and opinions in all subjects of the curriculum, and coming to a consensus opinion. They learn the technical vocabulary of subjects and use it appropriately, for example, in mathematics they correctly use the word horizontal and refer to graphs. All pupils are given the chance to take part in assemblies and in drama, which helps to build their confident use of language.

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ENGLISH

98. The school uses a number of structured reading schemes to develop skills, and group and guided reading activities within the literacy hour are used to promote pupils’ reading for understanding. Pupils with identified reading difficulties receive very good additional support from teachers and classroom assistants. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language make good progress in their reading although they are still below the national average by the end of Year 2. Less able pupils lack the phonic skills to enable them to read unfamiliar words, while those who are more able read fluently and expressively and enjoy talking about the story they are reading and explain what is happening.

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ENGLISH

99. In Years 3 to 6 teachers provide a good range of reading opportunities during the literacy hour. Pupils read poetry and literature including, in Year 6, the plays of Shakespeare. The Reading Buddy scheme, where an adult regularly reads with a pupil, makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning and the raising of standards. The reading journals kept by older pupils, encourage regular reading at home as well as in school. By the end of Year 6, pupils have become independent readers and most have preferences for different authors. Pupils’ progress in reading is consistently monitored by teachers and good records of their achievement are kept. Pupils develop satisfactory skills in using information books and know how to use an index and contents page and how to locate books in the library.

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ENGLISH

100. Handwriting is taught well, although the size and shape and overall presentation vary considerably by the end of Year 2. By the end of Year 6 pupils write satisfactorily in joined script. Basic English skills are taught well throughout the school and pupils use this knowledge in their own writing. By the end of Year 2 most pupils use capital letters and full stops correctly. By the end of Year 6 pupils are achieving well. This is because the teaching in Years 4, 5 and 6 is good and often very good or excellent. Teachers model writing on the board and show pupils how to develop their ideas and improve. Pupils write in a number of styles and for different purposes and with specific audiences in mind. Some older pupils had their poetry work published in the local education authority’s poetry anthology. The standard of the poems was high. Pupils used rhyming couplets, free verse and blank verse to

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ENGLISH

express their ideas. One poem on Henry VIII ended: Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 36 Henry was happy with his wife But to give him a son she lost her life. Henry was sad, lost and alone, But had to marry because of the throne.

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ENGLISH

101. Year 4 pupils have also experimented with writing poetry. They chose the theme of snow.

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ENGLISH

But now before you, you have cold snow, And all the beautiful flowers don’t grow. You try to follow the unknown paths, All because of the snow there’s no school, no maths.

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ENGLISH

102. Pupils produce a good range of creative writing. They write character studies, diary entries and reports and rewrite scenes from Shakespeare in modern English. They also write factual accounts, letters of complaint and persuasive scripts. They learn to write descriptively, for example a Year 4 pupil wrote, ‘ I can run as fast as a monkey on a bicycle. ’

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ENGLISH

103. The quality of teaching and learning in Years 1, 2 and 3 is satisfactory overall. In Years 4 to 6 it is good and sometimes excellent and learning is very good. The teaching of writing skills is particularly good in Years 4 to 6 and, as a result, standards are rising. Teachers have responded well to the introduction of the Literacy Strategy and implement the literacy hour well. This has given a consistency to teaching, which has improved learning. Teachers use skilful questioning to encourage pupils’ thinking and to assess their understanding. They take great care to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, are included in the whole class discussions. Teaching by specialist teachers of English as an additional language is very good and as a result these pupils make good progress in their language skills. Group activities are adapted to meet the needs of groups of pupils of differing abilities and assessment is

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ENGLISH

carried out regularly in lessons. The final session of the lesson is very well used to see if the lesson objectives have been achieved and to correct any misconceptions. Where teaching is very good or excellent, teachers display an enthusiasm for the subject and adopt a lively approach to the work, which produces an active and animated environment where pupils achieve well. In these lessons, pupils enjoy the literacy hour and, as a result, work hard.

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ENGLISH

104. The subject is very well managed. There are coordinators for each key stage, led by the coordinator for Key Stage 2 who leads by her own very good practice. The school uses a very good range of assessment procedures and gives pupils targets for improvement. Pupils’ progress is tracked and programmes of work are provided if pupils need particular support with their learning. There is a good range of activities to boost standards, for example additional literacy, and early intervention, booster classes and Reading Buddies. These have a positive effect on pupils’ learning and the standards they achieve. Teaching makes use of ICT to develop pupils’ literacy skills such as through drafting and redrafting pieces of writing.

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ENGLISH

105. English makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the study of appropriate texts, which allows the pupils to explore their own feelings and values. For example, Year 6 pupils, studying a text about evacuation during the Second World War, were able to empathise with the characters when they wrote, ‘As they found their seats they looked out of the window trying to hide their tears of emotion.” Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 37

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MATHEMATICS

106. Results in the national tests for seven and eleven-year-olds have been well below national averages for several years, with little change since the last inspection. In Year 2, standards have risen in line with the national trend, although in 2001, they were still well below the national average and the standards achieved by pupils in similar schools. In Year 6, there is no clear trend in results, typically improving in one year and falling in the next year. In 2001, they were well below the national average, but in line with standards attained in similar schools. Inspection evidence shows that standards this year are better than last year in both Year 2 and Year 6, although they remain below the national average for each year.

