Welshampton CofE Primary School

WELSHAMPTON C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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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WELSHAMPTON C of E 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. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Welshampton Ellesmere Shropshire

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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: Mrs S. Harris

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15.06.98 Welshampton C of E Primary School - 4

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responsibilities

Stuart Dobson 18074 Registered inspector Children under five, Special Educational Needs, Equality of Opportunity, Mathematics, Science, Art and Design, Design and Technology, Physical Education. Context of the school, How well are pupils taught? How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? Denise Shields 31718 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? John Thorp 6327 Team inspector English, Information and Communication Technology, Geography, History, Music, Religious Education. The school’s results and achievements

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Glenside Education

3 Middlefield Close Weaverthorpe Malton YO17 8ES

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Glenside Education

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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Glenside Education

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Glenside Education

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Welshampton 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves the villages of Welshampton, Lyneal and Colemere and it attracts some pupils from the nearby town of Ellesmere. It is a smaller than average sized school with 53 pupils on roll aged 4-11. They are organised into three classes. There are no pupils with English as an additional language and no pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is low. The percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need is higher than the national average whilst the percentage of pupils on the register of special educational needs is similar to the national average. Most of the pupils on the register have general learning difficulties. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is similar to the county average. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher, one of the class teachers and the part-time teacher had been in post for about seven weeks and the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

other teacher had been in school for less than two terms.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The inspection of this school included a detailed inspection of its provision for pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very rapidly improving school and it is judged to be effective because pupils are making very rapid progress in overcoming the identified shortcomings in their learning. The leadership and management of the new headteacher are very good; she has quickly identified priorities for development and is acting on them. Despite being temporary, the current staff show a high level of commitment to the children and the school. The quality of their teaching is high, and this is contributing to good progress that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are making. The school is well placed to continue to improve. The current high quality of the teaching and the emphasis placed on including every pupil in the all aspects of school life, helps ensure that all pupils make good progress. The school gives satisfactory value for money .

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. • The new headteacher’s leadership of the school is very effective; she provides clear direction and purpose which is promoting rapid school improvement. • The pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and these contribute to the rapid progress they are now making. • Children under five make a good start to their education. • There is strong and effective teamwork amongst all the staff. • The provision to extend the pupils’ skills in information and communication technology is a strength of the school.

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What could be improved

• Standards in mathematics in both key stages because they are not high enough and do not reflect the pupils’ capabilities. • The implementation of curriculum plans to ensure that all pupils experience a broad and balanced curriculum. • The opportunities to extend the learning of children under five through outdoor activity. • Equality of access to the full curriculum for pupils with special educational needs. • The contribution of the governors to the effective management of the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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What could be improved

The governors may also wish to consider the effectiveness of the school’s links with parents and the way in which the school gives opportunities for pupils to take appropriate responsibility for their own learning as lesser but nevertheless important issues. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

When the school was last inspected in 1999 it was judged as no longer requiring special measures, as the quality of education was satisfactory. That report does not give the amount of detail of a full inspection report and therefore it is impossible to comment on improvement in all aspects of school provision. Progress has been satisfactory overall but there is a need for further improvement in some areas. The progress made by 1999 in English and science has been maintained. There has been insufficient improvement in mathematics. The planned curriculum has not been fully implemented until recently due in part to staffing issues. As a result, some of the gaps in pupils’ knowledge, identified in the last report, still exist.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

On the evidence available during this inspection, standards of attainment are improving rapidly in most subjects. There is good monitoring of teaching and learning. Whilst the schemes of work are complete, there is some need of modification to meet the needs of all the pupils. There has recently been significant improvement in the use made of assessment information. There has been insufficient progress in formulating a long-term development plan, though preparation for this is now in hand.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

English A A A B well above average above average A B mathematics C E D E average below average C D science C B A B well below average E

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Key

This table shows that whilst standards of attainment in English have been consistently above average when compared with all schools nationally, standards in mathematics have frequently been below or well below average. Even though some variation is inevitable with such small numbers of pupils in each year group, this shows a consistent pattern of underachievement in mathematics. The same trend is evident at Key Stage 1.

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Key

In comparison with pupils in similar schools, standards are above average in English and science but are well below average level in mathematics. The school’s targets are appropriately challenging for the current Year 6 group and they are likely to be met. The standards achieved at the end of the reception year have been insufficiently high but this year pupils are likely to reach the early learning goals in all six areas of learning.

