Stanley (Crook) Primary School

STANLEY CROOK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: November 5 th – 7 th 2001

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STANLEY CROOK PRIMARY 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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STANLEY CROOK 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. Stanley Crook Primary School i

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wooley Terrace Stanley Crook Co. Durham

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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: Councillor T. Carroll

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1997 Stanley Crook Primary School ii

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Aspect responsibilities

25470 Jean Morley Registered inspector English; Design and technology; Art. What sort of school is it? How high are standards – the school’s results and pupils’ achievements? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 9333 Keith Schofield 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? 27477 Jo Mitchell Team inspector Mathematics; Information and communication technology; Geography; History; Special educational needs. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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Aspect responsibilities

29188 Gianna Ulyatt Team inspector Provision for children in the Foundation Stage; Science; Music; Physical education; Religious education.

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Aspect responsibilities

Westminster Education Consultants Old Garden House The Lanterns Bridge Lane London SW11 3AD

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stanley Crook Primary School iii

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 1

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? 5

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stanley Crook Primary School is situated in a village of the same name in County Durham. It has 79 pupils on roll and is therefore much smaller than average. It caters for boys and girls aged from four to eleven. All its pupils are white and there are none for whom English is an additional language. Twenty-nine per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals and this is above the national average. Twenty-nine per cent of pupils are on the register of special educational needs and this also is above the national average. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school varies from year to year, but viewed over time it is below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides good quality education. All pupils make good progress, to reach national standards in English and mathematics and to exceed them in science. The quality of teaching is good overall and with a significant proportion of very good teaching. The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher, who has a clear vision for its development. The school successfully fosters pupils’ personal and academic growth and helps them to develop as mature and responsible young learners. When account is taken of all these factors, the school provides good value for money.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• The headteacher provides quiet yet very effective leadership and management. • Pupils make good progress overall, particularly in reading, mathematics and science. • The quality of teaching is good overall and often very good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • All relationships in the school are warm and pupils are cared for very well. • Pupils’ attitudes to work are good and their behaviour is very good. • The partnership between home and school is strong.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

• Writing opportunities across the curriculum and the quality of presentation in pupils’ written work. • Outdoor facilities for children in the Foundation Stage. 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 and since that time it has dealt fully with all the key issues raised in the inspection report. Standards have risen steadily over the period from 1998 to 2001: from well below average to average in both English and mathematics, and from well below average to above average in science. The proportion of teaching that is good or better has increased. Pupils’ behaviour is now very good, as is the level of care that the school offers to pupils: at the time of the last inspection these were both good. The headteacher and staff reflect critically on the quality of education they offer and are keen to Stanley Crook Primary School 2 continue to improve it. For this reason it is likely that the steady progress towards higher standards that has typified the last three years will be maintained.

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STANDARDS

The table below 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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in: 1999 2000 2001 2001

English E D C A mathematics E C C B Science D D A A

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Key

well above average A above average B average C below average D well below average E

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Key

Individual items of data in the table above should be interpreted with caution, because of the small groups of pupils they represent, but the trends they identify are useful. They show clearly that, in all three subjects, the school has made good progress over time, and that the cohort of pupils that transferred to secondary school in 2001 was working close to national standards in English and mathematics, and well above national standards in science. The results of Year 2 tests were equally pleasing - showing average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. Given the below average attainment on entry to the school, these results reflect good overall progress for pupils of all ages and abilities.

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Key

Inspection findings show that, currently, standards in Year 6 are sound both in the reading element of English and in mathematics, and good in science. Standards in writing are below average. In Year 2, standards are sound in reading and mathematics but, again, below average in writing. This does not indicate a drop in standards over the previous school year: it is simply the natural variation between one small cohort and another. In Year 6, for example, over 40 per cent of pupils are on the register of special educational needs. All pupils continue to make good progress overall, and the high standards the school pursues are clearly reflected in the challenging targets it sets for its pupils.

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Key

Nevertheless, despite a generally favourable picture, there are two particular weaknesses still to be addressed. The first is the untidy presentation of pupils’ work: a teaching issue. The second is the limited writing opportunity available to pupils in subjects other than English: a curriculum issue. It is these two factors, in combination, that generate the below average standards in writing.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school All pupils have good attitudes to work. In Years 5 and 6, they are very good. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The great majority of pupils behave very well. A few have difficulty in doing so but they do try hard, and they receive sympathetic help from adults. Personal development and relationships All relationships in the school are warm and caring. Pupils try hard – and successfully - to emulate the very good example set by the adults. Attendance Attendance is good and the school works hard to keep it that way. Stanley Crook Primary School 3

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

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

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

Of the thirty-five lessons seen, all were satisfactory or better. Thirty were good or better and eight were very good or excellent.

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

Mathematics is taught well and sometimes very well. From a below average start, pupils develop sound numeracy skills as a result of good teaching. English is taught well (and sometimes very well) in literacy lessons.

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

The quality of teaching is good overall and has several strengths, in particular the initial teaching of basic skills and the effort taken to ensure that pupils are challenged, yet achieve success. Teachers do, however, expect too little in terms of neat presentation of work, with the result that pupils take too little pride in their written work in all subjects.

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

Other than this, pupils learn well because they have a positive approach to learning, fostered skilfully by their teachers.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is systematically planned to cover fully the content of all subjects of the national curriculum. Unfortunately, this is not always done in a way that gives pupils the best chance to develop as young writers. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is very good and pupils receive well-targeted and sensitive support in small group work, both in the classroom and when they are withdrawn from it. The school provides equally well for pupils with physical, learning or behavioural problems. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is good overall: it is very good for social development, good for moral and spiritual development and sound for cultural development. The location of the school makes it difficult to provide pupils with multi-cultural experiences.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are given a very high level of care. They have a safe and secure environment in which to learn and are clearly happy to be in it.

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Aspect Comment

The school has built upon its former good working partnership with parents: it now works very closely with them and is fully appreciative of their time and effort. Stanley Crook Primary School 4

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher leads and manages the school very well and with a quiet authority. He is clear about the way forward and is well supported by his staff. The role of the curriculum co-ordinator is being developed and is beginning to add a useful dimension to the management of the curriculum. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors work hard on behalf of the school and give their time and skills in the best way they can. They provide sound support to the headteacher and staff. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school makes good use of information at its disposal in order to judge its effectiveness. It has a realistic view of its performance. The strategic use of resources The school spends wisely and secures good value for its expenditure. Resources are used well, particularly to fund classroom support staff and to then deploy them where the

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Aspect Comment

All staff are sufficiently qualified and experienced to teach the primary curriculum well. With the exception of the outdoor area for the Foundation Stage, accommodation is adequate. Resources are adequate in all subject areas but more large play equipment is needed for Foundation stage children.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

All parents who responded felt: • their child makes good progress. • behaviour in the school is good. • the school is approachable. • the school is well led and managed.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

More than 90 per cent of those who responded felt: • their child likes school. • the amount of homework is about right. • the quality of teaching is good. • their child is expected to work hard. • the school works closely with parents. • their child is becoming mature and responsible. • Some parents would like more information about how their child is getting on. • Some parents feel that the school does not offer an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors support all the positive views of parents. With regard to their concerns, inspectors found the school to be an open and welcoming place, always willing to talk with those parents who want more information about how their child is getting on. Formal arrangements for passing information to parents are good. The pupils’ end-of-year reports are satisfactory. The range of sporting activities available to pupils is very good. Opportunities outside sport are few in number. However, the staff is a small one and there are limits to the additional work they can take on. Currently the school is looking for other adults who can offer additional extra-curricular activities to pupils. Stanley Crook Primary School 5

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Cohort sizes in this school are small and it is therefore not surprising that attainment at the point of entry to the school varies from year to year. Taken over time, however, it is below average. Pupils in the Foundation Stage make good progress overall, and by the time they enter Year 1 the majority reach the early learning goals in all six areas. They exceed them in personal, social and emotional development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2001, pupils achieved average standards in reading, in writing and in mathematics when compared with all schools nationally. When compared with those of similar schools, standards were above average in all three of these areas. The proportion of pupils achieving the higher level, Level 3 was less good: in fact the Level 3 data for writing and for mathematics shows well below average performance.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2001, pupils achieved standards that were close to the national average in English and in mathematics and well above average in science. When compared with those in similar schools, pupils achieved standards that were well above average in both English and science and above average in mathematics. In English, the standards pupils achieved were boosted significantly by good reading standards. This was counterbalanced by less good standards in both handwriting and the overall quality of the content and accuracy of pupils’ written work. In mathematics, the weaker feature in the results was the relatively small proportion of pupils achieving the higher level, Level 5.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school is fully aware of the weakness, in both key stages, in the proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in mathematics. It is actively and sensibly seeking to solve this issue through targeted input. It is also aware of the need to raise standards in writing but has not yet dealt with the nub of the problem: giving pupils ample opportunity to write, and tackling the quality of the presentation of work. The issue of below average writing standards pertains throughout the school and is dealt with in detail in the English section of the report. Overall, however – and in both key stages - pupils make good progress through the school. This is despite the fact that best use is not made of the writing skills that are so well taught in literacy lessons.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The school sets challenging targets based on the known, past progress of individuals and on their projected attainment at the end of the key stage. Its analysis of the data that is generated - both from school-based assessments and from national tests - is used well and allows target setting to be undertaken on the basis of secure evidence.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their potential. They receive high quality support, both in the classroom and in small group lessons elsewhere. In addition, while the work successfully builds on pupils’ belief in themselves, it also offers good levels of challenge. All pupils on the register of special educational needs make progress that is at least good. For some it is very good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The school has been vigilant in tracking the performance of boys and girls, and has been successful in closing the gap in their performance. There is now no significant difference between the standards attained by boys and girls, and the school’s work to achieve this has been instrumental in the steady rise in standards over the last three years. Stanley Crook Primary School 6 8. The good progress that pupils make in English, mathematics and science is mirrored in their progress in other subjects of the curriculum. They attain the standards expected nationally at the end of both key stages in art, geography, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education. Standards in history are sound at the end of Key Stage 1 and good at the end of Key Stage 2. Standards in design and technology are sound at the end of Key Stage, 1 but there was insufficient evidence on

