High Lawn Primary School

HIGH LAWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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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HIGH LAWN PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Holden Avenue Sharples Bolton Postcode: BL1 5EX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr David Kay

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 -10 April 1997 High Lawn Primary School - 4

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Team members

21190 Mr Keith Edwards Registered inspector 9974 Mr Daljit Singh Lay inspector 22274 Miss Vera Rogers Team inspector

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Team members

Cambridge Educations Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE High Lawn Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school occupies a large, attractive site in Sharples, a suburb to the north of Bolton. The majority of the pupils live in the traditional catchment area of the school. Most of the housing in the area is owner-occupied and the socio-economic circumstances of most pupils’ families are favourable.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is an average size primary with 237 pupils on roll. This is broadly similar to the time of the last inspection. At the present time, 3.8 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is much lower than average. Currently, almost all of the pupils are white and come from homes where English is the first language.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The attainment of pupils on entry to the school is above average but there is a wide spread of ability in each class. There are currently 26 pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs, one of whom has a formal Statement of Special Educational Needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The pupils are taught in eight classes. There are two mixed age classes in the infants but the pupils are organised into discrete year groups in the juniors. At Key Stage 1 children in mixed age classes make the same progress as those in single age classes. Pupils are admitted into the reception class in September of the academic year of their fifth birthday. There are ten teachers employed in the school on a full-time basis, as well as two part-time teachers.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school, which provides very good value for money. The quality of teaching is very good. By the time they leave school, the pupils attain very high standards in English, mathematics and science. The school is a very orderly community, which benefits from the headteacher’s excellent leadership.

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What the school does well

• Standards in the core subjects are very high by the time the pupils leave school. • The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good progress. • The headteacher provides excellent leadership. The very strong management team and the governing body provide very effective support. • The quality of relationships is very good and the pupils have positive attitudes to school. • The provision for the pupils’ moral development is very good and the pupils behave very well. • The school provides a good curriculum and makes very effective use of assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs of the pupils. • The school has developed a very effective partnership with the parents.

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What could be improved

• The accommodation requires further development to meet the expectations of current primary practice. 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 April 1997. Since then it has made very good progress. The school has fully addressed the issues raised in the last inspection report. For example, there is clear evidence that the school has developed its assessment criteria across the full range of the curriculum and they are now a strength of the school. The teachers take full account of the pupils’ prior attainment in their daily planning. This is particularly the case in literacy and numeracy lessons where the work set is both appropriate and challenging to pupils of different prior attainment. The school has also ensured that the pupils have the opportunity to apply their skills in design and technology. For example, in Year 6, the pupils make sophisticated vehicles that are powered by electric motors. They have evaluated their work to determine what worked well and how their models could be improved. High Lawn Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made significant progress in raising standards. By the time pupils leave school, their attainment in the National Curriculum tests (SAT’s) in English, mathematics and science is very high in comparison to all schools nationally. Standards have risen faster than the national trend. Standards in the work seen support the judgement that the pupils achieve very well. At the age of 11, the pupils’ standard of work in English, mathematics and science is well above that of pupils in similar schools.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The quality of teaching has improved markedly. This is because the school has developed a policy of open evaluation of teaching and learning to determine what is effective practice. This has resulted in high quality teaching throughout the school. In almost all other aspects of school life there have been improvements since the last inspection.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

1998 1999 2000 2000 Very high A* English A A* A* A well above average above average A B Mathematics A* A A* A* average below average C D Science A A A* A* well below average E

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Key

At the age of 11, the pupils’ results in English, mathematics and science in the 2000 National Curriculum tests were in the highest five per cent nationally. The pupils’ achievements in English were well above those of pupils attending similar schools. In mathematics and science they were very high in comparison to those pupils attending similar schools. In all three subjects standards are continuing to improve. Evidence from the work seen reflects the pupils’ high test results. Pupils of all abilities achieve as well as they should in literacy and numeracy. Overall standards are consistently much higher than the national average and the school meets the targets it sets. The pupils also achieve high standards in music.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils demonstrate very good attitudes to the school. They have great enthusiasm for learning and persevere with their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The behaviour of the pupils throughout the school is very good. There have been no exclusions in recent years.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The pupils are provided with too few opportunities to take responsibility for their own learning. However, they act with increasing maturity as they progress through the school. Relationships are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance rates are very good. There are very few incidents of unauthorised absence. Most pupils arrive punctually at the start of the day and lessons start and finish on time.

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Aspect Comment

The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are a significant strength of the school.

