Nelson St Paul's Church of England Primary School

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 April – I May 2001

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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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. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hibson Road Nelson Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 April 1997 Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 18101 J Ann Sharpe Registered inspector 9224 Mike Vineall Lay inspector 4303 Simon Reynolds Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Peak Education Partnership 19 Huddersfield Road Barnsley S 70 2LT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 18

Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This average sized Church of England Primary School serves the parish of St Paul’s Little Marsden in the Diocese of Blackburn. The 119 girls and 112 boys (231 pupils) are between the ages of four and eleven and are taught in single age classes. Almost all pupils are from white family backgrounds. The six Pakistani pupils are already fluent in speaking English. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is about half the national average. Although the proportion of pupils with statements of special educational need is above average, the proportion on the special needs register is well below average. When children start school, most have already attended a nursery and their attainment is about average overall. In the last two years there has been a high staff turnover and the headteacher and deputy headteacher have only recently been appointed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a sound quality of education for the pupils. Teachers give priority to teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and number work and most pupils make good progress. Pupils in Year 6 achieve very good national test results in English and mathematics. Test results for junior pupils are on track to continue the rising trend of the last few years. Teaching is not always equally successful, however, and there are times when some pupils of all ages could do even better. The new headteacher and deputy headteacher give a strong lead with taking the school forward. They are keen to put the school back on a more ‘even keel’ following the disruption created by staffing changes. The school gives satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils in Year 6 do very well in national tests in English and mathematics. • Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and number work. • Pupils have positive attitudes to school and their behaviour is usually very good. • The new headteacher is quickly getting to grips with what the school needs to do to improve further.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their learning needs. • Teaching is not equally good in all classes and lessons. • Pupils in junior classes have too little time for learning and practising the full range of skills within the subjects of the National Curriculum. 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

Since the last report in April 1997, the school has improved at a steady pace. The national test results for pupils at the end of Year 6 have improved, and the school has recently received a government ‘excellence’ award because of this. Governors and senior staff have increased their involvement in managing the work and progress of the school, and a particular weakness in the teaching has been put right. Whilst some of the issues from the Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 7 last inspection appear to have been dealt with fully, others either remain or have reappeared. The school has responded very positively to national guidance about teaching literacy and numeracy, and aspects of teaching have improved because of this. The national guidance about teaching children in the reception class, however, is not yet seen fully in day-to-day practice. Also, there remain lessons where the work that teachers set for their pupils does

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

not take full account of what they already know, understand and can do. The new management team has identified relevant priorities for the school’s future development.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: All schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English B C A A Well above average above average A B Mathematics A A A A* Average Below average C D Science B B C C Well below average E

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STANDARDS

Results of the 2000 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6 were well above average in English and mathematics, continuing the steady improvement since 1996. When comparing results with schools having a broadly similar proportion of free school meals, pupils’ performance was equally good and in the top five percent in mathematics. Pupils did not do quite as well in science tests; although all pupils attained the expected level, too few reached a higher level. The standard of work of the oldest pupils in the school is above average overall. Pupils do not do as well with learning to investigate things for themselves as they do in their formal lessons. The results of tests in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils at the end of Year 2 have shown a slightly falling trend overall since 1996. In 2000, they were in line with the national average and similar schools in reading and above national average and

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STANDARDS

similar schools in writing and mathematics. The standard of pupils’ work at the end of Year 2 is above average overall. Girls in the school do better in tests than boys, especially in writing at the end of Year 2. There is no evidence that pupils who speak English as an additional language do any better or worse than others in their classes. Many children in the reception class get off to a sound start with learning the basic skills of reading, writing and number work, but they do not do as well in other lessons because planning and teaching is not rigorous enough. Pupils’ achievement by the age of eleven is good overall, and the school is on track to meet the realistically challenging targets it has set for the 2001 tests for pupils in Year 6. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 8