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Key

The pupils’ current work shows good progress in most subjects, not just in English, mathematics and science. Based on the limited evidence available, and mostly on this term’s work, seven year old pupils are achieving standards in English, information and communication technology, art, history and music that are in line with those expected for their age. In science their knowledge is satisfactory but their investigative skills are underdeveloped. There was insufficient evidence to judge standards in the other subjects at this key stage. By the age of eleven, standards are as expected for their age in English, information and communication technology, art, geography, history and music. Standards are unsatisfactory in mathematics. Standards are likely to be appropriate for 11 year olds in science but there was insufficient evidence to confirm this. There was insufficient evidence to judge standards in

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Key

Welshampton C of E Primary School - 8 other subjects.

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Key

Standards in literacy are satisfactory but standards of numeracy are unsatisfactory, though there is evidence of recent and rapid improvement.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to their learning. They consider themselves to be making good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour is very good overall both in the classrooms and in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are good. Some of the pupils take responsibilities and very occasionally show initiative. Pupils’ sense of responsibility for their own learning could be better.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory being similar to the national average, although indications are that levels of attendance are improving.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning and their good behaviour contribute significantly to their current good progress.

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

Lessons seen overall Very good Very 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: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Teaching is of a consistently high standard throughout the school. During the inspection, four percent of the teaching seen was excellent, 36 percent was very good, 56 percent was good and the remaining four percent was satisfactory. Consequently, teaching is a major strength of the school and contributes significantly to the good progress that the pupils are making. The quality of learning reflects the teaching and is at least good and often very good throughout the school.

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

The teachers have high expectations of their pupils. Their teaching of the basic skills of English and very recently, mathematics is consistently good. The teachers are all new to the school but are co-operating well, for example leading on the teaching of subjects where they have particular strengths. The teachers have very rapidly adapted the school’s curriculum planning so that the pupils are not only learning material appropriate to their age, but are also catching up in those subjects where their prior learning had been unsatisfactory. The pace of teaching and learning is very brisk. The good preparation for teaching includes the provision for pupils with learning difficulties as well as the most able. There are no significant weaknesses in teaching. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is appropriately planned and the pupils are given a broad and well-balanced curriculum to extend their learning and fill the gaps in their previous knowledge and skills.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for these pupils is good. They are supported well in class and by their support assistants. However, the practice of withdrawing pupils for additional work is unnecessary. It does not benefit their overall progress and limits their opportunities in some subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision is satisfactory overall. The provision for pupils’ cultural education is unsatisfactory due to the lack of full implementation of the curriculum as planned. The provision for social and moral development is good. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The overall level of day to day care is high, but some identified weaknesses in procedures, make provision overall unsatisfactory. There is no indication that the lack of formalised procedures currently poses a significant risk to pupils’ well being. Almost all parents express positive views of the school and are pleased with the recent changes but their involvement in the life of the school is limited. The curriculum for all subjects is planned satisfactorily but only recently is there clear evidence that all aspects are being taught fully. The curriculum as planned meets statutory requirements. Steps have been taken to ensure that the physical education curriculum can now be delivered fully.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership. She has developed a very effective staff team very rapidly. Other staff are offering good leadership and support.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very keen to see continued improvement in the school and are very supportive. They are well organised and generally efficient. However, some issues in the past three years have only been tackled superficially and they have not sufficiently challenged lack of progress. This is an area for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The new headteacher has effectively audited the strengths and weaknesses of the school and has begun to address many of them in a very short time. The current school development plan has appropriate targets. However, it does not look forward sufficiently to support continued improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The use of resources is good and there is a history of prudent financial management. There is good use of specific grant funding to develop teachers’ skills in important areas.