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

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

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

The overall quality of teaching is very good. It makes a significant contribution to the pupils’ progress throughout the school. The teachers make very good use of assessment information to ensure that pupils of different abilities are enabled to make good progress. Throughout the school, teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attainment and behaviour. In all of the lessons observed, the teaching was good or better. In 46 per cent of lessons, the teaching was good and in a further 54 per cent of lessons it was very good or excellent. The quality of teaching is consistently very good in literacy and numeracy lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a good curriculum. All statutory requirements are met. The school has very effective strategies for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The Foundation Stage curriculum is well matched to the needs of the children in most areas of learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes very good provision for those pupils with special educational needs. The staff have a clear understanding of the learning needs of individual pupils and prepare work accordingly.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for the small number of pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory. They receive appropriate support with their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes very good provision for the moral and social development of the pupils. The provision for their spiritual development is good. The provision for their cultural development does not fully reflect the multicultural nature of society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The procedures for child protection and ensuring the pupils’ welfare are very good. Concern for the well-being of the pupils is shared by all members of staff. There are excellent procedures to encourage good behaviour. Assessment information is used very well to plan work for different groups of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school has formed satisfactory partnerships with neighbouring schools.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff This is a significant strength of the school. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. She has built a very effective partnership with her deputy. Responsibilities have been appropriately devolved to key members of staff. High Lawn Primary School - 9 How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The well-established governing body provides excellent support for the work of the school. It is very well organised and meets all statutory requirements. The governing body has a secure grasp of current issues in primary education.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school includes success criteria in its improvement plan and has established clear priorities for development. It has taken very effective action to meet its targets.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school is very effective in seeking best value in its spending decisions and allocates its budget very well. It makes very good use of additional funding and is well resourced. The school deploys its staff effectively. The school recognises the need to enhance the accommodation to improve aspects of the information and communication technology curriculum and the opportunities for the physical development of the children in the Foundation Stage. The school provides very good value for money.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The teaching is good. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • The school expects their children to work hard and to do their best. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The school is well led and managed. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Almost all parents strongly support the work of the school. Their children enjoy coming to High Lawn School and are making good progress. The parents find the school to be well led and managed and approachable if matters need to be discussed. Parents feel that their children respond well to the school’s expectations and good teaching and are becoming mature and responsible. Inspectors support their positive views and judge that the quality and range of extra-curricular activities are good. High Lawn Primary School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Standards in the core subjects are very high by the time the pupils leave school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Whilst the school caters for a wide range of abilities, the children’s attainment on entry is above average. Pupils make good progress in relation to their prior levels of attainment and achieve standards that are consistently well above average in the National Curriculum tests in the core subjects at the ages of 7 and 11. An analysis of the school’s 2000 performance data shows that the performance of the pupils at the age of 11 in English, mathematics and science was very high in comparison to the national average. Their achievement was in the top five per cent nationally in each of these subjects. The achievement of the pupils was very high in mathematics and science in comparison to pupils in similar schools. The pupils achieved standards in English that were well above those of pupils in similar schools. This represents an outstanding success for the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The school is committed to raising standards through shared endeavour of all members of staff to encourage the learning skills of all of its pupils. Furthermore, the school carefully monitors the impact of new initiatives such as the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. At the age of seven, pupils have already developed literacy and numeracy skills that will serve them well in the juniors. They are particularly successful in reading and they write with accurate spelling and a good awareness of punctuation. Their skills in speaking and listening are well above average.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. When reading, junior age pupils adopt appropriate strategies according to their purpose; this includes skimming to gain an overall impression and scanning to locate information. They use their reference skills confidently and accurately when seeking information from books. When reading aloud, they use expression well and are sensitive to the finer nuances of the text. The pupils show a good awareness of plot and characterisation. Their literacy standards enable them to work readily in subjects where they need to use their reading and writing skills. For example, the pupils write from different points of view when researching life in the Brazilian rain forest; one pupil adopts the perspective of a conservationist whereas another explains the view of a Brazilian farmer. In religious education lessons they write convincingly about why Christmas and Easter are important festivals for Christians. The pupils have a good command

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

of subject-specific vocabulary, which they use with confidence and to good effect, especially in mathematics and science.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. By the time they leave school, the pupils’ skills in writing are well above average. They write confidently and fluently for a range of purposes such as extended stories, newspaper articles and poetry. One pupil, having studied cinquains, composed this poem about night-time: “Night time Moon shines brightly Creeps upstairs… .up to bed Snuggle down in my warm blanket Morning.”