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils come to school happily and are nearly always enthusiastic about their work. The oldest pupils show a very mature approach towards their own learning.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Mainly very good. Pupils are usually polite and courteous. They show respect towards others and school property. Teachers rarely have to waste time dealing with behavioural problems. There is no evidence at all of any oppressive behaviour.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils get along very well with each other and show care and concern for younger pupils in the school. They take their responsibilities seriously and are well aware of how their own actions affect others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Well above the national average with hardly any unauthorised absences.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Whilst pupils’ behaviour is usually very good, a few pupils have been unsettled by changes of teacher in the past year. Pupils’ very good attitudes and values help to make the school a happy place and contribute greatly to the school’s success in national tests.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Of the 17 lessons seen, 12 percent were very good, 35 percent were good, 41 percent were satisfactory and 12 percent were unsatisfactory or poor. The good or very good lessons were seen in several classes, but there were also classes where teaching was never better than satisfactory. Poor teaching in one lesson in Year 2 was due to the teacher’s inability to manage the challenging behaviour of a small group of pupils. Teaching in English and mathematics, including in literacy and numeracy lessons, is variable but satisfactory overall. Teachers’ expertise is growing well, and they give a lot of time and emphasis to preparing pupils to do well in their national tests. Expertise in teaching the revised curriculum for children in the reception class, however, is not growing fast enough, and this is holding them back in some important aspects of their learning. Teaching is strongest in Year 6 because

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

the teacher achieves a good balance of approaches to pupils’ learning and sets them continual challenges that they enjoy. This is not always the case in other classes because some of the work is undemanding, especially for the brighter pupils. A strength of much of the teaching is that teachers manage pupils’ behaviour successfully and are good role models themselves. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 9

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. Lesson planning in infant and junior classes has improved and teachers take good account of the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy. The range of extra-curricular activities is good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The individual needs of pupils are identified and sound systems for meeting them are evident in their individual education plans and lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory. Pupils already speak fluent English and there is no evidence that they do any better or any worse than other pupils in their classes. The school does not yet look closely at assessment information, however, to spot any areas of strength or concern.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The programme for personal, social and health education contributes well to pupils’ understanding of the deeper meanings of their lives. The school provides a strong moral framework that encourages pupils to understand the consequences of their own actions upon others.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall. Adults are caring and know pupils very well as individuals. Teachers keep a watchful eye on their progress, particularly in English, mathematics and science. Systems for improving pupils’ behaviour have recently been put into place.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The length of the teaching week for junior pupils is well below the national average, and this makes it difficult for teachers to plan ‘in-depth’ work in subjects such as art, music, geography and history. Time for physical education is limited, especially in the winter months when pupils are unable to run around outdoors. The curriculum for children in the reception class is restricted and does not yet take enough account of the national guidance about what should be included. The assessment information gathered in all classes could be used more systematically to point the way forward with both lesson planning and school development planning. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has achieved a lot in a very short time. She has already pinpointed what the school needs to do to improve and has plans in place to address her concerns. The deputy headteacher works closely with the headteacher and is a good role model for other teachers. Subject managers provide good support with taking the school forward.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Since the last inspection, the work of governors has improved and they now meet almost all of their responsibilities well. They are very supportive and keen for the school and its pupils to do well. They are not afraid to attend to difficult problems if they arise.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Governors and staff have started to look at test and assessment information in order to find out how well the school is doing and where improvements are needed. There are further opportunities that they could take, however, such as finding out why girls are doing so much better than boys in writing tests.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Governors are careful to make sure that spending on things such as equipment and repairs represents best value for money. They do not yet find out whether or not the funds they set aside for staffing are having the desired effects on teaching and standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The new headteacher and deputy headteacher have already set wheels in motion to take action to improve the school. The administration clerk provides a very good level of support to both staff and governors. The caretaker is a valued member of the school team. The school applies the principles of best value soundly.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Children like coming to school and their behaviour is good. • The school is caring and friendly and parents feel comfortable approaching staff with problems. • Teaching is good and children are expected to work hard. • There are good links with the church community. • A significant number of parents would like more information about how well their child is getting on. • Not all parents feel that the school works closely enough with parents. • A few parents would like a more interesting range of activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Several parents spoke individually to inspectors and 19 wrote letters or added extra comments to the questionnaires. Although about half of the comments praised the school, it is clear that not all parents have full confidence in the school at this time. Some anxieties appear to have arisen due to the staffing changes of the past year or so. Inconsistencies Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 11 between classes have arisen, for example in approaches to homework and pupils’ annual reports. Some parents have concerns that they feel have not been resolved to their satisfaction and do not know what to do next. The new headteacher has started to try to ‘nip problems in the bud’ by introducing home and school behaviour books, but these are unlikely to address all parents’ concerns. Teaching and expectations of pupils are not always quite as good as many parents believe. The range of extra-curricular activities is good for a school