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

which to base a judgement for the end of Key Stage 2. The level of pupils’ knowledge, skill and understanding is not always evident from their written work, which rarely does them justice. However, talking with pupils leaves no doubt that, from a low starting point, they make good progress to achieve standards that are at least satisfactory in all subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils have a good attitude to learning and most of them show enjoyment in their lessons. Children who are working in the Foundation Stage enjoy coming to school. They have a good attitude to their work, and they play sensibly with each other, sharing equipment and resources. They are learning to listen to one another and respect each other’s ideas. They have good opportunities to develop responsibility and independence within learning. As pupils get older they learn to sustain concentration and to persevere with tasks that are more difficult. The oldest pupils in the school display an impressively mature attitude to their work. This is a noticeable feature in their classroom. Pupils with special educational needs have equally good attitudes to learning: this does credit to their teachers and the others who support them, who ensure that the pupils experience success and enjoyment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. In classrooms, behaviour by the great majority of pupils is very good: this is a strength of the school. Behaviour was judged to be good at the time of the last inspection. There is a small group of Year 3 pupils who have difficulty in behaving well, but they try hard to do so - and with some success. Behaviour is very good when pupils walk around the school and when they attend whole school activities such as collective worship. As pupils get older, they develop a very good level of self-discipline.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Even children in the Foundation Stage take responsibility for accessing their own equipment and activities. During their time in Key Stage 2, pupils take ownership of the class behaviour rules and sanctions which contribute to the good quality of life within the school. Pupils show that they understand the impact their actions have on others. They take very good care of the building, property and resources.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Bullying is not a significant problem in the school, though members of staff are continually vigilant and deal with any incidents quickly and effectively. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are very good, with mutual respect much in evidence. Teachers are good role models, and their example is emulated by pupils. Pupils are confident to speak to staff about their work and about personal issues.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Personal development and relationships have improved since the last inspection and are now very good. Pupils respond positively to all the opportunities provided by the school. This results in their taking an obvious pride in the school and in all they achieve. Not only do pupils take ownership of the rules and sanctions but many are also involved in the procedures which are part of the every day running of the school. For example, during an Stanley Crook Primary School 7 assembly pupils were seen taking a leading role when they presented the aims of the Pupils' School Council to a visiting dignitary. At lunchtime, older pupils sit with the younger ones, providing care and assistance. They supervise Foundation Stage children using computers. These valuable opportunities result in pupils showing maturity, self-confidence and a knowledge and awareness of their own school that extends well beyond the classroom.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance is good and has improved, especially in the current term. The great majority of pupils are very keen to attend school. They do so regularly - and on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching in this school is good. Thirty-five lessons were observed over the period of the inspection and the quality of those lessons is recorded in the table below.

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poor

16. Teaching of this quality reflects a small improvement over that seen at the last inspection, when 18 per cent was very good or better and four per cent was less than satisfactory. Furthermore, in broad terms there is no significant difference between the quality of teaching in each of the three key stages: it is good in all three. It is of note, however, that: • for pupils in the reception and Year 1 class the teaching was never less than good; • for the oldest pupils in school the teaching was again never less than good and was often very good; in one instance it was excellent.

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poor

17. All teachers in the school have mixed age classes. In two of the four classes there are pupils from two key stages: Class 1 comprises all reception and Year 1 pupils, while Class 2 comprises all Year 2 and Year 3 pupils. Furthermore, because of the variation in the size of the seven cohorts currently making their way through the school, the combination of year groups that are taught together does not remain constant from year to year. This presents teachers with difficulties in planning and organisation, and they are to be commended for handling these issues well. In addition, the school has spent wisely on classroom support. This is of great benefit, for example in literacy lessons for pupils in Years 2, 3, 4 and 5. The quality and skill of all adults employed by the school is good and they make a key contribution, both to the standards pupils attain and to the progress they make.

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poor

18. Two of the four classes – those for the pupils in Years 2 and 3 and for the oldest pupils in school – operate on a job-share basis. The first is an 80 / 20 per cent split while the second is 50 / 50. Clearly, this creates the potential for a lack of continuity for pupils. This, however, is not the case. Teaching is of seamless quality and the discussion that takes place between the teachers involved, particularly in Years 5 and 6, is impressive and beneficial to the class.

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poor

19. The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well in literacy and numeracy lessons. Numeracy skills are developed adequately through other areas of the curriculum, but literacy skills are not. Writing opportunities have not been planned in an holistic fashion. As a result the good – and sometimes very good - work of literacy lessons is wasted. In the other subjects of the curriculum, there are infrequent opportunities for these skills to be Stanley Crook Primary School 8 practised and consolidated: worksheets, for example, are sometimes used when they are not the best option. While this lack of opportunity is fundamentally a curriculum issue, the school acknowledges that it is an area of its provision which needs attention as it is affecting the quality of pupils’ learning.

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poor

20. The quality of support given to pupils with special educational needs is good. Within the classroom, teachers set individual tasks that are appropriate for their stage of learning. They are skilful in including all pupils in whole class sessions. Extra teaching outside the classroom is good, and the tasks that are set are a close match with the difficulties pupils are experiencing. Support for pupils with movement problems is very good. Exercise programmes are provided on an individual basis for those pupils who need them, and are also built into whole-class physical education lessons.

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poor

21. The quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage is good. Adults have made a concerted effort to plan the curriculum through the Early Learning Goals. Plans show clear learning objectives. In consequence, children are acquiring new skills and are developing understanding, particularly during teacher-directed activities. By making sure there is a clear objective, planning also takes into account activities where children can learn for themselves. Staff members know children well and make good use of assessment. All teachers set high expectations for good behaviour and this has a positive impact on pupils throughout the school. Staff members encourage children to share books or play games at home with their parents. In this way the learning that takes place in the Foundation Stage is well reinforced at home.

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poor

22. On a day-to-day basis, most aspects of the work of all teachers in Key Stages 1 and 2 are good or better. They plan their work well, usually with good awareness of the range of ability in the class. They all apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently, and learning does not suffer because of disruption to lessons. Pupils understand what their teacher wants them to learn and teachers use a range of strategies in the classroom to help the pupils experience success. Teachers use questioning well, adapting it for the range of age and ability in their class. They make activities interesting and successfully engage all pupils. They usually mark pupils’ work conscientiously. In literacy in particular, though not exclusively, there are examples of marking which is extremely helpful to pupils. The comments are both constructive and diagnostic, giving pupils guidance on how to improve their work. Sometimes, however, a tick simply acknowledges the completion of work. There

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poor

are opportunities for pupils to use ICT to help them learn, though the teachers know that they are only part way along the road to a fully integrated approach. The planned computer suite will help. The one weaker aspect is the level of expectations related to the presentation of work in pupils’ books: they are not high enough.

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poor

23. While all pupils in the school have good attitudes to work and enjoy their lessons, the maturity of the pupils in Years 5 and 6 is particularly commendable. Their teachers should be praised for their work in this respect because it is they who have engendered this responsible attitude.

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poor

24. All pupils learn well. They listen well in lessons – although some pupils do not always find this easy - and it is a noticeable feature that they all participate in answering teachers’ questions. This continues throughout the school, with pupils of both genders and of all abilities being keen to make a contribution. It is most impressive amongst the oldest pupils, all of whom have a business-like approach to learning and clearly enjoy sharing the ‘learning journey’ with their teachers. When asked to work independently of their teacher, pupils of all ages do so. They stick with the task they have been set. They have an adequate Stanley Crook Primary School 9 understanding of how well they are doing and what they could do to improve. This does not extend, however, to the presentation of their work: because their teachers expect too little of them, pupils do not take sufficient pride in what they record in their books. The result is a gap

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poor

between what they actually know and understand, and what they write down.

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PUPILS?