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MATHEMATICS

107. Mathematics lessons are organised well to support pupils with special educational needs and those who are new to the school, many of whom are in the early stages of learning English. These pupils make good progress in mathematics throughout the school. Overall standards are below average when pupils start in Year 1 and, although they are still below average by the end of Year 2, pupils achieve satisfactorily by this time. By the end of Year 6, standards are affected by the number of pupils who join the school after Year 2, many of whom have special educational or language needs. In 2001 this accounted for one third of the Year 6 group. Nearly all pupils who attend the school for all of their education make satisfactory or better progress in mathematics. Taking into account the good progress made by pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language, by the end of Year 6 pupils achieve well overall in relation to their prior levels of

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MATHEMATICS

108. By the end of Year 2, pupils add and subtract numbers to 100, although only more able pupils do so consistently accurately. Pupils use their number skills in tasks using money. In a top set lesson seen, pupils added up coins with totals such as £2.83, although only about half of the class could then make the same total using different coins. Pupils recognise and name common two and three-dimensional shapes, and measure in centimetres, although, in one lesson seen several lower attaining pupils did not know, for instance, how to use a tape measure correctly to measure round another child’s waist. Pupils recorded survey data using simple graphs such as pictograms and block graphs.

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MATHEMATICS

109. By the end of Year 6, many pupils calculate accurately with whole numbers to 1000 or more. Less able pupils struggle with multiplication and division, while more able pupils calculate accurately with decimals. Pupils measure and weigh using the metric system, and most know that answers can be expressed in different forms such as 1m 53 cm or 1.53 metres. Pupils calculate simple areas and perimeters based on rectangles and squares, but discussion with a group of Year 6 pupils showed that they were unclear that area is not always “length times width”. More able pupils measure and draw angles accurately, and use their knowledge of shapes to find missing angles in simple shapes.

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MATHEMATICS

110. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall in Years 1, 2, 3 and good in Years 4, 5 and 6. Some lessons seen in these years were very good or excellent. However, some teaching in Years 1 to 3 is unsatisfactory or poor. The pace of learning in these years is slower than in others, which in the longer term restricts the progress that pupils make and the standards they achieve.

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MATHEMATICS

111. Despite the variation in the quality of teaching, there are some overall teaching strengths throughout the school. Teachers know the subject well. The National Numeracy Strategy is well established, and lessons follow its recommended structure. Teachers explain work well and engage pupils effectively in discussion. Some teachers are very adept at questioning pupils to make them think and explain Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 38 why, for example, one fraction is larger than another. Class teachers, support teachers and classroom assistants work very well together as teaching teams. Consequently, all pupils, including those with special educational or language needs are well supported in lessons and make equally good progress.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

112. The practice of “setting” for mathematics, that is teaching groups of pupils of roughly equal ability, works well, and helps teachers to plan effectively for the abilities of pupils in their classes. Lessons are well organised, and teachers use simple equipment such as number fans and measuring apparatus effectively to aid learning.

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MATHEMATICS

113. Nearly all teachers manage classes well. They have a good rapport with their pupils, who respond well. Because lessons are well managed and pupils have good attitudes to work, lessons generally proceed at a brisk pace. Pupils’ positive attitudes and good behaviour contribute well to the busy, purposeful lessons commonly seen and to pupils’ achievement.

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MATHEMATICS

114. In the best lessons, work is particularly demanding and teachers expect a lot from their pupils, both in terms of intellectual effort and in attitudes to work. A good example of this was seen in a low ability set lesson where all pupils had special educational needs. Although behaviour was not perfect, boundaries were clear, and very effective class management and motivation through praise kept the lesson flowing well with pupils staying on task. They learned well. In another lesson, on angles and triangles, the teacher expected pupils to work hard at a high level of understanding. Pupils met the challenge well and, by the end of the lesson, had made significant gains in their knowledge and understanding.

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MATHEMATICS

115. Although strong in some aspects, such as the quality of planning and explanations of work, some teaching is unsatisfactory. Where this occurs it is because teachers set a slow teaching pace, and do not make sufficient demands on pupils. This occurred, for example, in a lesson on measuring and graph drawing. The teacher set too modest a target for completion of work by the end of the lesson, and as a result pupils worked very slowly. They simply did not complete work that they could have done in the time. In another lesson, the work was too easy and repetitive for most pupils, who demonstrated early on that they could already add the numbers involved. The poor lesson seen resulted from a combination of slow teaching pace, work that was too easy, and ineffective class management. Because teaching was slow and undemanding, pupils quickly became bored and inattentive, and the teacher frequently stopped the lesson in an effort to regain control. Little constructive learning

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MATHEMATICS

116. The National Numeracy Strategy is firmly established in the school, and a good system for tracking pupils’ progress is in place. Assessment data is used well to identify strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge. As a result of this analysis, the school is able to direct additional support to where it is most needed, for example, by creating additional teaching sets, deploying specialist staff to work with pupils at an early stage of English acquisition, and in establishing additional lessons outside the normal school day. These arrangements are effective, and are contributing well to rising standards.