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

of this size. The inspection confirms that the school is caring and friendly and that pupils are happy and usually very well behaved. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 12

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils in Year 6 do very well in national tests in English and mathematics.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1 The school has recently received a government recognition for ‘excellence’ due to improvements in national test results. Since 1996, the results of national tests for eleven- year-olds in English and mathematics have risen broadly in line with the national trend, and the improvement in English test results in 2000 was significant. The results of mathematics tests have been consistently well above average since 1998, and in 2000 the results showed that pupils had made very good progress since the age of seven. When comparing pupils’ performance in 2000 with that of pupils in broadly similar schools, results were well above average in English and in the top five percent of the country in mathematics. The proportion of pupils attaining Level 5 (higher than expected for their age) was also well above national average, especially in mathematics. Significantly fewer pupils than nationally failed to reach

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

the expected level for their age. In the three years since 1998, girls have performed particularly well, showing that they are about a year in advance of other pupils nationally. These very good results have been achieved, despite staffing changes and uncertainties, because teachers prepare pupils thoroughly for their tests and make sure that they know what will be expected of them.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 When children start school, their attainment is about average. They make good progress in reading, writing and number work, so that by the time they are seven, national test results are above average overall. This ensures that pupils make a successful start with their basic skills work in junior classes. Pupils’ previous work and lessons seen during the inspection indicate that they continue to make good progress. Progress escalates during Year 6, where lessons give pupils a head start with taking national tests towards the end of the school year. By the age of eleven, most pupils are good listeners and confident, articulate talkers. They have a very good knowledge of the features of books and write thoughtfully in an extensive range of styles. The standard of their spelling, grammar and punctuation is very high, although their handwriting and presentation does not always come up to the same standard. Pupils solve problems involving numbers and mathematical ideas

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

quickly and accurately both in their heads and on paper. They use mathematical terminology correctly when explaining their answers.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

3 Pupils’ success in national tests for eleven-year-olds is largely due to the fact that a significant proportion of the teaching time available is allocated to teaching English and mathematics. Thirty percent of time is allocated to teaching English in all classes, 30 percent to mathematics in infant classes and 25 percent to mathematics in junior classes. Teachers have put the national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy into place positively and successfully, and pupils are beginning to show the benefits. Subject managers for literacy and numeracy work hard to support their colleagues with improving their teaching, and governors take an interest in how well things are going.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

4 Teachers of the younger pupils understand the importance of helping pupils to learn to read and write words by looking closely at the sounds represented by individual letters and groups of letters. This makes pupils confident to tackle new words for themselves when they meet them in their reading books. Teachers emphasise the features of books, such as titles, authors, glossary and index, and as a result, pupils talk about their reading using advanced terms correctly. Pupils who attend the extra-curricular ‘reading gang’ are particularly Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 13 knowledgeable about these matters. The teacher knows how to question pupils in order to encourage them to express their thoughts about books. An example is where she asks, “How does that book compare with other books you have read?”. Such questions make pupils think hard and give them confidence to talk in front of others using the new words they

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

have learned, such as ‘real life situations’, ‘characters’ and ‘first person’.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

5 Teachers use literature well to enthuse pupils and to make them eager to read for themselves. This was seen in a literacy lesson in the reception class when children enjoyed reading a class book about the jungle. Similarly, in a lesson in Year 1, the teacher used challenging text and illustrations to encourage pupils to predict what is going to happen next in the story. Also, in Year 2, the teacher’s careful choice of book to read with the class helped pupils to make meaningful links with their work in geography. A particularly strong feature of the teaching of literacy is found in Year 6, where the teacher sets pupils an extensive range of writing tasks that inspire and challenge them to respond with mature and thoughtful writing. Pupils study and write about a wide range of texts, such as ‘Macbeth’ and ‘The Diary of Samuel Pepys’. They use words for effect and their grammar and punctuation