25. Since the last inspection the school has made all recommended improvements to its curriculum. Adults working in the Foundation Stage plan effectively towards the Early Learning Goals. They provide a good range of learning opportunities for children and the indoor curriculum is covered well. In Key Stages 1 and 2, the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum are met, and the school complies with the requirement to have a daily act of worship. In practice the act of worship is regarded as an important part of the school day and is not simply the meeting of a requirement. The school quickly identifies pupils with special educational needs and makes very good provision for them. The ethos of the school ensures that everyone is valued and there is equal access to all parts of the curriculum. Overall, the strengths of the curriculum outweigh the weaknesses and provision is satisfactory. The weaknesses relate to:

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PUPILS?

• The absence of an outdoor area for the youngest children means that it is impossible to provide all the experiences of an outdoor curriculum that these children need. The area outdoors is not developed. It is grassed and damp for most of the year. The surface is unsuitable for most outdoor activities. • There are too few planned opportunities - in subjects other that English - for pupils to write.

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PUPILS?

26. Pupils who may have special educational needs are identified early, often during baseline assessment. The school is particularly skilful in recognising those who may have movement problems. These pupils are assessed further and an exercise programme worked out for them, which is supported by trained support staff. Pupils with academic problems are well supported both in class and in withdrawal sessions. Their individual plans have clear, precise learning targets and are reviewed regularly. Pupils with formal statements of special needs are very well supported and are fully integrated into to the life of the school.

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PUPILS?

27. The national numeracy strategy has been successfully introduced and is having a positive impact on standards. The literacy strategy has been equally effective in raising the overall standards in literacy, though other subjects are not yet playing their part in raising standards. The school has matched its curriculum with guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), and all subject areas are covered. Owing to problems with hardware the school still finds it difficult to deliver fully the curriculum for information and communication technology. However, the upgrading of present computers and plans for a computer suite should help resolve these problems.

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PUPILS?

28. The school’s long term planning for topics works on a two-year cycle to provide continuity for the mixed aged classes. The school carefully monitors this system as numbers fluctuate and the organisation of classes sometimes has to be changed. Medium term plans follow the QCA guidelines, and short term planning is good.

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PUPILS?

29. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities in the area of sport. As part of the Sport Action Zone all Key Stage 2 pupils have the opportunity to learn to play a range of games. At the time of the inspection, pupils were practising basketball skills in preparation for a festival. During the year all pupils in the school have the opportunity to Stanley Crook Primary School 10 attend at least one regional sports event. Younger pupils were included in the group attending a gymnastics festival. The weekly sport club, currently football, is open to all pupils, and matches are played regularly. Unfortunately, the school is unable to provide any music clubs, due to lack of expertise. However, the older pupils have a short French lesson planned into the curriculum each week. This lesson had been temporally suspended but its value to the pupils was demonstrated when they said how much they missed it.

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PUPILS?

30. The school actively seeks visits from adults who are able to share experiences and knowledge. A visitor known as ‘The Viking lady’ stimulated pupils’ imagination during a history topic on the Vikings, and older members of the community have shared experiences of wartime and the post-war period. Year 5 and 6 pupils attend a residential field centre where they experience a range of outdoor activities. About once a year the whole school goes on a visit together. This combines both educational and social purposes. Places visited include Durham, Beamish museum, and the seaside. Walking visits around the local area are frequent. All pupils have the opportunity to go swimming, and the school takes advantage of the ‘swimming bus’ for transport to the local library.

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PUPILS?

31. The provision for pupils’ personal, social and health development is good. The school is part of the healthy schools project. The school nurse and the police are regular visitors and contribute to wide aspects of health and personal safety. A safety carousel, which includes information on the misuse of drugs, is run biannually by the police and is attended by pupils in Years 5 and 6. The concerns of pupils are often discussed in activities such as circle time. The school has a satisfactory sex education policy that is taught through the science curriculum. The school is looking for a scheme that will support its work in personal development but has yet to find one that it feels matches the needs of its particular school community.

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PUPILS?

32. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development remains good, as it was at the last inspection. Spiritual development is fostered well by the caring ethos of the school. Assemblies strongly promote Christian values of tolerance and love. The head teacher and staff represent good role models so that pupils are enveloped in a quiet, understated spiritual awareness that gently permeates the school.

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PUPILS?

33. The school has high expectations of behaviour and an effective behaviour policy, which together contribute to pupils’ moral development. Pupils formulate their own classroom rules, which closely match the school’s code for expected behaviour. This code is the basis for pupils’ understanding of right and wrong within school. Because the school is very successful in supporting pupils who have behaviour problems, it is very rare that the full range of sanctions is needed.

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PUPILS?

34. The social development of pupils is very good. Across the school there is an air of social goodwill. Pupils willingly welcome visitors and are naturally courteous and helpful. In class activities they readily collaborate and assist each other. Younger pupils have regular jobs in the classroom while older ones have wider responsibilities in school, including helping younger children to learn early keyboard skills during the lunchtime. The school council has representatives from each class and they play an active role in the life of the school. Visitors and outside visits contribute greatly towards pupils’ social development as well as their academic learning. In addition, special ‘cross-phase’ days are planned about once a year. In one such recent day, based on an Easter theme, pupils were divided into mixed aged groups, and as they moved round the school taking part in a range of activities the older pupils

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PUPILS?

supported the younger ones. Stanley Crook Primary School 11 35. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory. There is a cultural element in lessons such as history, English, art, music and religious education. In general, pupils have good opportunities to study their own culture and heritage. However opportunities to study the diversity of other cultures are restricted, as the school has limited access to either visitors or places that would provide first-hand experience.

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PUPILS?

36. The school has good links with the church and the community through its visitors and through parents who come in to help. It provides displays for the church and takes part in local events. There is a good partnership with the secondary school, which pupils visit before the time for transfer. They start work in their new books in the last few weeks at the primary school, and take these with them the following term. The school successfully supports a number of students from teacher training and other establishments who are following a range of child-care and teacher- support courses.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Pupils benefit from a very high level of care in a safe and secure environment. There are very good procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils' welfare. Staff members become aware of the school procedures through training and staff m