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The pupils have a very good awareness of literary techniques, styles and conventions. They know how to use language to create an effect. For example, an upper junior wrote the following poem in the style of a small ad for a local paper: “Grandad for sale 1910 grandad needs repairs, a few grey hairs. Passed M.O.T just last week, Paintwork is quite unique. Runs on cake and cups of tea, buy him, get my granny free. Swap for anything, preferably something living.”

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Results in the 2000 Key Stage 2 National Curriculum tests in mathematics were very high in comparison to those achieved by pupils attending similar schools. In these tests, which provide an accurate reflection of the pupils’ achievements, 71 per cent of pupils attained the higher grades. The good standards reported in the last inspection have been maintained and improved, and the school is very well placed to sustain this progress. The grouping High Lawn Primary School - 11 arrangements in both key stages are used effectively to target groups of different prior attainment. The school uses booster classes very effectively to support them in their ambitions to achieve a higher grade in the national tests. Pupils respond well to the high quality teaching and make good progress, particularly in acquiring and using a mathematical vocabulary. They respond well to the emphasis on mental mathematics and are making good progress in

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

calculations involving decimals, fractions and measurement. Pupils of all ages are well motivated by the pace of the warm-up activities that the teachers introduce to sharpen the pupils’ mathematical agility. The pupils apply their skills in numeracy very effectively in other subjects such as science and geography.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. In the National Curriculum tests in science in 2000, all of the Year 6 pupils attained the expected grade, Level 4, or above. Almost all of the pupils, 85 per cent, achieved Level 5, which is a remarkable achievement. The pupils apply their literacy skills and have a good understanding and range of scientific vocabulary, using relevant terminology to communicate scientific findings clearly. They use their mathematical skills to record and analyse data and pupils in Year 4, for example, apply their understanding of surface area to explain some of the reasons for the differences in the rate of descent of different parachutes. They use information and communication technology to present information in graphs, charts and word processed reports.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Pupils make good progress in their lessons. Through observation and investigation they develop a good understanding of the properties of materials. They learn to classify and to use an increasing vocabulary to talk about their findings. Their understanding of humans develops to include the functions of the various organs, bones and muscles. They are progressing in asking questions which lead to investigations and in using an increasing range of ways to record their findings. Many individuals make good progress, particularly the higher attainers, because they are given tasks which build on what they already know. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they are given appropriate support.

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

9. The quality of teaching has improved markedly since the last inspection. This is because the school has developed a policy of open evaluation of teaching and learning to determine what is effective practice. This has resulted in high quality teaching throughout the school. The overall quality of teaching is very good and makes a significant contribution to the pupils’ progress. The teachers make very good use of assessment information to ensure that pupils of different abilities are enabled to make good progress. The teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ attainment and behaviour. In all of the lessons observed, the teaching was good or better. In 46 per cent of lessons, the teaching was good and in a further 54 per cent of lessons it was very good or excellent. The quality of teaching is consistently very good in literacy and numeracy lessons.

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

10. The staff form a very effective team. They have secure subject knowledge and have honed their skills through a willingness to reflect upon their own practice and to participate in further training opportunities. They have high expectations of their pupils’ achievements, which enables the pupils to deepen their understanding. All of the teachers are good role models and maintain very good standards of discipline. The teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ standard of behaviour, which ensures that pupils remain on task throughout each lesson. The teachers are particularly effective in their questioning techniques and ensure that all of the pupils are involved in class discussions. For example, in a very successful science lesson for the Year 4 pupils, the teacher interacts with the pupils well. She asks a series of well-judged questions such as “What do you mean by turbulence?” and “Why might a change in wind

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

direction affect the speed of descent of the parachute?” These questions successfully extend the pupils’ understanding of air pressure. The teachers use a range of strategies for their lessons to maintain the interest of the pupils and, in particular, they ensure that no time is wasted in lessons. 11. The teachers clearly distinguish between the different age and ability groups within their classes in Key Stage 1 when planning their work and children in the mixed age classes make the same progress as those in single age classes. This enables the pupils to succeed and High Lawn Primary School - 12 boosts the pupils’ confidence. Throughout the school, formal assessment results are used to identify groups of pupils of different abilities in English and mathematics and to prepare work that is closely matched to their developing understanding. Learning targets are shared with pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported. The teachers use marking

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

very effectively to ensure that pupils of different abilities make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

12. The high quality teaching of literacy is characterised by thorough planning, high expectations of pupils of all abilities and the sensitive management of the class. This results in high achievement. For example, in a very effective lesson for the pupils in Year 2, the teacher allowed the pupils time to organise their thoughts to define “riddles”. One child suggested ”Riddles have meanings from two ends” and another volunteered “Funny answers and lots of clues”. In Year 6, the teacher skilfully reminded the pupils of terms such as “alliteration“ and “onomatopoeia”. There was a clear expectation that the pupils should retain and use these terms. In lessons such as religious education and history, the teachers ensure that the pupils use their grammatical knowledge to good effect when writing accounts of events of the past.