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

is of a very high standard. Pupils have recently written letters in a ‘persuasive’ style and argued very well for Crabtree Park to remain open.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

6 In numeracy lessons, teachers show that they understand the importance of encouraging pupils to calculate quickly in their heads as well as on paper. They frequently ask pupils to explain how they have arrived at their answers or to explain the patterns they find in numbers. This was seen in a lesson in Year 3 when pupils were learning to subtract 12 from a larger number. Pupils in Year 6 enjoy having to think hard in order to solve the mental problems that their teacher sets. For example, they understand how to calculate the area of irregular shapes and explain their answers using mathematical terms correctly. Their numerical skills extend into working with a wide range of mathematical ideas, such as negative numbers, square numbers and degrees.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

Pupils have positive attitudes to school and their behaviour is usually very good.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

7 All but a small minority of pupils are well settled into school life and routines and take part in work and play with others happily. Their overall level of attendance at school is very good and they quickly get to work at the start of lessons. Most pupils listen very well to their teachers and do as they have been asked without question, often enjoying sharpening their mental agility. They show a keen interest in their work, as seen in a science lesson in Year 4, when pupils were very excited about working with live snails, and were fascinated by them. They behaved very sensibly when observing and measuring them for an experiment, and were careful that the creatures should come to no harm. Similarly, in a geography lesson in Year 5, pupils were very keen to take part in a discussion about the environment and responded very well to their teacher’s carefully phrased questions and well chosen resources. This good teaching has a strong influence on pupils’ willingness to co-operate

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

and their eagerness to be successful at school.

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

8 Pupils enjoy taking responsibilities, such as helping younger children or clearing the dining room after lunch. They are polite and courteous towards adults and each other, and particularly appreciate the friendship and help of the school caretaker. Pupils know the difference between right and wrong, as seen in their personal and social education lessons when they show that they understand the consequences of their own actions upon the feelings of others. The programme for personal, social, and health education, although not yet formalised, makes a very good contribution towards helping pupils to want to work in a happy environment that is free from oppressive behaviour. Teachers grasp opportunities to improve pupils’ behaviour by discussing issues and making it clear what is expected of pupils Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 14 at school. Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour contribute greatly to the very high

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Teachers are mainly successful in teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and

standards in basic skills that they attain by the time they leave the school.

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The new headteacher is quickly getting to grips with what the school needs to do to

9 The headteacher has only been in post fully since January 2001, although she was able to visit the school during the autumn term 2000 and work with the temporary headteacher. Since that time, one of her main tasks has been to appoint a new deputy headteacher and to deal with the other staffing matters that making an internal appointment requires. She has also prepared the school for its inspection, including providing the necessary documentation, at least as carefully and professionally as many more experienced headteachers do.

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The new headteacher is quickly getting to grips with what the school needs to do to

10 There is a lot to find out about any new school, and the headteacher already has a good understanding of where the school is now and what has been achieved in the past. She knows where most of the school’s strengths and areas for development lie, and has given considerable thought to what needs to be done next. An example is that she recognises the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and plans to address these through staff meetings and by agreeing a whole school policy about teaching and learning. In order to begin to tackle parental concerns of various kinds by improving communication, she has recently introduced new home and school behaviour books, and she intends to produce a new school brochure that is more ‘parent-friendly’ and informative. The headteacher has already spotted the differences between the attainment of girls and boys, and plans to look more closely at the school’s practices to try to find out why there are such differences. As a

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The new headteacher is quickly getting to grips with what the school needs to do to

teacher with expertise in teaching younger children, the headteacher knows that more work is needed to bring the curriculum for children in the reception class up to date.