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Procedures for accidents and emergencies are very good, with adequate personnel trained in first aid. There are termly fire drills and regular risk assessments. One of the governors takes an active part in health and safety risk assessments.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school promotes a healthy and safe life style with the help of a good range of external agencies, such as the school nurse and dentist. In particular, the police service has supported the school and many of the events have been recorded with the school's digital camera. In fact, police officers were so impressed with the high quality and content of the photographs that they asked for a copy to use as an example for other schools.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good. Pupils celebrate good attendance by receiving certificates. For parents, information about attendance and reminders of its importance feature in the termly newsletters and bulletins from the school. Prompt contact is made with parents in the event of an unexplained absence, and the school collaborates closely with the Educational Welfare Officer.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures for promoting and monitoring behaviour are very good. All staff have high expectations of behaviour and adopt a consistent approach to behaviour management. This results in the need to spend only the minimum amount of time on inappropriate behaviour in lessons; leading to less disruption and more learning. Parents have a very positive view of behaviour in the school, which they confirm by a signed, home-school agreement. Since the last inspection, the school has put a consistent behaviour policy in place and has maintained the very positive standard of care.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school has good procedures for supporting pupils' personal development and places great emphasis on positive reward, self-discipline and high self-esteem. For example, the pupils' School Council has representatives from each class who are empowered to propose improvements that will enhance the quality of life in the school. The wall displays about the Council's activities are a tribute to its success. Stanley Crook Primary School 12 43. Good use is made of assessments in the Foundation Stage. Adults use the local authority assessment system, which clearly shows children’s attainment and progress in all six areas of learning. They carry out assessments regularly and put the information to good use to inform their plans. They regularly assess children’s work and make useful comments about their progress.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. In Key Stage 1 and 2, the arrangements to assess and monitor pupils’ academic progress in English mathematics and science are good. The school fully analyses the results of the national tests. By this means, staff members are able to identify areas of general weakness which are used for future curriculum planning. The school is very well aware that results from small cohorts can be unreliable and the progress of individual pupils is therefore carefully tracked over time. The school has yet to develop systems for assessing other subject areas. Pupils with special educational needs are identified early. Outside agencies are brought in as soon as the school feels their help is called for, and they make a good contribution to the assessment of pupils’ needs. Continuous assessment against their individual targets is good.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The school's links with parents are very effective. The great majority of parents believe that teachers are genuinely approachable. Almost all parents accept that the school helps their children to become mature and responsible.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The impact of parents' involvement in the work of the school is very good. A significant number of parents help in school and many are keen to support their child’s learning at home. This they do by reading with their child, completing reading diaries, or ensuring that homework is done and returned on time to school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents' support for activities outside school is particularly good. For example, there are two parents present on the school bus every day. In addition, many parents are available to accompany pupils who take part in visits outside school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The Friends of Stanley Crook School regularly engages in social events, providing very good community contact and fund raising. In the last year, the association raised a magnificent amount of money to pay for items that enhance the education of their children. They have purchased much equipment, such as a camcorder, tape decks and headphones.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The school provides good quality information for parents and puts much time and effort into examining ways in which they can work together for the benefit of their children. Parents receive an attractive newsletter which includes a synopsis of the curriculum content for the forthcoming term. Daily books and reading diaries help parents to understand the content of their children's homework.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Annual progress reports on pupils are of satisfactory quality and provide parents with an insight into the strengths and weaknesses in their child’s work. Two consultation evenings for parents give good opportunities for them to review their child’s progress. Parents are also welcome to visit the school on a more informal basis to discuss any concerns they might be having about their child’s academic or social development.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are contacted as soon as the school has any concern. From then on they work closely with the school to ensure the maximum support for their child. They are invited to and attend all relevant meetings to review their child’s progress. Stanley Crook Primary School 13 52. To help parents to understand the curriculum, the school has organised discussion groups. Last year, parents attended six presentations on literacy. In the current year, six numeracy sessions are planned.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Since the last report, the school has strengthened its links with parents and has helped them to understand the changes to the National Curriculum.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school is very well led and managed. The headteacher has a quiet authority and encourages a corporate approach to decision making. He has a clear vision for the development of the school and is successful in pursuing strategies that offer pupils success in both their personal and their academic development. He is ably supported by his next most senior teacher, who in particular brings valuable and valued experience to the Foundation and Key Stage 1 curricula. Both are keen – as are all staff - for the school to improve still further. They listen to ideas, look objectively at evidence, have an accurate and objective view of the current quality of provision, and have the energy and the willingness to bring about change. This stands the school in good stead for further, steady improvement.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The headteacher is competent in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The action that ensues is invariably effective. He is vigilant in using the data and other information available to him to identify the areas that need improvement. Thereafter, what is planned in terms of remedial strategy is logical and systematic and is evaluated for its success. Through action of this quality, the shortfall in boys’ attainment has been eliminated, and standards at the end of both key stages have been improved. Remaining weaker areas – such as pupils’ weaker performance at the higher levels – have been recognised and are being tackled. Earlier attempts to improve writing standards have only been partially successful and the school is fully aware of the need to do more.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The good quality of teamwork is visible in the school. Staff share their expertise and assist one another. The work of support staff is appreciated and valued. All relationships are very good and this transfers to equally good relationships between staff and pupils and between the pupils themselves.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. There is a clear commitment to providing equal opportunity for all pupils. On the sporting front this manifests itself in all pupils, regardless of ability, having the opportunity to represent their school at one tournament at least. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well and the school works hard and effectively on their behalf, particularly when it comes to acquiring support from specialists outside school. Within the school itself, pupils are very well supported in the classroom (particularly in literacy) and the additional teaching time purchased is well used.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The quality of teaching is monitored regularly and systematically – now as a part of the schools’ performance management structure. Staff are complimented on the strong features of their work and given an area for development. Moreover, one by one, and as a part of the school’s initiative to develop the role of the curriculum co-ordinator, all teachers are being introduced to the concept of monitoring the quality of teaching.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. Most of the governing body are long-serving members. They serve the school soundly according to their particular strengths. They understand what the school does well and what could be improved, because the headteacher keeps them regularly and honestly informed in this respect. They are appropriately involved in budget decisions and assist the headteacher in prudent and wise spending. Stanley Crook Primary School 14 60. The budget is managed well. While it is sometimes necessary to save money over a period of time for a specific purpose – the planned computer suite is a good example – there is no hoarding of funds. Spending, including specific grant, focuses upon raising standards as a clear, first priority, and the decisions taken thus far have been wise ones. In particular, the support staff provides very good value for money, and small class sizes (numbering 21, 19, 17 and 23) help teachers to cope with the additional demands of mixed age and/or key

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

stages. The school secretary is a welcoming ‘first face’ for visitors to the school. She runs the day-to-day administration very efficiently, thus giving staff the time to concentrate on their work in the classroom. Her work, and that of the headteacher, is made significantly easier and more efficient by the use of ICT. For example, Assessment Manager provides the headteacher with the facility to generate data on standards in a form that clearly highlights strong and weak areas.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Staff are adequate in number and are well qualified. The job-share arrangements work well, and in Years 5 and 6 very well. Support staff are well qualified, experienced and committed to their work. The contribution they make to the standards pupils attain fully justifies the money that the school spends on them.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The accommodation is well maintained by a conscientious caretaker. It is adequate in size and in all aspects except one – the outdoor facilities for children in the Foundation Stage. These children have no secure area in which to play. This is unsatisfactory. However, the problem is not insurmountable because the area outside the Foundation Stage classroom could easily be fenced. At the moment, its grass surface limits the periods of the year in which the area can be used. The addition of a surface that would make activity possible throughout the year would then allow the school to develop the important outdoor curriculum for its children. Funding is needed here, although clearly this is not an easy task within the budget of a small school.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Resources are adequate in almost all areas of the curriculum. Outdoor equipment for the Foundation Stage children needs enhancing. Resources in art are adequate overall but with some limitations in terms of media with which pupils can work. For example, there was scant evidence of pupils using clay, other modelling materials, or pastel or acrylic paint. Stanley Crook Primary School 15

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

64. The headteacher, staff and governors should work together to:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the quality of pupils’ writing throughout the school by: (Paragraphs: 77 and 78)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* significantly improving the quality of pupils’ handwriting and the quality of all features of the presentation of their work; * planning and ensuring regular opportunities for pupils to produce pieces of extended writing in subjects other than English. * restricting the proportion of work completed on worksheets to those occasions when it is the best way to help pupils learn and make progress; * rigorously monitoring the implementation and outcomes of these changes.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Develop and resource an area which, throughout the year, will allow the outdoor curriculum to be taught to Foundation Stage children. (Paragraphs: 62 and 67) Stanley Crook Primary School 16

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 35 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 13

p.21

cent

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching.

p.21

Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 79 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 25 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.21

Special educational needs YR – Y6

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 17

p.21

pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

p.21

% %

School data 5.8 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stanley Crook Primary School 17

p.21

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year: 2001 10 3 13

p.22

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys Girls Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Total 11 11 13 Percentage of pupils School 85.0 (100.0) 85.0 (76.9) 100 (84.6) at NC Level 2 or above National (82.0) (85.0) (90.0)

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys Girls Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Total 11 12 11 Percentage of pupils School 85.0 (100.0) 92.0 (92.3) 85.0 (92.3) at NC Level 2 or above National (84.0) (88.0) (88.0) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.22

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year: 2001 7 3 10

p.22

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys Girls Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Total 8 7 10 Percentage of pupils School 80.0 (70.00) 70.0 (65.00) 100 (85.0) at NC Level 4 or above National (75.0) (72.0) (85.0)

p.22

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys Girls Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Total 6 7 10 Percentage of pupils School 60.0 (50.0) 70.0 (80.0) 100 (85.0) at NC Level 4 or above National (70.0) (72.0) (79.0) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Stanley Crook Primary School 18

p.22

Permanent

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.23

Permanent

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.23

Permanent

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 82 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.23

Permanent

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

p.23

YR– Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.3 Financial year 2000-2001

p.23

YR– Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.3

p.23

YR– Y6

Total number of education support staff 3.0 Total expenditure 228553.00

p.23

YR– Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 58 Expenditure per pupil 2689.00

p.23

YR– Y6

Balance brought forward from previous year 10175.00

p.23

YR– Y6

Balance carried forward to next year 17480.00 Stanley Crook Primary School 19

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0.5

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1.0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.2

p.24

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Stanley Crook Primary School 20

p.24

Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 79 Number of questionnaires returned 34

p.25

know

My child likes school. 65.0 29.0 3.0 0 3.0

p.25

know

My child is making good progress in school. 73.0 27.0 0 0 0

p.25

know

Behaviour in the school is good. 56.0 44.0 0 0 0

p.25

know

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50.0 44.0 0 6.0 0

p.25

know

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 58.0 27.0 9.0 6.0 0

p.25

know

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 79.0 21.0 0 0 0

p.25

know

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 73.0 24.0 3.0 0 0

p.25

know

The school works closely with parents. 70.0 21.0 3.0 0 6.0

p.25

know

The school is well led and managed. 67.0 33.0 0 0 0

p.25

know

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61.0 33.0 6.0 0 0

p.25

know

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32.0 44.0 15.0 6.0 3.0 Stanley Crook Primary School 21

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. The school admits children to full time places at the beginning of the academic year in which they will be five years of age. At the time of the inspection, six children of Foundation Stage age were in a class with 15 Year 1 pupils. The majority of children enter school with below average skills, particularly in communication, language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world. This is confirmed by the initial assessments conducted with these young children. Throughout their year in the reception / Year 1 class the teaching is good and the children make good progress. Towards the end of their first year in school, most children achieve the early learning goals in all six areas of learning and exceed them in their personal, social and emotional development.