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MATHEMATICS

117. The coordinators for mathematics lead the development and management of the subject well. They have a good understanding of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses, and monitor the quality of teaching as part of the overall school monitoring system. The mathematics action plan is good, and sets realistic targets for improvements. Learning resources are good, and used effectively in lessons. Teachers use a structured computerised mathematics program well to support the learning of lower attaining pupils , but do not make sufficient use of ICT generally at other times to support teaching and learning. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 39

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SCIENCE

118. Standards in science are below national expectations by the ages of seven and eleven and are below those at the time of the last inspection report. Since then, there have been two very important changes that explain the decline. The first is the increase in the number of pupils whose first language is not English, nearly half of all pupils at this time. To gain average standards in science requires the agility to use technical language effectively, and it is not uncommon for pupils for whom English is an additional language not to be able by the age of eleven to do so. Also, many pupils join the school at times other than normal and, although they achieve well, they do not always have sufficient time in the school to catch up with all aspects of the science curriculum. Pupils who join the school in nursery or reception years make at least satisfactory and often, good progress, in science.

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SCIENCE

119. In the 2001 national tests eleven-year-old pupils achieved standards that were well below national averages and below the averages for similar schools. Teacher assessments in Year 2 gave a similar picture. It is clear from classroom observation and from pupils past work that standards are improving and that all pupils including those with special educational needs and those with a first language other than English make at least satisfactory progress and are attaining standards that are below rather than well below national expectations. Older pupils particularly in Years 4, 5 and 6 are making good progress.

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SCIENCE

120. By the age of seven most pupils have learnt about growth in animals. They know about the human life cycle and about aspects of reproduction, growth and ageing. They write or draw about the things they learn. They know that air carries sound and, with help from the teacher, are able to recognise some of the effects that vibrations caused by sound have on objects around them. They have conducted simple experiments to investigate the sounds made by a ruler when its free length is varied and deduced that the longer the free length, the lower the sound. They recorded their findings of these and other experiments with charts, drawings and words. Pupils conduct a good range of experiments and by the age of seven most pupils reach the expected standard in scientific enquiry. They know that water changes its state when it is heated or frozen. With help, they are becoming more observant and more able to sort things in the world into categories that support their

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SCIENCE

scientific enquiry such as what is living and what is not and what uses electricity.

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SCIENCE

121. By the age of eleven they are able to suggest ways in which they should conduct their experiments, for example, when they explore conduction and insulation. They know that scientific ideas are based on the gathering of evidence. They construct simple electrical circuits and test the various materials they are given and then record their findings in ways that they devise. They know what a fair test is and know that their predictions are an important part of the process of scientific investigation. They have an increased knowledge about their bodies and are gaining an awareness of healthy lifestyles. They demonstrate good progress in their knowledge of the effects of air resistance when they experiment with paper cake cases and have a basic understanding of forces and ways in which they are delivered. They are able to give a range of examples of push, pull or twisting forces in the world around them. Pupils draw conclusions from their experiments. Most

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SCIENCE

pupils are better at testing than recalling and writing up scientific facts. They closely observe the properties of materials when they investigate which of a selection would be best used in a coat to keep you dry in rain and most choose the fabric that is nylon and closely woven.

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SCIENCE

122. Teaching is overall good. It is best in classes for the older children where teachers' expectations of the standards pupils can achieve in science are highest. In Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 40 these classes good progress is made. In all classes planning is good and, as a consequence, learning builds step by step on what has gone before. Teachers are well prepared for lessons and this means that investigations are well resourced. Pupils get a lot of enjoyment out of their experiments and this helps to make science a subject in which they enjoy participating. Though many pupils have some difficulty in recalling areas of knowledge and understanding, teachers have mounted very good displays in their classrooms that are designed specifically to inform pupils about the topics they are studying. This provides pupils with the support they need, at the same time as weaning them off too much dependence on information from the

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SCIENCE

123. The best teaching features innovative approaches to engaging and maintaining pupils' attention. For example, in the introduction to one lesson pupils were asked to close their eyes and picture the display on the wall in their heads while contemplative music plays. In this way the teacher developed their powers of concentration as well as enlivening their learning. Lessons mainly follow a very good pattern of introduction, investigation and final recap. Introductions are clear and concise. Pupils then know what they have to do and have more time in which to do it. In investigations teachers work around the class, spending time with individuals who may need more help. In the final session teachers recap on what has been covered, drawing out the principal points and praising individuals for particular achievement. In this way pupils can clearly see their progress along a road of discovery in the world

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SCIENCE

124. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those whose first language is other than English, make good progress especially in developing investigative skills. They do so because of mostly good teaching but also through the help and support of other teachers and classroom assistants such as those who are designated to provide extra language support. They make a good contribution to pupils' learning and the standards they achieve. In one Year 1 class, for example, the class teacher and the language support teacher shared the teaching, alternating in a highly effective approach that kept attention firmly on the topic. Though folders of past work by older pupils are often disorganised and so offer little value as revision aids, the marking of the work in them is very good. Teachers are in the habit of stating just what has been achieved in the written work. This gives pupils a clear idea

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SCIENCE

how well they have done as well as giving a clear indication on how to improve further.