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The new headteacher is quickly getting to grips with what the school needs to do to

11 On a practical level, in a short period of time, the headteacher has carried through improvements to the building, such as creating a new staff room and getting the much- needed air-conditioning into the Year 5 classroom. Plans to use a grant of money to create a new medical room are well in hand. The leadership of the school is in good hands with a headteacher, supported by a capable deputy headteacher, who are both determined to use the inspection positively to help the school to improve.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

12 Overall, the curriculum for reception age children is unsatisfactory due to weaknesses arising from the teacher’s lack of specialist expertise. At the time of the last inspection, the curriculum for children under the age of five did not reflect the nationally recommended guidelines, and there has been little progress since that time. Further national guidance came into force from September 2000; schools are now asked to plan lessons according to what children should be able to do by the end of the reception year. The school has started to consider the new guidance, but there is a long way to go before lessons match the national expectations fully. The teacher has taken part in a training event, but she still aims to find work that fits alongside those aspects of the National Curriculum that previous school planning systems allocated to the reception year. Although this is sometimes suitable, at other times it is not. In science, for example, children are taught more advanced

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

scientific ideas relating to the National Curriculum before they have had opportunities to learn to investigate objects and materials for themselves during planned exploratory play and challenging talk with adults. Also, in lessons allocated for creative work, the emphasis is Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 15 usually upon using equipment and materials to complete set tasks directed by adults, and children have very few opportunities to learn to use all their senses to explore colours, textures and shapes in order to express their own creative ideas. This was a weakness at the time of the last inspection.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

13 The school provides resources and time to enable children to have regular opportunities for play of different kinds, such as the puppet theatre, dressing up, painting and making models. These opportunities, however, are usually times when children are not working with adults on more formal and directed work, and during the inspection, there were hardly any planned and purposeful interventions by adults. On one occasion, the teacher acted as a supervisor of the room and outdoor area and did not engage children in play that challenged their thinking and extended their talking skills. When working outdoors, children played with the equipment, but the teacher did not seize the many opportunities that she had to further their learning in the creative development stated on the lesson plan. In such lessons, there is a great deal of wasted and costly teaching and support assistance time. The weaknesses in curriculum and lesson planning include lack of attention to the detail of

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

what adults are expected to help the children to learn in all their activities.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

14 The curriculum for personal, social and emotional development does not have the priority that it should have. No written planning is undertaken because adults address ‘issues’ as they arise. Whilst this has some advantages, it also gives the wrong signals to children when teaching arises only because children have been naughty or not done what they should have. It is correct that much of personal, social and emotional development should be an integral part of all the work undertaken, but unless it is planned purposefully, vital areas are easily overlooked. Examples are learning to have respect for their own culture, understanding that people have different cultures and beliefs and becoming confident to select and use a wide range of resources independently.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

15 Although baseline assessments indicate that some children make good progress throughout their first year in school, these assessments relate to only part of the expected programme for the reception year. Many children get off to a sound start with learning to read, write and work with numbers, but they could do even better if their learning time was planned more rigorously.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

Teaching is not equally good in all classes and lessons.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

16 At the time of the last inspection, almost one in five lessons were unsatisfactory and teaching in infant classes was better than in junior classes. When taking account of pupils’ previous work as well as the lessons seen, the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is still too variable, with 12 percent of lessons seen being very good, but at the other extreme, 12 percent being unsatisfactory or even poor. Following the last inspection, governors put right the concern relating to teaching, but new concerns have now arisen.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

17 Some good lessons were seen in both infant and junior classes, but in the reception class, teaching was never better than satisfactory because the teacher lacks expertise in teaching the curriculum for children of this age. The very best teaching was in Years 1 and 6 because the teachers had equally high expectations of all the pupils to learn as much as they could in their literacy and numeracy lessons. This was not always the case in other classes, however, and pupils frequently had the same work regardless of their level of attainment. In a science lesson for pupils in Year 4, for example, there is a wide variation in pupils’ assessed levels of attainment, but the teacher expected the same of all pupils in terms of applying scientific skills and learning new ones. Similarly, the brightest children in the reception class spent too much of their numeracy lesson ‘over-learning’ what they can already do. Although

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

the school attempts to cater for the needs of lower attaining and challenging pupils in Year 2 Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 16 by organising for teaching in very small groups, this is not always effective. In a literacy lesson, for example, the teacher has difficulty keeping order. Pupils’ behaviour was unsatisfactory and they did not learn enough.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