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

66. In personal, social and emotional development, the teaching is very good and contributes to the very good progress children make. The majority are likely to exceed the early learning goals by the time they go into Year 1. Children easily link up with different members of staff for support and guidance; they proudly show their work to adults and develop enough confidence to speak out in front of the entire class. All children behave well and respond to staff’s directions and requests. They are familiar with school routines, lining up sensibly before moving out of the area to go into the hall, for example. Staff promote a ‘family’ environment where children feel relaxed and at ease as they learn to share adult attention and take turns. They have good opportunities to respond to religious and cultural events as they occur throughout the year, and they take part in whole school assemblies. Staff teach children to become personally independent. They learn to remove and put on

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

their clothes as they undress and dress themselves for physical activity, and they put on their coats each day before going out to play. All staff work well as a team. The teacher approaches her work with excitement and enthusiasm by making very good use of her voice. This motivates the children well, ensures their interest, and develops their concentration.

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

67. Teachers’ expectations for good behaviour are high; they explain clearly, and this helps children to understand right and wrong in relation to the school rules and class mission statement. Through very good examples from staff, children begin to establish good relationships and friendships with others, as they play and work with their learning partner. One child was heard saying to her partner, ‘Look, this is how you write number 2; copy me.’ They care for plants by watering them each day. Planning for reception aged children is well devised and teachers use the early learning goals as reference. Activities from which children can choose are also well planned, with clear learning objectives displayed to support adults working with the children in different areas in the room. Children show good initiative and independence in their learning; they collect scissors and other resources without being

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

told, and they know where to hang aprons and where to place finished work. They learn about different customs and festivals such as Bonfire Night where the safety issue is well stressed. The planned use of indoor accommodation is well developed so that activities do not encroach on each other. Children are clear about the location of different activities. They are aware of quiet areas and areas where creative and Stanley Crook Primary School 22 construction activities take place. However, children’s opportunities for choosing where and what they do during some parts of the day are limited because the outdoor curriculum is not well developed. There are three reasons for this:

p.26

Personal, social and emotional development

• The area outdoors is grassed and therefore damp for most of the year. • The surface is unsuitable for many outdoor activities. • The area is unfenced.

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

68. Teaching and learning in communication, language and literacy is good overall. By the time children reach Year 1 the majority are likely to reach the early learning goals. Children enter the school with low levels of vocabulary and few manage to communicate their ideas clearly. By the end of their reception year, most speak in a sequence of sentences and connect their ideas to express their feelings. They know most letter sounds and write simple sentences. Planned teaching each day allocates time for children to develop their vocabulary when they discuss events from home and discuss the story being read in class. The development of listening skills is also well planned and is sometimes linked to musical activities. Role-play is available and resources support learning through a variety of scenarios. Story-sacks have been made recently and these are shared with children so they learn to act out well-known stories and make up stories of their own. There are regular, well-

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

planned sessions for children to enjoy and share books with adults. As a result, all children show genuine interest in stories, have good access to books, and know how to handle them correctly. Teachers read to children on a daily basis, pointing to the words as they read. In this way children soon learn that the eye should move from left to right and from top to bottom. Most children recognise their name and write it from memory. They do this with paint, felt pens and pencils. Names are clearly displayed for children to see, and teachers encourage children to write their names on all pieces of work; most manage to form clear letters. There is clear print in the environment and the most commonly used words are well displayed, very near to where the children work so they refer to the words and learn to write them independently. Children recognise many letters by shape and sound. They learn to

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

write them by tracing them in the air with their nose, their finger, their elbow and their bottom. These sessions make learning fun!

p.27

Mathematics

69. In mathematics teaching and learning are good. Children enter the school with low standards of attainment. The progress children make in the Foundation Stage is good, and by the time they go into Year 1 they achieve the early learning goals. Teaching makes good use of rhymes and songs to help children become aware of numbers increasing and decreasing. Teachers plan several short, practical activities, which ensure that children maintain interest and develop understanding. For example, they count floating objects in the water tray and count the animals in the sand. They then identify the numerals clearly displayed for them and write them on the small board with chalk. Children count beyond ten and many can already recognise numerals and record them with paint and pencils. More able children can find the number that follows a given number. Through careful guidance by staff, they are beginning to understand the language associated with addition. Towards the

p.27

Mathematics

end of the reception year children calculate simple addition and subtraction sums and record their numbers. They learn to count pennies and record the amount. Role-play sometimes focuses upon buying items in a shop and supports learning about money. Children identify flat shapes by name as they play, and they sort similar solid shapes. They compare their height with the height of their friends. They easily sort and match objects by different criteria Stanley Crook Primary School 23 and record their findings, for example when they sort musical instruments into ‘bangers’ and ‘shakers’. Discussions with children show they understand positional words, and they place a toy above or below a table on request. Children in the reception year group use a commercial mathematics scheme to record their mathematics. Their numbers are well formed.

p.27

Knowledge and understanding of the world

70. In knowledge and understanding of the world children’s attainment is below average on entry to the reception class. The quality of teaching is good and children make good progress overall towards the early learning goals. Children know that plants need water to survive and water them each day. They are aware of changes in nature throughout the year. They learn to investigate changes within their body as they feel the vibration in their throat when they shout. Opportunities to improve an outdoor curriculum related to plant and animal life are restricted because the area outdoors is not developed. Most children make good progress in their technology skills. They cut and join materials and make sensible choices in the resources they use when making objects. Teachers demonstrate well and children learn to use scissors safely as they cut out parts of a clown. They know how to use split pins and

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

staplers. Children have access to computers, and programs support learning in some aspects of the curriculum. All staff know the children well and discuss past events from home, such as cultural activities concerning Bonfire Night. Within the class there is a very good pictorial display of daily events, which gives them a clear sense of time passing during the day. Children handle and look at the display of old toys and become aware of things being different long ago. Teachers make sure children become aware of the environment in which they work and play. They have access to part of the school grounds and to the hall for physical development, and they attend assemblies. Displayed photographs help children to become aware of buildings in the village in which they live. By taking the children out on visits teachers make sure they have first-hand experiences of their village environment, and of the

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

local community facilities such as the swimming baths, library and police station. The children compare their village with the larger nearby town of Crook.

p.28

Physical development

71. In physical development children make satisfactory progress and teaching is good overall. Children have access to the school hall each week, but the lack of suitable resources and an enclosed play area outdoors limits children’s opportunities to practise on a regular basis the skills they have been taught. Plans show that reception age children learn to move spontaneously in a large area and develop an awareness of their space and the space of others. They sometimes go for swimming lessons. In class they know how to line up one behind the other and sit sensibly on the carpet, showing an awareness of the space belonging to the child next to them. Photographs show that children learn to move in a variety of ways, including slithering, crawling, walking, jumping and running. They learn to use small bats and balls. Teachers support children and encourage them to balance, climb and move backwards and forwards on equipment such as benches. Resources are limited for children

p.28

Physical development

to use their feet to push and pull. Fine finger skills are well developed and children use a good range of tools and equipment. They construct with commercial equipment when they make models, and they learn to push and pull to join two pieces together. Most children handle paintbrushes, scissors and pencils correctly. They manipulate malleable materials, such as dough as they play. Teachers help children become aware of the importance of eating healthy food and having regular exercise. Stanley Crook Primary School 24

p.28

Creative development

72. In creative development teaching and learning are good. Children learn to explore colour as they paint; they experience a good range of media. Teachers encourage children in their creativity and show how much they value their efforts by displaying their work well. Children have good opportunities to explore sound as they learn how to play percussion instruments. They recognise high and low sounds and know whether they need to bang, blow, pluck or shake an instrument to create the sound. They learn to sing many songs from memory. They sometimes sing their response when the register is called. There are activities planned to encourage imaginative play, such as the home area where children make up stories based on home experiences. They explore story-sacks and learn to retell well-known stories through play.

p.29

ENGLISH

73. In both key stages pupils achieve standards in listening that are good. Standards in reading and speaking are sound. Standards in writing are unsatisfactory, although in literacy lessons writing skills are taught well, and often very well. Overall, pupils attain national standards in English and, given their below average attainment when they enter the reception class, this represents good progress. This good overall progress can best be shown in a tabular form and is well illustrated by using the Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 test data for three consecutive cohorts of pupils. The first cohort identified in the table relates to the group of pupils who took the Key Stage 1 tests in 1995 and the Key Stage 2 tests in 1999. The others cover the pupils who took these two sets of tests in 1996 and 2000, 1997 and 2001. (During a four-year period the progress expected from pupils is two National Curriculum

p.29

ENGLISH

Pupils who made less than the expected 2- levels of progress Pupils who made the expected 2-levels of progress Pupils who made more than the expected 2-levels of progress 1995-1999 25% 25% 50% 1996-2000 0% 60% 40% 1997-2001 0% 50% 50%

p.29

ENGLISH

74. Pupils’ listening skills are good throughout the school although slightly less so in the current Year 2/3 class. In this class there are a number of pupils with special educational needs who have difficulty is sustaining their concentration and who can become fidgety. However, these are the exception and the great majority of pupils of all ages and abilities become involved in their lessons and concentrate well. Pupils with special educational needs are helped so that they too can take part: their teachers pitch questions well and classroom support assistants offer whispered explanations and encouragement during whole class teaching sessions. This helps the pupils to sustain their interest and ensures that they do not get left behind.