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SCIENCE

125. The co-ordination of science is very good. The co-ordinator has a very clear idea of how the subject should be taught and has worked hard to support and develop teaching. This has been largely successful as is clear from the steady improvement in standards in the national tests over the past several years. There is an effective monitoring programme of teaching and learning which involves scrutiny of planning, the sampling of pupils' work and classroom observation of teaching and learning. Assessment is good and gives teachers a clear picture of how well pupils are progressing and how to provide for the needs of each individual.

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ART AND DESIGN

126. Only two lessons were observed in art and design during the inspection. Judgements have been made on pupils’ attainment by looking at teachers’ planning, by talking to pupils and staff and looking at examples in sketchbooks, displays and the portfolios of pupils’ work.

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ART AND DESIGN

127. As at the time of the last inspection, standards in art and design are within the range expected of pupils in Year 2 and Year 6. By the end of Year 2 pupils develop skills using an appropriate range of different techniques. They observe carefully and Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 41 record ideas effectively and imaginatively using pencil, pastels, painting, printing mediums and collage. Displays in classrooms and around the school show work of a satisfactory and often good standard. Year 1 pupils have explored visual and tactile elements including colour, pattern and texture, to create pleasing pictures of leaves in autumn. They have also made careful observations of trees and then painted the shape of the tree forming a silhouette. They have designed and made their own party place mat using weaving techniques. Year 2 pupils make patterns from printing objects and link this to their work in geography by making a collage of a house. They

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ART AND DESIGN

paint the land of the giants linking their artwork with their work in literacy. They explore texture through paper folding, scrunching and tearing and learn to use the vocabulary of lines and dots and squiggles. Many pupils understand the basic proportions of the human body and can relate this to drawings. Year 6 pupils look at Andy Warhol’s pop art and use the internet to research his work. They use ICT to create a poster in the same style. They made good initial sketches of different facial expressions and created repeated images of faces in the style of Andy Warhol. Year 6 pupils have also studied hat design by established designers and produced their own detailed design for a hat that could be used in a performance.

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ART AND DESIGN

128. Pupils make sound progress in art and design in both key stages. There is a progressive use of colour in successive years and pupils work with increasing attention to detail with a range of media materials such as clay and textiles. Pupils with special needs and those with English as an additional language achieve well and are fully included in all activities.

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ART AND DESIGN

129. Pupils enjoy their work in the art and design lessons. They work with interest and perseverance taking care with their work. They handle and share resources well.

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ART AND DESIGN

130. Too few lessons were observed during the inspection to make a sound judgement on the quality of teaching, but in the lessons seen this was good and good learning took place. The scheme of work is based on the national guidelines for art and design and the school uses this as a working document constantly reviewing and amending to suit the needs of its pupils. The school benefits from having an art and design specialist teacher working with some of the year groups.

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ART AND DESIGN

131. The out-of-school art and design club for Year 2 pupils enhances the learning and attainment of the pupils. Every pupil has the opportunity to belong to this club, which is run on a rota basis. The quality of the work displayed by pupils is of a high quality. The use of ICT is being successfully developed in the subject as, for example, using it to create posters.

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ART AND DESIGN

132. Art makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the study of different artists and through learning to share and take care of resources and to work collaboratively and cooperatively. Pupils explore ideas and feelings through looking at the work of famous artists and develop a respect for the talents and ideas of others. They learn to work collaboratively, celebrating one another’s skills.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

133. During the inspection it was possible to see only a small number of design and technology lessons. From these limited observations, analysis of pupils’ work and discussion with the co-ordinator, it is clear that standards across the school are in line with those expected nationally. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. The school has now introduced a policy and scheme of work based on national guidelines and this gives all teachers a framework within which to plan work to ensure pupils learn step by step. However, the current scheme does not give more able pupils opportunities to develop their skills beyond what is expected for their age. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 42 The school has also introduced an assessment framework in which the progress made by individual pupils can be monitored.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

134. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 develop a range of practical skills including cutting, folding, rolling and sticking. This was observed, for example, during one lesson where pupils made finger puppets based on characters from a story. With help from the teacher and the support assistant they drew their designs and then translated them to three-dimensional puppets. They discussed their design and suggested what the next steps were to be. They contributed ideas on the purpose of their work, what fits best and suitable materials. They worked in pairs and collaborated well. They selected their tools and materials from a given range and used them appropriately. This represented good learning taking place.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

135. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 have undertaken a wide range of design and technology activities. They have used an increasingly complex range of materials and tools and have formalised their planning and design work. For example, in a Year 6 lesson pupils investigated different types of shelter through collecting magazine features, and evaluated their strengths and weaknesses. They then designed a shelter for a given purpose, made a prototype before embarking on the finished design. Pupils worked very well in groups, using their good social skills such as listening, negotiating, collaborating and co-operation. They investigated joints and knew that triangular reinforcements would provide extra strength. They demonstrated the ability to use saws and glue guns with the help from the teacher. Analysis of work in other classes showed that some pupils had investigated the different qualities of biscuits whilst others had analysed the construction of containers by exploring the

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

quality of materials, planned where to locate burglar alarms and planned and designed a playground.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

136. Teaching in the few lessons observed was good. Teachers had good subject knowledge, managed pupils well and made good use of time and resources. Lesson objectives were clear and expectations appropriate to what the pupils were able to achieve. These factors resulted in an atmosphere of purposeful working. The co- ordination of the subject is satisfactory but the co-ordinator has yet to develop the role of monitoring of teaching. She is aware that there is insufficient opportunity for pupils to evaluate their work and make suggestions about how designs can be modified and finished product improved.

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GEOGRAPHY

137. Standards are broadly in line with those expected at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. They are similar to those reported at the time of the last inspection. Throughout the school pupils are interested in learning about the world around them and all, including those who have English as an additional language, make sound progress and achieve what is expected of them.

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GEOGRAPHY

138. Pupils in Year 1 begin learning to make maps by drawing their route to school. By the end of Year 2 pupils understand that maps can represent physical and human features of the landscape. They are able to identify the different man made features that they see on the way to school. They use these as landmarks when describing how to get from the school to the zoo. They know that Dudley is a town and compare its features with those of the Isle of Stray. They explain that Dudley has far more facilities, such as supermarkets and that the few inhabitants of Struay have to catch the ferry to the mainland to get most of the goods they need. The pupils have enjoyed this work and talk enthusiastically about the mode of transport on the island; “You don’t need cars because the island is very small. You can walk, or go by tractor or bicycle.” Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 43 139. By Year 6 pupils make use of a wider range of maps and atlases in their

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GEOGRAPHY

research on the main rivers of the world. They identify the source of the river, where it flows through and its end. They have a satisfactory understanding of the water cycle and are beginning to understand how physical processes, such as erosion, can causes changes to a place or environment.

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GEOGRAPHY

140. Planning for the development of pupils’ geographical skills is good. As pupils move through the school they encounter a good range of maps, photographs and other secondary evidence, including satisfactory access to ICT resources. They gradually become more skilled at using these resources to find out about places. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils closely observed aerial photographs to identify the features that would be appropriate to draw on a map. They have a good understanding of the purpose and use of a key, which they apply when reading maps, and creating their own.

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GEOGRAPHY

141. Of the three lessons seen during the inspection the quality of teaching was good in Years 4 and 6 and satisfactory in Year 1. Lessons have a clear focus that is shared with pupils so that they understand what they are doing and why. Teachers are well prepared with a good range of visual aids and other resources to stimulate pupils’ interest and involve them directly in the activities and tasks. They use questions and photographs to good effect to extend pupils’ thinking and to check their understanding. As a result, pupils were fully engaged in their learning. In all lessons teachers use and reinforce the key geographical vocabulary that pupils need to learn and use. This also contributes to the development of pupils’ literacy skills. Pupils’ learning in these lessons was good because lessons were well managed and pupils were interested in developing their skills and in learning about different places.

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GEOGRAPHY

142. The subject is effectively managed. The curriculum is well organised to meet pupils’ needs. Since the last inspection resources have been improved and there is now a good range to support the development of pupils’ skills and the teaching and learning in each of the topics studied. However, opportunities for pupils to develop their skills through fieldwork are still somewhat limited. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are now well established.

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HISTORY

143. Standards are in line with expectations at the end of Years 2 and 6. This is broadly as reported at the time of the last inspection. Although standards at the end of Year 6 are a little lower than before, this is as a result of pupils’ lower standards when they join the school. Pupils demonstrate interest in learning about events and people from past times and this has a positive effect on the standards they achieve.

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HISTORY

144. During the inspection only three lessons were seen. On the basis of these lessons, discussions with pupils, scrutiny of pupils’ past work and teachers’ planning, it is evident that pupils of all abilities, including those who speak English as an additional language, make satisfactory gains in their knowledge of history and in the development of their research skills.

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HISTORY

145. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn about people and events from the past through story, pictures and looking at artefacts. They are developing an awareness of the passing of time and differences between past and present. In the Year 1 lesson seen, pupils looked at two old teddy bears to discover features that would indicate whether they were old or new. By Year 2 pupils recognise some of the changes that have taken place since Victorian times, such as the coming of the railways, motorcars and the discovery of electricity. They are aware that some changes actually took place during the reign of Queen Victoria, but are uncertain about which Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 44 these were. They talk enthusiastically about schooldays in Victorian times and compare the disciplinary procedures with those in their own school.