18 Previous work for pupils in Year 6 shows that they benefit from a far better balance of approaches to their work than pupils in other classes. Most of their work is meaningful and worthwhile, for example they have many opportunities to write about real situations. In other classes, however, pupils complete many photocopied worksheets that ask little of them in terms of thinking hard and applying a range of skills. Tasks, such as ‘word searches’ and drawing or colouring sheets, are too much in evidence, and work in pupils’ books often relies heavily on formal exercises that not all pupils need to complete.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

19 There is a considerable variation in the quality of marking too. In Year 6, marking is very helpful to pupils because it both praises them and urges them to improve. In other classes, however, teachers sometimes allow pupils to go on making the same mistakes and do not address well enough pupils’ untidy presentation and poor handwriting. This limits pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics. Parents’ concerns about the inconsistent approaches between classes towards writing pupils’ annual reports and towards homework are also justified.

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The curriculum and teaching for reception age children do not always meet all their

20 The new headteacher is well aware of the inconsistencies in teaching and learning and already has plans to address these by working with teachers to produce a whole school teaching and learning policy.

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Pupils in junior classes have too little time for learning and practising the full range

of skills within the subjects of the National Curriculum.

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Pupils in junior classes have too little time for learning and practising the full range

21 Pupils of all ages spend the same amount of time at school and taking part in lessons each week. For pupils aged seven to eleven, however, this is about half an hour every day less than the national recommendation about curriculum time. The school, rightly, gives priority in terms of teaching time allocated to teaching English and mathematics, but this leaves a very small amount of time for teaching other subjects, especially geography, history and music. Some of the concerns about shortage of time for these subjects were expressed at the time of the last inspection, and although the key issue was addressed, some weaknesses remain.

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Pupils in junior classes have too little time for learning and practising the full range

22 The time set aside for teaching music is only two and a half percent of the total curriculum time, and this is the last session on Friday afternoons for most classes; similarly, time for history and geography is less than four percent each subject. Lessons in art, design and technology, geography and history also often take place on Friday afternoons. This is a time when there is already disruption to lessons caused by the withdrawal of pupils for lessons in French and instrumental music. Teachers see no problem with this and think that there is still enough time to cover the National Curriculum fully. They would, however, welcome more than the five percent of time allocated for teaching physical education. The headteacher’s view that it is difficult to plan any work in sufficient depth and to give pupils opportunities to learn and practise skills in a detailed way in some subjects is well justified.

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Pupils in junior classes have too little time for learning and practising the full range

This was a concern also expressed at the time of the last inspection. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23 In order to continue to improve the school, governors, the headteacher and staff now need to:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the curriculum and teaching for children in the reception class by:- • providing further training for the class teacher and support assistants; • making sure that lesson planning matches fully the national guidance about the curriculum for children of this age.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Ensure that teaching and learning are equally good in all classes by:- • putting into place and into practice the planned whole school policies for teaching and learning and for tracking pupils’ progress; • monitoring teaching and learning rigorously to identify areas for improvement; • providing the necessary support for teachers to build on their good points and put right any weaker points; • making sure that lesson planning takes full account of pupils’ prior attainment and gives all pupils the right amount of challenge to help them to improve.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Review the length of the school week for junior pupils in order to ensure that there is enough time to teach the skills of the full National Curriculum in sufficient depth. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) n/a 231

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals n/a 23

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs n/a 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register n/a 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 17 17 34

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 12 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 16 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (94) 82 (94) 91 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 15 16 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 15 17

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 (91) 91 (100) 97 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 17 16 33

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 14 14 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 16 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 88 (71) 91 (94) 100 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 13 12 14 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 16 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 85 (94) 85 (91) 88 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.8 Financial year 1999 –

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 401,760

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1,681

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 157 Balance brought forward from previous year 38,701

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 29,507 Nelson St Paul’s C of E Primary School - 21

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 51 42 5 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 43 51 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 52 10 3 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 36 39 19 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 31 7 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 32 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 34 50 14 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 42 51 2 0 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 47 4 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 46 11 1 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The unusually high number and range of individual concerns expressed after the parents’ meeting and through letters or comments on questionnaire forms suggests that governors and staff have further work to do in developing their partnership with parents.

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