p.29

ENGLISH

75. Pupils’ speaking skills are satisfactory and reflect good progress from a low starting point. There are regular opportunities for them to speak in front of the class and some opportunities for them to perform in front of a larger audience. One good facet of their work is their knowledge and use of technical vocabulary: this applies in English and in other subjects of the curriculum.

p.29

ENGLISH

76. The school has worked hard to help pupils develop as young readers. It is rightly grateful to parents, the great majority of whom read with their children on a regular basis. Stanley Crook Primary School 25 The quality of the work in literacy lessons is such that pupils’ understanding of what they read keeps pace with their actual ability to decipher the print. This ability to interpret what they have read helps pupils significantly in the national tests at the end of Year 6. Pupils have easy access to a range of books – initially from a reading scheme and, when they become more competent, from a free range.

p.29

ENGLISH

77. Standards in writing are not good enough. This is true throughout the school. There are two key factors that contribute:

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ENGLISH

• Firstly, the presentation of pupils’ work is unsatisfactory. Teachers’ expectations in this respect are too low, and pupils therefore do not understand what constitutes good presentation. Some pupils’ handwriting reaches a satisfactory level. That of the great majority falls short, or well short, of this standard. There is no consistency across the school in features such as dating work, the use of underlining or not wasting space. While there are written guidelines for development from printing to joined writing, these are not adhered to by teachers or practised by children. For example, too many pupils in Year 6 still print on a regular basis. Pupils are not often reminded about the quality of their writing and, in the marking of pupils’ work, there are few comments pertaining to presentation. Whilst these comments on the quality of presentation are contained in this section on English, they apply equally to

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ENGLISH

all other subjects, including mathematics. • Secondly, pupils have too few opportunities to practise the writing skills they learn in their literacy lessons. This is a shame, because these key skills are taught well, and often very well. A complete analysis of a year’s written work of several pupils from different year groups revealed that they had very limited opportunities to write at any significant length. In addition, while worksheets did not dominate written work, they were often used unnecessarily, resulting in a low level of demand on pupils’ writing skills. Taken across a full school year, the amount of writing undertaken by pupils is too small. This whole area needs review.

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ENGLISH

78. Such a review will make it necessary for the full staff to be involved in:

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ENGLISH

• taking an holistic view of what the ideal writing experiences would be for the seven years that a pupil spends in the school; • discussing how these can be distributed throughout the curriculum so that pupils have the opportunity to practise the skills they learn and so that work in other subjects benefits from these skills; • ensuring that opportunities to write at length are regular and frequent; • ensuring that marking in subjects other than English expects the same high standards in terms of presentation, grammar, punctuation and style; • coming to an agreement on what constitutes the minimum and the norm in terms of neat presentation of work; • some change in the way that ICT is used to support writing – using it ‘from scratch’ rather than to produce a neat copy of work initially undertaken on paper; • close and vigilant monitoring of the agreed arrangements, followed by an evaluation of the outcomes.

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ENGLISH

79. Eight lessons were observed: six whole class literacy lessons and two small group lessons for pupils with special educational needs. The quality of teaching was good in six of the lessons and very good in the remaining two. The literacy hour is well established in this school. Is has been sensibly adapted to the needs of mixed age classes, and pupils learn well. Their teachers have taught them how to work well independently and, as a result, the Stanley Crook Primary School 26 teacher is able to sit with a focus group and cover the intended work. There are no significant weaknesses in teachers’ work except in regard to the standards of presentation they accept: the limitations in suitable writing opportunities is a curriculum issue which needs to be reviewed.

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ENGLISH

80. Support staff make a real difference to the standards pupils achieve. In Years 2, 3, 4 and 5, for example, all literacy lessons are supported by a classroom assistant. She works with a target group on activities prepared by the teacher or on work from Additional Literacy Strategy materials - as appropriate. During the whole class session, she uses her time well to support those pupils who find it difficult either to concentrate or to understand.

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ENGLISH

81. Pupils with special educational needs are supported very well in the classroom. They receive good support when withdrawn from the class for additional help. If pupils need help with fine motor skills, this is given in accordance with a specified programme of exercises. The school works hard to secure the best possible level of support from outside agencies, both in practical terms and in the form of advice, for example support for pupils who have language and communication difficulties.

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ENGLISH

82. The co-ordinator has overseen the introduction of the literacy hour and been instrumental in the steady improvement in standards. She is keen to raise standards still further and is receptive to suggestions as to how she might progress. Given this open approach to change, the outlook for improving standards in writing is good.

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MATHEMATICS

83. Pupils make good progress as they move through the school, so that by the time they leave their attainment is in line with standards achieved nationally. The results of the national tests in 2001 confirm this finding. This is good improvement since the 1997 inspection. The school analyses the results of national tests thoroughly and takes appropriate action when it finds areas that may be improved. For example analysis has shown that that the higher attaining pupils could be achieving more: this group of pupils is now being targeted. Children make a good start in the Foundation Stage and this progress continues through Key Stage 1, so that standards at the age of seven are also those expected nationally. Consistently good teaching throughout the school and the nurturing of pupils’ success and desire to succeed have contributed to achieving this progress. Pupils with special educational needs are well

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MATHEMATICS

supported in lessons and achieve standards that are in line with their abilities.

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MATHEMATICS

84. The teaching in Key Stage 2 is consistently good, and is often very good in the Year 5/6 classes. Teachers focus clearly and precisely on what they want their pupils to learn, and share these expectations with the pupils at the beginning of each lesson. Expectations of behaviour are high and pupils are expected to work hard, but the teachers also genuinely care for their pupils and relationships are very good. Pupils want to succeed and work hard, contributing to their own progress. The teachers of the oldest pupils fully involve them in the presentation of the lesson, thus stimulating their interest. For example in a lesson about perimeters, a pupil measured the sides of a shape on the board while the teacher very effectively led a discussion on the easiest way to add the measurements taken. Another pupil wrote the measurements down and recorded the calculations. By giving the pupils a

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MATHEMATICS

real part in the lesson, the teacher increased their level of interest. When they set to work on their tasks, their level of collaboration was high. The teacher was thus able to use her time more effectively in supporting individuals and groups of pupils. Progress was very good. 85. The teaching in Key Stage 1 is good and pupils build a firm foundation in number. Mental and oral sessions provide good opportunities for pupils to practise their counting skills by counting forwards and backwards in ‘ones’, ‘twos’ and ‘fives’. In an imaginative session in Stanley Crook Primary School 27 a Year 2 class the teacher encouraged the pupils to reinforce counting by dipping their fingers into imaginary ‘number pots’ before starting to count. When counting in fives, fingers were dipped into the ‘fives’ pot so that ‘a five’ was stuck on the end of each finger. The lively manner of the teacher, together with the exaggerated actions, caught pupils’ imagination and

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MATHEMATICS

they were keen to learn. Later in the same lesson chocolate buttons were used to make ‘groups of two’ as an introduction to multiplication. Interest was high as there was the possibility to ‘eat the maths’. Chalk circles drawn on paper did not attract the same enthusiasm! Teachers plan carefully for pupils in mixed aged classes to make sure that the work they are given in independent tasks is well matched to their ability to complete them.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Work in Key Stage 1 is rightly based on practical activities, and recording is often based on worksheets or workbooks. The selective use of these is satisfactory. However, when pupils start to record in exercise books the presentation is untidy because teachers do not set high enough standards. The low standard of presentation continues throughout Key Stage 2. A combination of messy work and wasted space in exercise books does not do justice to the actual mathematical standards that pupils achieve. Currently, information technology is not used enough to support pupils’ learning in mathematics. There was no planned use of computers in any of the lessons observed during the inspection. Although the school has programmes available to give pupils practice in number skills these are not used on a rota basis during numeracy lessons. The school is aware of this weakness and has plans to deal with it now that computers have been upgraded. Judging from the enthusiasm

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MATHEMATICS

to load these programmes - shown during a wet playtime - opportunities are being lost.

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SCIENCE

87. Pupils achieve very well in science when compared with pupils of similar age. Standards have improved since the last inspection and teaching is good. The school has worked hard to continually develop and improve the subject. Very good use is made of planning sheets for investigation work. These help pupils to organise their ideas and think scientifically. Teachers throughout the school provide the necessary resources and equipment to encourage scientific investigation. They plan activities so that pupils work with a partner to share their ideas. The subject co-ordinator monitors standards, develops assessment and provides booster classes to help pupils reach higher levels. Formal assessments are used to identify areas for development in teaching. These are analysed and help the teachers to consider strengths and gaps in planning. The learning needs of all pupils are taken into account and teachers make good use of ongoing assessments each

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SCIENCE

half term to determine what pupils already know and understand. Consequently, pupils of all abilities receive work which makes them think hard. Teachers throughout the school make sure that pupils of all ages and abilities have the chance to answer questions in lessons. During pupil activity time, they circulate to support all pupils. In booster classes, organised for Year 6, teachers help pupils to revise the curriculum and ensure they are well prepared for the national test. Teachers throughout the school mark pupils’ work well. However, they do not always make enough use of literacy skills to support science, nor do they make sure that work is presented in a consistently neat way.