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Aspect Comment

The level of staffing is good, and the quality of learning resources is satisfactory for most subjects and areas of the curriculum. The accommodation requires some improvement and this is planned. There is a Welshampton C of E Primary School - 10 need for systematic refurnishing of two of the three classrooms. The headteacher understands and applies the principles of best value effectively.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The children are happy at school and their attitude to school has improved • The standard of behaviour is high • The quality of teaching is good • The school is well led and managed • The range of activities outside lessons

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection endorses the parents’ positive views of the school. The school offers a range of activities outside lessons which is similar to that offered in many larger school and therefore the inspectors cannot agree that this is an area of weakness. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The results of statutory assessment at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000 indicate that standards of attainment were well above the national average in English and science, but below average in mathematics. In comparison with pupils in similar schools, attainment was above average in English and science but well below average in mathematics.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Over the five years 1996 to 2000 standards have fluctuated from year to year, although they have been consistently above the national average in English and science since 1998. Over the last four years, standards in mathematics have been below average. Great care must be taken in interpreting these statistics, however, because with such small numbers of pupils in each cohort, differences between year groups can be amplified and wide fluctuations can appear, distorting the pattern of results over time.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The results of statutory assessment at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2000 indicate that the standard of pupils' reading was in line with the national average and their writing was above average. The standard of pupils' mathematics, however, was well below average. When compared to results achieved by pupils in similar schools, standards in reading and mathematics were well below average, and in writing they were below average. Again great care needs to be taken in interpreting these statistics, since the proportion of pupils with special educational needs in each of these small cohorts varied and this has a disproportionate effect on the overall pattern of attainment.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Over the five years 1996 to 2000 standards of attainment have varied considerably at the end of Key Stage 1. However, over the past three years standards in reading and writing have been consistently above average, standards in mathematics fell from above average in 1998 to below average in the following two years.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The standards of attainment on entry to the school vary but are broadly similar to the county average as indicated in the baseline assessment. The attainment of children currently under five (3 children) is overall in line with that expected of children for their age in each of the nationally identified areas of learning. By the time they complete the Foundation Stage, they are likely to have reached the early learning goals and may have surpassed them in language.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of attainment in English of pupils in Key Stage 1 are in line with those expected of pupils at this age; pupils are making satisfactory progress in reading, writing and speaking and listening and the standard of their attainment in each of these is average. Standards of literacy are satisfactory. Standards in mathematics and science in this key stage are below average however; in science this is principally due to pupils having poorly developed skills in experimental and investigative science. Standards of numeracy are unsatisfactory.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall through Key Stage 1 in developing their skills in most aspects of information and communication technology. Learning in this subject has recently improved dramatically and by the time they are seven years old, their attainment is broadly in line with the standard expected of pupils at this age. In religious education there was insufficient evidence of work in pupils' folders to support a judgement about their learning and the standards of their attainment.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils make satisfactory progress through Key Stage 1 in art and design, history and music and standards are in line with those expected. In design and technology, geography and physical education there was insufficient evidence available to support a judgement about pupils' learning and the standards of their attainment. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 12 9. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of attainment are line with those expected in English, but below average in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2. Standards of literacy are satisfactory, but of numeracy they are unsatisfactory. The limited evidence in their written work of the very small cohort of pupils currently in Year 6 does not support a judgement about the standards of their attainment in science.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Pupils make satisfactory progress in developing their skills in information and communication technology through Key Stage 2. Overall their learning is good and their overall standard of their attainment is in line with that expected of pupils at this age. Again there was insufficient work in pupils' folders to indicate how well pupils are learning in religious education or the standards of their attainment in relation to the locally Agreed Syllabus.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Pupils' learning in art and design, geography, history and music is appropriate for their age; they are making satisfactory progress in these subjects and their attainment is in line with that expected of pupils of this age. There were no opportunities to observe lessons and insufficient other evidence of completed work to support a judgement about the quality of their learning and the progress they are making in design and technology and physical education. The main weakness in pupils’ attainment is their lack of knowledge of some aspects of some subjects such as art and design, design and technology and physical education because the pupils have not covered some aspects of the National Curriculum in these subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Pupils’ attainment was in line with that expected in almost every lesson observed across the school as a whole, as a result of the high quality of teaching currently to be found in the school. This is already having a significant impact on standards achieved by pupils. In all lessons seen except one, the work was matched very well to pupils’ needs so that more able pupils were sufficiently challenged and those with special educational needs are both challenged and supported. This is very clear in English and mathematics where, at the present time, all pupils are making good progress.