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HISTORY

146. By the end of Year 6 pupils are able to use evidence from a range of sources, including the Internet, to help them find out about different periods of history. They have a clear knowledge of life during World War II, showing an understanding of how the war affected people’s lives. They write sensitively about the feelings of a father whose child is about to be evacuated and, using photographic evidence as a guide, give much thought to the emotions experienced by the crowds celebrating VE Day. Throughout the school careful attention is paid to the development of pupils’ understanding of chronology and pupils use date to place and sequence events and changes over time. In a Year 6 lesson pupils explored the changes that have occurred in education between 1950 and today. This built upon their earlier work comparing the lifestyles in the 1930’s with present times, when their survey showed that some of their parents were born abroad, more mothers go out to work and more

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HISTORY

147. The quality of teaching in the three lessons seen was good. Teachers plan well for the developments of pupils’ knowledge and skills of historical enquiry. Lessons are clearly focused and, for the most part, work is carefully organised to meet the needs of the different groups of pupils within the class, enabling all to access the task and make good progress. In the Year 6 lesson the sources of evidence for pupils’ research was matched to their literacy skills, for example, lower attainers used photographic evidence to explore the different features of a 1950’s classroom. In a lesson where all pupils worked from the same resources lower attaining pupils found the texts difficult to read and this slowed their rate of learning. Teachers plan interesting work and opportunities to use ICT to support pupils’ learning, and overall the use of ICT is satisfactory. They use a good balance of telling and questioning to share information and provide a good range of resources to

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HISTORY

interest and motivate pupils. Visits and visitors are used effectively to enhance pupils’ experience of history. The Year 4 Roman Day made a distinct impression on them. They greatly enjoyed the day and the range of activities undertaken gave them a clearer insight into life during Roman times.

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HISTORY

148. The subject is effectively managed and appropriate targets for further developments included in the school improvement plan. Teachers within each year group plan together so that pupils in parallel classes experience the same curriculum. However, there are some differences in teachers’ expectations of pupils written work; for instance, pupils in Year 3 are not given sufficient opportunities to write down their own ideas in a variety of styles and in their own words. In addition, pupils do not always have sufficient time to complete a written task and this remains unfinished. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are now well established.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Pupils reach nationally expected levels of attainment in ICT by the end of Years 2 and 6. There has been good improvement in ICT since the last inspection. Previous inconsistencies in pupils’ experiences and learning have been overcome through improved planning. Improvements, which include investment in computer hardware and software including a spacious computer suite, the development of a broad, balanced and well-structured curriculum, good subject leadership and staff training are all beginning to have an impact on pupils’ standards. Although standards are similar to those reported at the last inspection, they are in fact higher now than then because national expectations have risen in the meantime. Pupils make good progress throughout the school, and all pupils achieve well because teachers plan lessons effectively to meet the needs of the different groups of pupils in their classes. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 45

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

150. Pupils throughout the school have good computer operating skills. A few younger pupils occasionally need help to use the computer network and to run programmes, but most operate independently of adult support. Older pupils are fully independent, expert users.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

151. By the end of Year 2, pupils use a word processor to write on subjects such as themselves and “playtime thoughts”. They use a satisfactory range of techniques to correct spellings and to set work out. Pupils explore simple graphics and modelling software, to produce, for example, pictures in the style of the artist Mondrian, and maps of islands such as the fictional Struay, studied in geography.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

152. By the end of Year 6, standards in the “communicating information” strand of the subject are above national expectations. There are many examples of high quality work around the school. Pupils used the Internet and CDROM reference sources to find information on subjects such as the works of the artist Andy Warhol, which they then incorporated into their own work. They used word processing and desktop publishing software to write very effectively about topics such as “Astronauts” and “The Trout”, and produced anti-bullying posters. In a Year 6 lesson seen, pupils learned to set up “hyperlinks” between the different sections of their “River” multi-media presentations. Pupils use a wide range of technical and artistic effects to enhance the quality of their work, which is well presented.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

153. Although less well developed, pupils’ standards in other strands of the subject are in line with national expectations. For example, a group of Year 6 pupils discussed with an inspector how to set up a computer spreadsheet to investigate party budgeting, and explained how the computer would automatically adjust the calculations for different purchase patterns. In work on computer control, pupils have written short programs to control sets of traffic lights, and understand that it is important to get the instructions in the correct order if this is to be successful.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

154. A relatively small number of ICT lessons was seen during the inspection, but the quality and standards of pupils’ work indicate that teaching and learning is at least good overall. The lessons seen ranged from good to excellent. Although not yet complete, the programme of ICT training that teaching and support staff are following is raising staff expertise and confidence very well. Consequently, all adults demonstrate and explain computer techniques very effectively, so that pupils learn quickly what they are expected to practise and apply in the work that follows.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

155. Teachers and support staff work very well together and provide support very effectively to pupils with special educational needs and those in the early stages of learning English. This was particularly effective in an excellent Year 4 lesson seen. Three different, challenging activities were undertaken, each carefully matched to the needs and abilities of the pupils in the group and supported by an adult. All pupils were able to participate fully in the lesson and made very good progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