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SCIENCE

88. Pupils begin Year 1 with sound levels of scientific knowledge. Teachers make sure that they understand what they are going to learn, and they begin each lesson by going briefly over the learning objectives from the previous one. This makes sure that pupils remain interested and remember the main previous learning points. Pupils in Key Stage 1 learn to recognise and name many parts of the body. They are aware of changes and differences in height and eye colour, for example. They make graphs to record their findings. They take part in experiments such as baking bread and melting wax to see the impact heat has on materials. They learn the meanings of scientific vocabulary such as ‘irreversible change’. Stanley Crook Primary School 28 Teachers throughout the school use resources well. For example when pupils are learning about shadows in Year 2/3, teachers show and discuss various objects that create shadows,

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SCIENCE

such as bees wax candles, paraffin candles and torches. They encourage pupils to predict what is likely to happen when light is shone on an object and to give reasons for their ideas. The teachers demonstrate well and give pupils many chances to experiment and find out for themselves.

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SCIENCE

89. By the end of Year 3, pupils know how to investigate, make observations to gather evidence, record their findings methodically, and draw conclusions. The good progress continues in Year 4, where pupils begin to plan their own investigations. Teachers monitor pupils’ experiments and observations carefully and make sure they use the precise vocabulary by questioning pupils as they work. Pupils talk about scientific activities with interest and enthusiasm; they know the components needed to make a circuit, and they understand what conductors and insulators are. They investigate how to make a bulb dimmer. They learn about properties of various materials and the importance of choosing the best materials for the job, such as metal for door handles. They find out the best habitat for animals and insects, and know that a worm and slug need to live in damp conditions and insects need to live near flowers and trees. They discover the location of the planets in

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SCIENCE

relation to the sun and find out about magnetism. In Years 5 and 6 teachers carefully review previous learning. For example they make sure pupils understand that light travels in a straight line before they proceed with additional experimentation; they do this through quick tests. They provide appropriate resources and link learning to everyday life situations. When pupils experiment with mirrors, for example, the teacher asks them to consider the importance mirrors play in the life of a hairdresser and a car driver. This encourages pupils to see the relevance of their tasks and deepens their understanding. In lessons seen pupils showed enthusiasm, and were keen to answer questions and to discuss ideas with the whole class. Older pupils further develop their understanding of life and living things through investigation. They learn how to increase the pulse rate and why this is important to healthy

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SCIENCE

living. They develop good scientific skills of prediction and investigation when they work with materials to find out which will soak up water, and they record their findings in the form of diagrams.

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ART AND DESIGN

90. At the end of both key stages, pupils attain as expected. In relation to Key Stage 1 this judgement reflects the work seen in one lesson, together with other evidence. In relation to Key Stage 2 it is based on the work on display, discussion with teachers and scrutiny of teachers’ planning: no lessons were timetabled. On the basis of one lesson it is not possible to make a reliable judgement on the quality of teaching.

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ART AND DESIGN

91. The school follows the QCA schemes, sensibly adapted for the mixed age classes in the school. The work seen was limited in range but, of course, it reflected the element of the scheme of work that had been covered in the last half term.

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ART AND DESIGN

92. The school tries, when it can, to link work in art to that being taught in other subjects. In Year 1, for example, pupils paint Anansi the spider. In Years 2 and 3 they produce mosaics having seen pictorial examples from Ancient Greece: they learn how to create different effects by using a range of shades from a limited selection of colours. Pupils in Stanley Crook Primary School 29 Years 2 and 3 use computer software to create symmetrical patterns, and those in Year 4 use the digital camera to take a range of photographs from unusual angles. Year 2 pupils create repeating patterns, using cut out shapes, printing techniques and templates. Year 4 pupils draw their ideas of a scary dream and older pupils produce still life drawings.

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ART AND DESIGN

93. There was no 3-dimensional work on display and the media with which pupils had worked appeared, from the evidence available, to be somewhat limited. For example, there was no use of watercolour, acrylic paint or pastel.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils attain the expected standards. This was evident in the two lessons observed and from other artefacts. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the standards at the end of Key Stage 2. However, since the previous inspection the school has adopted and followed the QCA scheme and provided staff with the training they need to allow them to teach the subject to a satisfactory level.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. In a good Year 1 lesson pupils showed sound colouring and cutting skills as they made a clown with moveable arms and legs. They learned why it was better to colour before they cut, and how to make joints using split pins. They worked diligently and with clear enjoyment. The teacher’s explanation was clear and she made good use of literacy skills; pupils were encouraged to spell the names of the resources they would need as she wrote them down. Pupils are keen to show off their skills. ‘I have used maize for his shoes’ they say, reading the word on the crayon.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. Year 2 and 3 pupils learn that some packaging is deliberately designed to have short- term use while other forms are intended to be used for a longer period of time: a biscuit tin and an egg carton, for example. They learn that some goods such as eggs and chocolates need protection and that packaging is designed with this in mind. They understand that variation in size is important and that some packaging is used for individual portions. They are surprised that their teacher can make a perfectly secure box without using glue and are thrilled when it works for them too. This was a good lesson, helping pupils to achieve sound standards.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

97. History and geography are taught as alternate topics throughout the school, and at the time of the inspection only history was being taught in either Key Stage. Pupils enjoy their history lessons and good use is made of visitors from the community. Progress is good throughout the school and, as was the case at the last inspection, pupils exceed the standards expected by the time they leave the school. Younger pupils reach the expected levels at the end of Key Stage1. Limited evidence prevents any judgement being made of standards in geography. At the last inspection standards were judged as being above those expected at the end of Key Stage 2 and above those expected at the end of Key Stage 1. There is no evidence to suggest that there has been a decline in standards.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

98. The teaching of history in Key Stage 2 is very good. Teachers used a variety of methods to instil in their pupils interest and enthusiasm. In a very good lesson about the Vikings the teacher imaginatively took the pupils back through time by putting pupils into a ‘time machine’. While pupils closed their eyes the teacher briefly described the time zones as they were ‘spirited’ back along their way until they reached the Viking period and heard the story of Alfred the Great and his battles with the Vikings. In another lesson excellent use was Stanley Crook Primary School 30 made of the Internet and of older people in the community to support pupils’ own research into chosen areas of life of Britain since 1948. Such was the buzz of interest that pupils were keen to talk about their findings and use all sources of knowledge (including the inspector’s) to add to their understanding of the period. Although teaching is very good, and therefore

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

pupils’ interest and understanding of the subject are also good, pupils have too few opportunities to use their writing skills in the recording of this knowledge.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

99. One history lesson was observed in Key Stage 1. Evidence is taken from this, from displays, and from the limited amount of pupils’ work that was available. No judgement is made on teaching. Pupils learn about life in Roman Britain and the differences between the life of the Celts and that of the Romans. They also understand that some effects of what the Romans achieved are still present today. For example, Roman numerals are still in use and many straight roads follow the route of original Roman roads.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

100. In geography the local area is used suitably. Pupils draw maps of their route to school, showing key features. Incidental opportunities for geography are used to good effect. This is especially the case after holiday times, where a map shows places that pupils have visited and pupils are given the chance to talk about what they have seen.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

101. The majority of pupils in both key stages are enthusiastic and confident in using ICT and now reach levels of attainment that are close to national expectations at both seven and eleven years of age. At the time of the last inspection pupils’ standards were low at the end of both key stages and progress was unsatisfactory. Inspectors identified a weakness in teachers’ knowledge of the subject and their confidence in supporting the development of pupils’ skills. Since then the school embarked on staff training and the staff are now more confident in delivering the subject. However, hardware continues to give problems despite a very recent upgrade and this is frustrating to the co-ordinator and staff. Plans for a computer suite and further staff training are in hand. The school already has a suitable curriculum in place and therefore has the potential to move the subject further forward.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

102. Teaching in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. In the one lesson where direct teaching of skills took place, pupils used laptop computers. These had the advantage of allowing each pupil to have an individual computer but the disadvantage of having slightly different software from that of the main computers in the classroom, which slowed down the pupil’s progress. Pupils are familiar with e-mail and have sent messages to each other and to other schools, but once again problems with the network mean that this facility is not always available. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 use the Internet effectively for research into history projects. They can use ‘search engines’ such as ‘Ask Jeeves’ and ‘Yahoo’ to help them locate suitable websites. In a history lesson a group of pupils worked enthusiastically with an adult volunteer to research forms of transport. In this case the Internet was being effectively used for

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

research, but generally the computers in the classrooms are underused both to develop skills and to support subjects across the curriculum. For example, pupils use the computer to produce a neat copy of work already written instead of using word-processing skills to produce the writing from scratch.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

103. No lessons were observed in Key Stage 1 but further evidence is taken from looking at pupils’ work and discussions with teachers and pupils. The school is very well aware that at the beginning of the key stage many pupils have little knowledge of the layout of the keyboard and that they therefore spend a long time actually looking for letters. Keyboard skills are underdeveloped and it may help pupils’ progress in Key Stage 1 if these were addressed at an earlier stage. However, at the very earliest stages the youngest pupils practise mouse Stanley Crook Primary School 31 skills, during short sessions at lunchtime. These sessions are greatly enjoyed both by the young pupils and their tutors from Years 5 and 6. By the end of the key stage pupils are confident in loading programs and have learnt some basic word-processing skills, though many are still slow in putting in text. Although pupils do not know how to access the Internet

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

they do know that it can be used to find information. They also know about e-mail. They recognise that the use of computers is widespread in such places as supermarkets and in the home to regulate washing machines and cookers. As is the case in Key Stage 2, computers in the classroom are not use enough, either to give practice in basic skills or to support the learning of other subjects.