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

13. Numeracy is very well taught. The teachers are skilled in enabling the pupils to identify different methods of solving problems. They have high expectations of how much should be achieved in lessons and there is a rigorous use of time. Key words such as ”total”, "difference” and “plus” are reinforced by the teachers through classroom displays and through constant reminders. Plenary sessions are used consistently well to reinforce learning and to identify and resolve areas of confusion.

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The quality of teaching is very good and it enables the pupils to make very good

14. The teaching assistants are involved in the planning of lessons and are well briefed about what is expected of them. For example, in a lesson designed to further the children’s knowledge and understanding of materials, the teaching assistant worked very effectively with a group who were learning the basic techniques of weaving. Those pupils with special educational needs are well supported by classroom assistants. The teachers ensure that information and communication technology is used effectively to support learning. The school’s computers are in constant use. For example, pupils in Year 5 develop their skills of map reading through the use of a challenging program and older pupils are creating their own web pages.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

and the governing body provides very effective support.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

15. The school benefits from excellent leadership from the headteacher, a dedicated and enthusiastic staff and a very supportive governing body. The governors and staff work with shared purpose and are committed to the aims of the school and to high standards of personal and academic achievement. This provides a clear educational direction for the work of the school. All of the adults working in the school are involved in training. There is a strong tradition of high quality practice and the improvement plan, determined through consultation between staff and governors, clearly defines a programme for further improvement.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

16. The headteacher and her deputy have established effective management structures and have empowered and motivated their colleagues to continue to strive for higher standards. There is a strong team spirit, which is based on commitment to an open evaluation of their professional practice to achieve further school improvement. The monitoring of teaching and learning and an open discussion of what works well is a key element in the success of the school. The co-ordinators have a clear understanding of their subject and are very involved in raising achievement. For example, the mathematics co-ordinator makes a detailed analysis of the pupils’ performance in national tests, particularly at the end of each key stage. She observes all classes in their Numeracy Hour at least once each year and scrutinises the pupils’ work. Relative strengths and weaknesses are discussed with individual teachers and new targets are set. An overall monitoring report is

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

presented to the governors. This process is a strong feature across the curriculum.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

17. The school is very successful in meeting its aims. There is a positive, caring ethos, which promotes high standards of academic attainment and personal development. Although more could be done to support the needs of those pupils with English as an additional language, pupils of all High Lawn Primary School - 13 abilities and backgrounds are happy in school and share its values. This is reflected in their work and their relationships with their peers and adults.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

18. Since the last inspection, the school has made very good progress. The school has fully addressed the issues raised in the last inspection report. For example, there is clear evidence that the school has developed its assessment procedures across the full range of the curriculum and the use of assessment is now a strength of the school. The school carefully analyses baseline information when the children start school and monitors their progress towards specific targets. The school now ensures that the work set is closely matched to the different ability groups within each class and builds successfully on what the pupils already know, understand and can do. The school makes detailed analyses of the pupils’ performance, particularly in English and mathematics, and uses the information to set targets and to raise standards. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been successfully introduced

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

and the pupils’ standards of attainment in English and mathematics continue to rise. The pupils themselves are models of good behaviour, are highly motivated and strive to improve.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

19. The school has also ensured that the pupils have the opportunity to apply their skills in design and technology. For example, in Year 6, the pupils make sophisticated vehicles that are powered by electric motors. They have evaluated their work to determine what worked well and how their models could be improved.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

20. The school has made significant progress in raising standards. By the time pupils leave school, their attainment in the National Curriculum tests (SAT’s) in English, mathematics and science is very high in comparison to all schools nationally. Standards have risen faster than the national trend. Standards in the work seen support the judgement that the pupils achieve very well. At the age of 11, the pupils’ standard of work in English, mathematics and science is well above that of pupils in similar schools. In almost all other aspects of school life there have been improvements since the last inspection.