156. Pupils behave well in ICT lessons and want to learn, because they are well motivated by the subject, and teachers make work interesting and challenging. As a result, class management is often effortless, lessons proceed at a brisk pace and pupils learn well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

157. The scheme of work for ICT is detailed and structured well to develop systematically pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Good links with other subjects in the curriculum such as art and design, design and technology, geography, English and mathematics, are an integral part of the programme of study for ICT. However, teachers do not make sufficient use of ICT in the teaching of other Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 46 subjects. This is less so the case in English and mathematics in which some pupils follow a computerised learning programme.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

158. The school attaches great importance to the ongoing development of ICT. The high level of computer provision is a significant factor in the good progress that pupils make. The computer suite and a visiting computer bus is available for pupils’ and parents’ use at various times during the school week. “Breakfast” and after school clubs are very popular. The coordinators for ICT are skilful and knowledgeable. The subject development plan is good, and focuses on a few targets realistically linked to improving the quality of teaching and raising pupils’ standards. The school is very well placed to continue the good improvements seen since the last inspection.

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MUSIC

159. There is insufficient evidence to judge pupils’ overall standards or achievement in music, the quality of teaching and learning, and improvements since the last inspection.

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MUSIC

160. Singing in all years is satisfactory in whole school assemblies, but is better in school productions such as “Jack and the Beanstalk” and in choir practices. On these occasions pupils in Years 3 to 6 achieve well and perform at a level higher than that expected nationally. Unison singing is enthusiastic, in tune, and rhythmic. Words are clear and, when directed, pupils achieve good tonal variation. The choir sings simple two-part arrangements well. Pupils who take instrumental lessons in Years 3 to 6 make good progress and perform above the national expectation for instrumental playing.

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MUSIC

161. The few lessons seen were satisfactory. They were well planned, well organised and taken at a satisfactory pace and, as a result, held pupils’ attention well. Teachers ensured that pupils with special educational needs and those at an early stage of English acquisition took a full part in lesson activities, and consequently all pupils achieved equally well. Although teaching was satisfactory overall, teachers’ lack of confidence in teaching music affected some lessons. In one lesson, for example, insufficient guidance on how to improve the quality of singing affected the standard of pupils’ work, which was not as high as it could have been.

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MUSIC

162. The music curriculum is broad and balanced. It follows National and local guidelines well. Each module of work is planned in great detail, providing good support for teachers who lack confidence in the subject. Music makes a very good contribution to the school’s programme of extra-curricular activities. The school choir is particularly active in the local area, and has sung, for example, in Worcester Cathedral. In addition to the choir, the school band and other music groups meet regularly, and every other year the school stages a major musical/dramatic production. All of these activities make a significant contribution to pupils’ personal development, for instance by providing opportunities for pupils to perform music from their own and others’ cultural heritage, and by promoting pupils’ greater independence, self-confidence and team spirit.

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MUSIC

163. The coordinator for music is keen and knowledgeable, and supports colleagues well, for example by monitoring curriculum plans. The school has sufficient instrumental resources to support class music lessons . The range of recorded music is insufficient to support pupils’ understanding of life in other places around the World, and teachers make insufficient use of ICT in teaching and learning at present. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 47

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

164. As at the time of the last inspection, standards in physical education are in line with national expectations. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is a second language, make satisfactory progress. Pupils build on the good start to their physical development, made while in nursery and reception. By the age of seven they are aware of the need to warm up their bodies before attempting vigorous exercise. In gymnastics they satisfactorily develop a series of stretches and balances that are put together in sequences. They travel across the floor safely and make appropriate use of the apparatus. They make good progress in refining their movement when the teacher intervenes to assess what they are doing and to offer ideas for improvement. In dance most move with a sound variety of change in pace, level of activity and gesture. They make sensible comments when asked to describe their reactions to the music and to suggest ways

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

in which they might represent it through movement. They are beginning to develop sound finishing and starting shapes for their composed pieces inspired by listening to music that represents the wind. They work safely together in the confined space of the hall.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

165. By the age of eleven pupils know that physical activity improves general health. They are acquiring a sound range of skills in, for example, throwing and catching and are applying these with increasing confidence in competitive games. They are developing their tactical awareness well in netball and hockey and other team games. They offer sound ideas about ways in which they can improve their own performance and this is evidence of an increasingly critical awareness. This is especially well developed in dance, which is a very well planned area of physical education in the school. For example, pupils discussed, refined and suggested improvement very well when in a Year 5 dance lesson they worked from the stimulus of an evocative painting. They worked in small groups very well and offered suggestions to each other in a very positive spirit of collaboration. In this lesson, the subject was very challenging but pupils rose well to the challenge. In all lessons

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

seen, pupils enjoyed the challenge and stimulation and worked hard to improve their performances. Despite sound provision, standards in swimming in particular the number of pupils who can swim unaided for 25 metres is below national expectations. The school recognises this and is developing ways of focusing their effort to make sure all pupils pass this milestone before the end of Year 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