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. School targets for improvement have been set and these are appropriately challenging, though less so in mathematics than in English. With the current rate of progress, the school is likely to meet its targets for 2002 in English and exceed them in mathematics.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. Those pupils with identified special educational needs make good progress towards the targets identified on their individual education plans.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. There has recently been some improvement in almost all subjects but the changes brought about by both these teachers and those previously in post, not been in place for sufficient time to raise standards overall.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils’ attitudes to their work and their behaviour are very good. Relationships throughout the school are good. These strengths make a significant contribution to pupils' rates of progress and help to create an atmosphere where pupils enjoy learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils are enthusiastic learners and usually keen to participate in all the activities offered. In the main they listen to their teachers well and because of this are clear about the tasks and activities they are to do next. They persevere when activities are difficult. For example, during a handwriting lesson pupils concentrated for a long period, carefully joining the letters correctly to ensure the presentation was correct. Pupils try hard with their work and are eager to please their teachers. They sometimes have self doubt about their ability to succeed. During mental mathematics sessions, pupils were convinced their answers were incorrect when in fact most got the answers right. Throughout the school pupils are keen to contribute to lessons. They offer suggestions and are not afraid to ask for help if they do not understand. This is as a consequence of the good relationships that exist between teachers and pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Welshampton C of E Primary School - 13 18. In classrooms, and when moving around the school building, pupils behaviour is very good. Pupils are polite and friendly and take a keen interest in talking to visitors. In other areas of the school, for example queuing in the hall at lunchtime or outside in the playground, behaviour is good. Here, very occasionally pupils show a lack of respect for others; this is usually quickly dealt with by teachers. Pupils understand the need for school rules and appreciate the certificates and merits awarded for good behaviour and work. Because pupils have very good behaviour and attitudes this makes a positive contribution to the standards they achieve.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Relationships between teachers and pupils and among pupils themselves are good. They often help each other by offering advice. For example, during an art lesson, suggestions were offered about the colour to be used to improve the piece of work. Because of the opportunities offered by teachers, pupils are starting to celebrate and show appreciation of the work achieved by others in their class. There are instances where pupils work well together in small groups and pairs, such as during an information and communication technology lesson using the ROAMER. They took turns and made collective decisions about the next move to be made.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. When given the opportunity, pupils carry out responsibilities sensibly and maturely, such as setting out the hall before assembly and deciding which piece of music is to be played. However, most responsibilities lie with the oldest pupils. The school is aware of the need to ensure that all pupils have an opportunity to take on responsibility. In lessons, pupils rarely show initiative. This is because there are too few opportunities offered where pupils can take responsibility for their own learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils say they enjoy attending school. During the last reporting year, attendance was broadly in line with the national average. However, current registers indicate that to date attendance is likely to be higher. The vast majority of absence is due to illness and families who take holidays during term time. Pupils are punctual at the start of the school day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The quality of teaching is very good overall because it is consistently good or very good in almost all of the lessons seen and it is never unsatisfactory. Only one lesson of the 28 seen was satisfactory and one lesson was excellent. The consistency of the teaching is the major factor which is contributing to the very rapid improvement in standards across the whole school and across the whole curriculum. It is clear from watching the pupils that they are getting used to new teaching methods and are rapidly rising to the challenges that are being set. All of the pupils interviewed indicated that they consider themselves to be learning very quickly, but all commented, ‘ it is very hard’. The quality of learning is good and often very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. All teachers, both full and part time, have made a good assessment of the pupils in their classes, have a clear understanding of the pupils’ strengths and shortcomings and have planned a curriculum which is best meeting their needs. The teachers know that there has been significant underachievement in all classes, especially in Key Stage 1. In planning new lessons appropriate for the pupils’ ages, they also are planning to revise previous work on previous work. For example in science, the teacher in upper Key Stage 2 has planned a great deal of experimental and investigative science but started the programme with a thorough review of investigation and testing. This has added significantly to pupils’ level of competence in the subject as a whole. It is clear from the response of the pupils and the standards of work which they are now producing that they are far more capable than they had believed. All of the school’s teachers have very high