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MUSIC

104. Standards are average, and pupils achieve steadily, including those with special educational needs. Teaching is satisfactory. This is similar to the picture at the time of the last inspection. Pupils sing tunefully during assemblies and the majority enjoy taking part in the songs and hymns chosen. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to offer pupils a chance to listen to a range of music from different eras and countries. A small number of pupils broaden their understanding of music by learning to play the clarinet. Planning has recently been developed in light of DfES initiatives, and this offers support for teachers. Teachers’ knowledge of the subject varies and this is reflected in the overall quality of learning. However, those who are less secure are well supported by the co-ordinator. Each year, pupils throughout the school take part in a Christmas performance where they sing an

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MUSIC

interesting variety of songs and carols. The county ensemble performs for them, and parents who are musicians occasionally share their expertise with the pupils.

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MUSIC

105. Younger pupils in Key Stage 1, including those with special needs, make sound progress in music. Teachers in Year 1 encourage the youngest children to become aware of sounds around them. They offer good opportunities to explore each instrument and to consider how best to create the sound. Good links are made with science by encouraging children to feel the difference in the vibration within their throat, as they speak and as they shout. These good strategies ensure that pupils develop an interest in sounds and become aware of different ways in which the voice can be used. Pupils learn to create high and low sounds with instruments and to know the difference. They treat instruments with care and consideration. They learn to sing and are beginning to show some control of pitch, dynamics and rhythm. In Year 2/3 teachers review previous lessons so that pupils’ learning is placed well in context. The lesson content is varied so that pupils’ interest is well maintained. Pupils

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MUSIC

learn to control untuned percussion instruments as teachers encourage them to practise playing long and short sounds. Teachers demonstrate and explain clearly how symbols can be used in music instead of words, and pupils learn to read these as they play. Pupils learn to control the sounds of their voice as they sing and clap in slow and fast rhythm. Older pupils in junior-age classes in Key Stage 2 continue to make sound progress. Teachers work well together as a team and teach different age groups together. This is an effective arrangement, especially for singing lessons, where some year groups are small in number. Pupils respond well by being very well behaved throughout the lesson. Teachers carefully select interesting pieces of music for pupils to appreciate, such as the song ‘Yesterday’. They encourage pupils to discuss their likes and dislikes, and many volunteer ideas. Teachers use well-known songs to encourage pupils to sing in two-part harmony and to

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MUSIC

develop control of pulse and rhythm. They pay good attention to pupils’ posture and make sure the clarity of diction is good by encouraging pupils to practise parts of songs for improvement. The lyrics of the songs chosen are amusing and this ensures that pupils remain interested and enjoy the lessons. Teachers make good use of prompt cards so that pupils develop very good discipline when singing and learn how to internalise. They use musical vocabulary well, making sure pupils’ understanding is developed. Stanley Crook Primary School 32

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. Standards overall are average and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress, as was the case at the time of the last inspection. Teaching is good overall, but very good teaching was seen at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils enjoy opportunities to be physically active and to express themselves with confidence. They benefit from a broad range of activities in the subject throughout the year. The good scheme of work is based partly on the local education authority’s scheme enhanced by DfES initiatives, and it provides staff with a framework on which they can develop their work. The school is involved in the Wear Valley Sports’ Co-ordinator Programme. This is a Sport Action Zone for feeder primary schools and supports pupils’ games skills well. Consequently, pupils have very good opportunities to take part in sporting events and festivals in the area. Some have been successful in inter-school tournaments, such as mini-tennis and table tennis.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

During the inspection the main teaching focus was on games skills. Younger pupils benefit from the teaching of ball skills by a local football club coach. All children use equipment well, paying careful attention to safety issues. They know that physical activity promotes good health and they are aware of the need to change into suitable clothing. They understand the reasons for warm up and cool down procedures as well as relaxation exercises.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. At the end of Key Stage 2 pupils’ work in games’ skills is good for their age. In lessons teachers review pupils’ knowledge and understanding of netball and basketball rules through challenging questions. They make sure each pupil is aware of their personal target within the lesson so they can work towards it. They encourage pupils to practise and improve their ball skills, for example by stressing the importance of keeping the head up when bouncing a ball, so that they don’t bump into others. Pupils then try hard to improve, demonstrate good body control and show skill and accuracy when they dodge, mark, dribble, weave and aim. The teacher encourages pupils to work in pairs and their co-operation is good. Teachers use pupils’ good skills with direct teaching points to demonstrate to others, and this gives them a variety of ideas. Teachers encourage pupils with better skills to use larger balls. Lessons

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

move at a fast pace, which encourages concentration and interest. Pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 work with ball skills that are typical for their age. Teachers use good strategies with pupils to improve their eye-to-hand co-ordination, using bats and balls.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. Pupils approach physical education with enthusiasm and enjoyment. They understand the established procedures and waste little time as they take out and return equipment. They co-operate well with each other and respond well to challenging activities throughout the lessons. All pupils are confident in demonstrating their work to the rest of the class.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

109. Standards are in line with those set out for local schools, as they were at the time of the last inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress. Teaching is good and the subject leader provides sound leadership. She is knowledgeable and monitors the curriculum through teachers’ planning to ensure that pupils can build on their learning from year to year. Plans are now in place to meet with the revised Agreed Syllabus. These follow a two-year programme to account for mixed age groups in all classes. Learning in religious education links well to assemblies, where moral issues are discussed through religious examples. Learning is also linked to history and Stanley Crook Primary School 33 geography through well-planned visits, where pupils go to visit the Methodist church in the village and to the cathedral in Durham. ICT is sometimes used for research in religious

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

education. Visitors from local churches attend assemblies and this ensures that pupils develop respect and understanding for different faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

110. Pupils know about some of the major religions of the world and the festivals and rituals associated with Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism. They know that people try to live better lives by following their faith. For example, they know about the Rites of Passage in the Sikh faith, the main beliefs in Buddhism, and the meaning behind events in the Christian faith. Older pupils have a deeper understanding of the Old and New Testaments and are familiar with parables and stories. They know the reasons behind major celebrations in both the Christian and Jewish calendar. Younger pupils in Years 3 and 4 develop an understanding of major events in Christianity, especially those that feature the birth and death of Jesus. Pupils in Key Stage 1 consider how God is viewed by different faiths. They learn about prominent holy people and how their lives were changed by their faith. For example

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

they learn how Christianity changed the life of St. George and how Guru Nanak influenced the Sikh religion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111. Teaching and learning are good overall. In lessons, pupils show a growing awareness of spiritual values. Lessons are well planned and pupils are very clear about what they are expected to learn. Teachers review previous learning and make sure that pupils learn the vocabulary associated with different faiths. Good use is made of video presentations in the middle of Key Stage 2. The good teaching prompts pupils well before viewing, so that they know which key points to look for. Pupils then address their task with knowledge and enthusiasm and manage to consolidate their learning well. Teachers make sure that activities match pupils’ stage of development. For example, they ask some pupils to write the story associated with Diwali and others to write a cartoon version. For younger pupils, good links are made with Harvest celebrations through the Bible story of ‘The Feeding of the Five Thousand’. Teachers are good role models for pupils and show how they value faith by

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

keeping the Bible in a special box. They make good use of modern day versions of the Bible to ensure that pupils understand the stories. They read these very well to pupils and emphasise the main points, making clear links to everyday life. In this way pupils learn that sharing is a good thing to do, just as Jesus did in the story. Teachers challenge pupils to think about principles of faith by asking them, ‘How do you think Jesus did this?’ Teachers make good use of paintings to illustrate how the artist has interpreted Jesus, and pupils respond well to the discussion. Older pupils learn to make clear links between stories in the Old Testament and Jewish worship today. Very good use is made of video presentations and artefacts to support pupils’ learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

112. Teachers make sure pupils are familiar with the correct vocabulary related to the Jewish faith, and pupils use it well during whole class discussion time. Clear questioning develops pupils’ understanding about how the Jewish people were fed by God each day when travelling through the desert. They realise that God offered them a special gift by providing enough food for two days. The teacher challenges pupils to consider why the seventh day is a day of rest and how this affects Jewish life style in the present day. Pupils show a deep understanding, as one states that ‘sunset’ is the crucial time on Fridays, not ‘evening’. Lessons have a good balance between story, discussion and activity. Teachers provide a good range of research materials to match pupils’ ability. This results in very clear and challenging learning for all; pupils are well motivated, with their capacity to work independently

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