166. Teaching is good. It is stronger in older classes where there is greater pace and challenge and where teachers are more likely to involve themselves in the physical activity that takes place. All teachers make sure that pupils warm up to prepare them for more strenuous physical activity and cool down at the end of lessons. Teachers use critical questioning well to make pupils more aware of the progress they are making. This makes a good contribution to raising pupils' standards in literacy. The teaching of dance is a strength of physical education in the school and teaching of the highest quality was observed in one lesson during the inspection. This strength can be shared to inform the improvement of teaching across the school. One outstanding feature of the excellent teaching observed was the physical involvement of the teacher in all aspects of the lesson. Pupils learn dance best from modelling what they see others do and this teacher supplied an excellent

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

example of what was required. The capacity of music to stimulate and extend physical responses was not always used to its full by teachers. The care and safety of pupils is always a priority for them and lessons are well managed. Teachers use praise well to sustain interest in activities which are all well planned. The pace of lessons varies but in the best it is very good and pupils are kept purposefully involved. Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 48 167. The co-ordination of physical education is good. This is reflected in the quality of the physical education provision in the school. Responsibility for a wide range of activities is effectively shared by a number of teachers who lead visits, manage school teams and organise after-school clubs. Through this range of opportunity the school enriches its physical education curriculum provision and enhances the standards pupils achieve. Planning is good and is effectively monitored to ensure

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

pupils learn progressively and systematically. Good use is made of specialist coaching to further extend pupils' learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

168. The attainment of pupils throughout the school is broadly in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Religious education was not reported at the time of the last inspection, so no comparisons of standards can be made.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

169. The syllabus provides opportunities for pupils to study Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Judaism and so gives all pupils a range of cultural experiences that enhances their understanding of others and their knowledge of multiculturalism in Britain and around the world. Religious education enjoys a high profile throughout the school.

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170. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are taught through themes such as celebrations, the natural world, stages of life, special people and special places. Wherever possible these themes are explored through the different faiths so that pupils gain some understanding of how other groups of people approach religious questions. As part of their religious education focus week younger pupils experienced stories such as Jonah and the Whale. They are often given opportunities to consider stories and characters from the major world faiths. These have included “St Francis of Assisi” and “Muhammad and the Crying Camel.”

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171. As pupils get older they are given experiences that build on earlier learning. They understand that the teachings in the bible underpin the Christian religion and gain further insight into the importance of symbols. For example in some classes there were displays of work reflecting the five K’s in Sikhism. The major festivals of all major faiths are studied. This gives pupils the opportunity not just to explore the Christian faith but also to find out about other festivals such as Eid, Divali and Passover. Visits to places of worship such as the local church and mosque enhance the curriculum as does the wider range of visitors who work with classes to develop their understanding. This was seen during one lesson when all pupils in the year group attended church to role-play a wedding. The focus was celebrations and stages of life and gave pupils a meaningful insight into the importance of religion in

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many people’s lives at times of great emotion. Symbolism was further explored when the vicar discussed the wedding ring and described what it stood for as being eternal. Family values such as commitment were also discussed, enhancing pupils’ personal development. In another lesson pupils had prepared questions to ask the vicar about her work in the community. Despite the group being multi faith the vicar answered questions sensitively, prefacing many questions with “This is what some people believe”

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172. Due to timetabling arrangements it was only possible to observe a limited number of lessons in Years 1 and 2, one of which was unsatisfactory. This was largely due to poor management of time and the lack of specific religious focus to the lesson.

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173. In Years 3 to 6 teaching was satisfactory. Teachers had satisfactory subject knowledge and were able to use a variety of methods to engage the pupils’ attention. For example, in one lesson the teacher had interviewed a parent about her recent Jesson’s C of E Primary School - 49 pilgrimage to Mecca and presented the tape for pupils to listen to and respond to questions about pilgrimages. Teachers use and explore the variety of faiths represented in the school to good effect, and bring their own personal knowledge and understanding and experiences to lessons. In most classes pupils are well behaved. They enjoy religious education and respond in a mature fashion. They are interested and keen to develop their understanding of all religious beliefs and faiths. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an Additional Language make satisfactory progress.

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174. The subject co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and manages the subject well. Resources are satisfactory and are well used. The library contains a wide range of books covering all the major faiths and there are additional resources such as videos and CD-ROMs to support teaching and learning. There are two extra-curricular activities available for all pupils. These are the gospel choir and the JAM (Jesus and Me) club. There is a clear policy and helpful scheme of work that guides teachers planning. The school held a religious education focus week in which all pupils took part in a variety of activities including a visit to the catacombs in the crypt of the local church. Visitors such as The Rev. Roly Bain a Christian clown entertained the pupils and local advisory drama and music teachers supported event. Parents made a banner “God’s World” to mark the occasion. The week culminated in a whole school

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concert in which all pupils shared the activities undertaken. The week contributed well to pupils’ motivation, learning and the standards they achieve.

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