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

expectations of pupils' efforts and behaviour.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The teaching of the Foundation Stage children is very good. The children receive a short input from the teacher at the start of the lessons and then they are either supported by the classroom assistant or the teacher herself. They are therefore involved at least four times a day with very high quality input from an adult and they have very good access to on-going support. They experience a full range of learning opportunities to support the six areas of learning and the teachers plan many interesting practical activities for them. They also have open access to a number of other meaningful and interesting activities in the classroom. On one day a week the part-time teacher Welshampton C of E Primary School - 14 works with this class and provides a different but nevertheless high quality learning regime for the children. On these days the children plan their own sequence of work from a selection of tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

The children have already learned that they are expected to account for the work that they have been doing and in this way these pupils are learning to be independent and self-directing. The teacher’s planning for the Foundation Stage is very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Very good planning is also a feature of teaching in the rest of the school. Weekly plans for learning clearly indicate the learning targets for the subjects and these are matched well to the pupils and groups in each class. Support for pupils with special educational needs is very well planned in lessons and the pupils are included as fully as possible in most class lessons. Very creative use of grouping in classes allows all children to experience a mixture of support and leadership.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is mostly very good and the remainder is good. The teachers have a very good understanding of the Key Stage 1 curriculum and teach using new and stimulating material whilst rapidly raising standards in reading, writing and numeracy. There is a remarkable improvement in the written work of some of the Year 2 pupils in recent weeks. The pupils are learning well because the work is challenging. It motivates them because it is achievable. They consider themselves to be successful. This is seen in a language/design technology lesson where pupils were set challenges of crossing a river but were allowed to set their own success criteria; did the passenger have to be simply safe or safe and dry? Teachers’ good questioning, is based on thorough knowledge of the pupils. In a mathematics lesson, the teacher’s targets of identifying odd and even numbers, by varying the amount of digits in the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

number, challenged all pupils. As a result of the teaching, the pupils are making very good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Throughout Key Stage 2 the quality of teaching is good and often there are very good lessons. One of the teachers has significant expertise in information and communication technology whilst the other has significant expertise in history and geography. The teachers simply swap, or occasionally combine the classes to make the most of their expertise. Although both teachers are currently temporary appointments they are working extremely hard to plan an appropriate curriculum for these pupils and they are very successful. Their planning is appropriately detailed. They have very high but not unrealistic expectations of their pupils and they have established very positive relationships with the pupils. None of the teachers in the school experience any difficulty in managing the pupils. Most of the time the pupils are very well engaged in the lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. The teachers are relaxed and a good sense of humour pervades most lessons. In a very good art and design lesson with Years 5 and 6, pupils listened to music as they worked and discussed their work and the music with the teacher. They learn well in this relaxed but purposeful atmosphere, which contrasts well with the very high-energy work seen in most mathematics, science and English lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. The teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is very good at Key Stage 1 and consistently good at Key Stage 2. The teachers have good expertise with the literacy and numeracy strategies and, where they feel their experience to be lacking, they seek advice. They teach well because they plan to meet the needs of the pupils and, for many, this involves reinforcing some of the skills that they have only partially acquired. One such feature is the presentation of both numeracy and literacy work. This was a development plan item for the school for this year. On the occasion when teaching was satisfactory, the teacher had not matched the lesson well to the needs of the pupils. Whilst some dealt with the common task at a very superficial level, simply counting whole squares to measure area, others were fully aware of the shortcomings of the method selected but did not have the opportunity to try out more than one way to check for variations in results. On this

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

occasion, the pupils nevertheless made satisfactory progress because in the individual support offered the teacher did manage to establish a clear definition of area with the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. In the lessons seen during the inspection, the quality of teaching was consistently good or very good. There appears to be little if any variation between the teaching of the different subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. The teachers deal with the needs of pupils of all abilities very well. They support pupils with special Welshampton C of E Primary School - 15 educational needs very well in their lessons. Part of the provision for some of these pupils is additional support. Whilst the quality of support is good, the withdrawal of pupils from lessons is unnecessary and some of the older pupils are unhappy about appearing to be different.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. The headteacher has monitored the quality of teaching and learning in the first half term since her appointment and is appropriately pleased with what she has encountered. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection, especially in the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1.

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PUPILS?

33. At the time of the last inspection in 1999, the school was asked to complete the schemes of work for all subjects of the National Curriculum. This has been done; the school has adopted literacy and numeracy strategies and has also adopted national guidance on the other subjects. A long- term plan has been devised into which all of these units of work fit. Although progress on these issues was noted in the 1999 report, it was stated that the documents for English and mathematics were not yet complete. Records of governors meetings indicate that the numeracy policy and plans were not completed and passed for governor approval until November 2000. This may well be a contributory factor as to why standards in mathematics have failed to rise and are still a significant issue in this school.