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direction for the work of the school. There is a very strong management team

21. The governors are extremely supportive and a few take an active part in supporting the pupils’ learning by working in the school. The governing body has an efficient committee structure. Their annual report for parents provides clear and useful information about the life of the school. There is a named governor who plays an active role in supporting pupils with special educational needs and the roles of literacy and numeracy governors have been allocated. Governors are involved in training and show a very good awareness of current issues.

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The quality of relationships is very good and the pupils have positive attitudes to

22. The relationships amongst members of the school community are very good. Adults in school present very good role models and pupils are treated with great care and respect. The pupils are very polite and helpful towards each other and to adults. They work and play very well together and older pupils adopt a responsible and friendly approach to younger ones. There is little conflict in school and pupils have learnt how to resolve their differences in an exceptionally open and mature manner.

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The quality of relationships is very good and the pupils have positive attitudes to

23. There are many examples of how the pupils are clearly valued in the day-to-day life of the school. There are occasions that are used successfully to raise the esteem and confidence of the pupils: for example, an assembly each week is dedicated to a celebration of pupils’ achievements, and there is a behaviour award scheme. The pupils’ work is carefully marked and displays around the school celebrate how well the children have done. The school’s strong tradition of sporting success is reflected in the array of photographs in the main corridor. The school recognises that the introduction of a School Council could further promote the pupils’ interest and sense of involvement in decision making.

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The quality of relationships is very good and the pupils have positive attitudes to

24. The pupils demonstrate very good attitudes to the school. They have great enthusiasm for learning and persevere with their work. In the reception classes, the children respond well to the variety of activities that are prepared for them and apply themselves well to their learning. They quickly accept what is expected of them and behave with remarkable maturity. They High Lawn Primary School - 14 respond well to the routines that have been established to tidy away equipment at the end of one lesson in preparation for the next.

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The quality of relationships is very good and the pupils have positive attitudes to

25. In the infants, pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other; in discussions they take turns and make their contributions clearly and sensibly. They remain on task in literacy lessons and become totally absorbed in their work. This makes a significant contribution to the purposeful atmosphere that permeates the school. In the juniors, pupils take pride in the presentation of their work and are pleased to discuss their ideas. For example, in a literacy lesson, the pupils discussed their responses to a Masefield poem and listened attentively to each other. They are well motivated and persevere. For instance, Year 4 pupils working independently on forces in a science lesson showed determination to complete the exercise before the end of the lesson.

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The provision for the pupils’ moral development is very good and the pupils

26. The pupils at High Lawn clearly understand the difference between right and wrong. The school has equality of opportunity at the heart of its ethos and ensures that all pupils are aware that racial abuse, sexual stereotyping and bullying will not be tolerated. Assemblies are used effectively to share their views with the rest of the school. They are also used to promote positive images of good conduct and to discourage inappropriate behaviour.

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The provision for the pupils’ moral development is very good and the pupils

27. The parents strongly approve of the standards of behaviour which are maintained at the school. The pupils themselves are models of good behaviour, are highly motivated and strive to improve. They move around the school in a purposeful manner and remain on task in class. At the close of each break they respond very promptly to the directions from the staff to stop playing. They are polite and courteous and very helpful to visitors. Pupils respond very positively when selected for duties such as computer monitors and team captains; they take their responsibilities seriously and do not abuse their privileges and authority. They are mature and confident in their dealings with adults. Their confidence improves as a result of participating in a range of performances that are well produced. Through their charity and community experiences, the pupils learn to understand the needs of others and they play a full

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The provision for the pupils’ moral development is very good and the pupils

part in working in such an orderly community.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

28. The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for pupils of all ages. All statutory requirements are met. In the recent past the school has given a strong priority to the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The national strategies have been appropriately customised to meet the needs of the school and its pupils. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning across the curriculum.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

29. The provision made for the children in the Foundation Stage is good. The school plans its curriculum for the pupils under five well and this provides a good introduction to the National Curriculum. All aspects of learning are addressed. The teacher and support assistant work effectively together as a team and are caring, supportive and encouraging; for instance, in praising children’s achievements. Adults are good role models, listen with genuine interest to what children have to say and speak with courtesy and consideration. This promotes children’s self-esteem and confidence and fosters the development of positive attitudes towards learning. The lack of facilities for outdoor play, however, limits the range of the work in the area of physical development and the pupils do not have opportunities to climb, to ride wheeled vehicles or to explore large spaces and equipment through outdoor play.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

30. Particular effort is made to enhance pupils’ curricular opportunities through providing a wide range of rich, stimulating and challenging activities for pupils, and the staff give much effort and time after school for the benefit of pupils. There is a good range of activities, particularly to High Lawn Primary School - 15 promote sport and music, that motivate the pupils. The curriculum is well supported by visits to places of interest. Older pupils have the opportunity to participate in residential visits.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

31. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The pupils have equal access to all aspects of school life. The quality of their Individual Education Plans is very good. These are carefully formulated to promote good progress for the pupils with special educational needs in literacy and numeracy. The higher-attaining pupils are enabled to reach their potential. However, more could be done to treat those pupils with English as an additional language as a discrete group and meet their needs at an earlier stage. The provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. However, the school could be more overt in helping to prepare the pupils for life in a culturally diverse society.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

32. The quality of planning has improved and is monitored well by co-ordinators. The school has a detailed assessment policy that is used very well. The school uses the information gained from assessment to adapt planning and teaching for different groups of pupils. For example, the school has recently been successful in ensuring that more pupils in Key Stage 1 achieve higher grades in writing in the national tests through a clear analysis of the pupils’ work and matching it to expected standards. Assessment information is used very well to ensure that the lessons successfully build on what the pupils already know, understand and can do. The monitoring of pupils’ attainment through regular testing and the records kept by teachers ensures that target setting is appropriate and so the pupils make good progress in all subjects. Furthermore, co-ordinators make regular checks on the pupils’ work to identify strengths and

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

weaknesses. This information is used to establish whether or not it is a class or whole school issue and appropriate action is taken.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

The school has developed a very effective partnership with the parents.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

33. The parents’ views of the school are that it is very good. Those parents who attended the parents’ meeting and who were spoken to during the inspection praised the school highly and thought it was much improved since the previous inspection. It now provides increased challenge and more opportunities for information and communication technology and there have been good developments in literacy and numeracy. All of the parents who replied to the questionnaire agreed that the teaching is good and the school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. Almost all of the parents replying to the questionnaire agreed that the school is well led and managed and expects all children to work well and give of their best. The other questions were also answered very positively.

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

34. The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents is very good. Parents say the school is welcoming and that the teachers are approachable. Most of the parents have signed the home/school contract and some parents help their children at home nearly every day and fill in the dialogue books. The school holds two parents’ meetings a year when parents can speak with the teachers about their child’s progress. The parents very much appreciate the accuracy of the reports on their children’s progress and the targets for improvement. They appreciate the opportunity to discuss their children’s progress at a meeting after they have received their annual report. The school operates an ’open door’ policy where parents can come in and share their concerns with teachers every day. This enables problems to be dealt with quickly and before they become too serious. They appreciate the quality of the information they receive

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assessment information to ensure that what is being taught matches the needs

before their children enter the school and the monthly newsletters. The active Parent-Teacher Association organises a reception for new parents, has a lively social calendar and is very successful in its fund-raising activities. High Lawn Primary School - 16

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The accommodation requires further development to meet the expectations of

35. The provision for outdoor play for those children under five years of age in the reception class is very limited. Although there are both hard and grassed surfaces for play, they have not been designed to cater for the range of exploratory activities that are important for the children’s physical development.

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The accommodation requires further development to meet the expectations of

36. Furthermore, although the school makes good use of its internal accommodation, it has many limitations. For example, the staffroom is required to double as the administrative office and there is no medical room. Furthermore, the school recognises that the provision for the development of the pupils' skills in information and communication technology would be enhanced if the school had the space to develop a computer suite. Other areas of concern regarding the accommodation have been discussed with the staff and governors.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Continue to strive for improvements in the accommodation to extend the facilities for the pupils’ physical development, to improve opportunities for the information and communication technology curriculum and to facilitate the smooth running of the school‘s administrative procedures (paragraphs 35 and 36).

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school should also consider giving greater emphasis to raising the pupils’ awareness of, and celebrating, the multicultural nature of contemporary society. High Lawn Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

8 46 46 0 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 237

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 25

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language YR - Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

National comparative data 4.3 National comparative data 0.3 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. High Lawn Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 18 16 34

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 16 16 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (94) 94 (89) 97 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (94) 94 (94) 94 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 18 16 34

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 17 17 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 97(94) 97 (94) 100 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 17 17 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 16 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 97 (94) 97 (87) 97 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. High Lawn Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 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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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.1 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 414038

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1725

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 57.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 16984

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 26432 High Lawn Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 38 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 54 45 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 55 5 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 47 49 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 29 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 28 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 51 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 54 41 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 62 38 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 25 50 13 0 12

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Other issues raised by parents

The progress made by the pupils in the mixed-age classes in Key Stage 1.

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