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PUPILS?

34. Scrutiny of the relatively limited amount of pupils’ work which was available and discussion with the pupils indicates that although a long term plan and schemes of work were in place, they have not been fully delivered or they have not been delivered in such a way as to enhance pupils’ knowledge appropriately. Discussion with the older pupils indicates that there are, for example, significant gaps in pupils’ knowledge of art and artists, music and musicians, and contrasting settlements in geography. They have too little experience of techniques and materials in design and technology. These very significant gaps in pupils learning have mostly been identified by the current staff and they are working hard to fill the gaps in pupils’ knowledge whilst continuing to extend their learning. This is evident in the very good teaching of information and communication technology where the teacher has planned to reinforce and extend very basic skills. For example,

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PUPILS?

data base programs are used so that pupils can work at an appropriate level to support their recording in science.

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PUPILS?

35. The curriculum has been thoroughly reviewed this term and the headteacher has already taken steps to lengthen the school day for pupils in Key Stage 2 to bring it into line with nationally recommended hours. The schemes drawn up by the previous staff are now well-balanced. The school now provides its pupils with a good range of learning opportunities, covering all the subjects of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage, the National Curriculum and religious education. Statutory requirements are fully met. Since the last inspection and particularly recently, the school has:

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PUPILS?

• improved the provision for pupils under five; the curriculum is based on the early learning goals and all areas of learning are covered, • established schemes of work for all subjects • introduced the literacy and numeracy strategies successfully, • established a good balance between subjects and planned for better balance in the aspects of each subject and • has established a good range of after school clubs and activities.

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PUPILS?

36. All subjects now have comprehensive schemes of work. The school has an effective system of using these for planning for pupils’ learning in mixed year groups. In weekly and daily planning, the needs of pupils of different ages and abilities are catered for. The two and four year cycles help ensure that planning focuses on what each year group should cover and will ensure that all pupils receive a balanced learning programme that builds effectively upon what has gone before. Repetition of content is avoided. Lessons are planned with a range of activities to suit all levels of Welshampton C of E Primary School - 16 ability.

p.15

PUPILS?

37. Pupils with special educational needs and gifted and talented pupils are identified early in their school life so that their individual needs are met. All statutory requirements of the curriculum are met for these pupils. They are well supported to access the National Curriculum and religious education, though the unnecessary withdrawal of some pupils with special educational needs for additional help, excludes them from major parts of some subjects. This does not help them to prepare for the next stage of their education.

p.16

PUPILS?

38. Individual education plans are available for all pupils with special educational needs and these clearly indicate their learning targets and the support the pupils need. The tasks set in class are usually well matched to pupils’ ability. Where the pupils have additional support in class this has a very positive impact upon their learning. Social inclusion for all pupils is very much a part of what the school is striving for. All staff make strenuous efforts to include pupils of all abilities and backgrounds into every activity.

p.16

PUPILS?

39. The teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy features strongly in the learning provided by the school. The introduction of literacy and numeracy strategies has clearly focused work on these areas and pupils are rapidly developing the skills they need for reading and number work.

p.16

PUPILS?

40. Personal, social and health education is currently being introduced and sex and drugs awareness education is covered in line with the governors’ policies on these issues.

p.16

PUPILS?

41. The school provides a good range of after-school clubs and activities including sporting and computer clubs. These are well supported and provide worthwhile learning experiences for the pupils who attend them. They have a positive impact on standards.

p.16

PUPILS?

42. The new headteacher has encouraged the development of a small schools cluster group and it is hoped that the links forged will help to improve the curriculum for pupils and the reserve of expertise on which the teachers can rely. The school already has strong links with the local churches and takes part in some countywide events such as cross-country running.

p.16

PUPILS?

43. Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory overall. However, provision for cultural development is a weakness and is unsatisfactory. This is not as good as was reported at the time of the last inspection though no details were given and therefore direct comparison is not possible.

p.16

PUPILS?

44. The school provides some opportunities for quiet reflection in lessons and in acts of collective worship but this is not a prominent feature of learning. The staff have realised this and have built group discussion (circle time) into the curriculum so that pupils will have more opportunities to reflect and consider. This is a new initiative which has not yet had time to take effect. The assemblies are focused on social and moral issues rather than spiritual ones. Of note is the pupils’ reaction to their own poetry writing. They not only showed pleasure in the outcomes but were genuinely amazed at the quality of what they were able to produce. They are similarly impressed by the quality and outcomes of their landscape paintings.

p.16

PUPILS?

45. Provision for moral development is good. Pupils come to school with a good understanding of right and wrong and the school builds effectively upon this. The teachers reinforce positive behaviour in the classrooms and make clear what is acceptable. In the classroom pupils are encouraged to behave with consideration towards others and in most cases they do this. However, this is something that the school has to work upon as some disagreements lead to unsuitable behaviour in the playground and occasionally in the classroom.

p.16

PUPILS?

46. Provision for social development is good. Teachers give pupils opportunities to work independently, in small groups as well as in whole classes. The pupils are beginning to understand that they have to take some responsibility for their own learning. The area of independent learning has not yet featured as a target for development because the teachers are concentrating very hard on getting the pupils to work hard at all times and make up some of the Welshampton C of E Primary School - 17 ground they have missed. The staff are aware of the potential to reorganise the building to create a major area for independent and individual study which would benefit all. The reception children are expected to play together sensibly and they have mastered this well. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 have not benefited until recently from this consistent approach and are only now learning to co-operate fully. Some of the pupils find this very difficult. Key Stage 2 pupils have only experienced visits

p.16

PUPILS?

this term, for example to a steam museum and into Shrewsbury to see the Tudor buildings. It is reported that their behaviour was very good but that this was very much a new social experience for them. Some of the older pupils take responsibility for small tasks around the school such as switching the assembly music on and off at the right times.

p.17

PUPILS?

47. Provision for cultural development is unsatisfactory. Only recently have pupils been given the chance to study the work of famous artists but their knowledge of artists is very limited. The same applies to music and the work of composers. They are introduced to good literature and poetry through their English lessons and but their study of other countries and cultures in geography is limited. They have limited knowledge of religions other than Christianity and have little knowledge of the lives of people from other faith backgrounds. The teachers are aware of the shortcomings in this area and are taking steps to improve the provision.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. There are some good features of this aspect of the school's provision but overall it is unsatisfactory because some of the requirements are not met. There is a well - organised induction programme for pupils entering the reception class and this ensures they settle quickly into the routine of new school life. Good liaison with secondary schools ensures the smooth transition of pupils to their next stage of education. An appropriate number of staff have received emergency first aid training and there are good arrangements to inform parents about illness or accidents at school. The medical needs of pupils are well catered for. Supervision arrangements at lunchtimes are adequate but the mid-day supervisors have not received training for their role. Because of this they are not fully aware of the school’s expectations regarding the behaviour of pupils or the strategies available to deal with any inappropriate behaviour. The arrangements for child protection are

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

unsatisfactory. Teachers have discussed the County’s guidance, but there is no formal child protection policy, approved by the governing body, and teachers have not received formal child protection training. The school is aware of the need to address this concern. Fire drills are regularly carried out. Although the school has carried out a very detailed health and safety audit there is no health and safety policy, approved by the governing body. Teachers have not received health and safety training. During the inspection week, a number of health and safety concerns were brought to the attention of the headteacher. The school is aware of the need to address these concerns.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Overall, attendance is promoted and monitored well. The school secretary carries out a daily check to find out which children are absent and contact is immediately made with parents if no reason for their children’s absence has been received. The school is aware of those pupils whose attendance is not regular and involves the Education Welfare Officer in these cases. Opportunities are taken to remind parents of the need for their children to attend school regularly and on time.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. Although there are no written policies that cover the behaviour of pupils, since the appointment of the new headteacher a number of successful strategies have been introduced to promote good behaviour throughout the school. Pupils have drawn up their own classroom rules or classroom charter. A merit system, certificates and a good work assembly each Friday have been introduced; pupils appreciate these rewards. Punishments are thought by pupils to be firm but fair. The headteacher and staff monitor the behaviour of pupils effectively. There is no formal written anti-bullying policy approved by the governing body. Procedures to eliminate bullying and harassment, however, are satisfactory. Pupils’ awareness of these issues is raised and discussed during assemblies and the recently introduced circle time. Pupils and parents express confidence that any incidents brought to the school’s attention are dealt with promptly.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The support and guidance provided for pupils makes a good contribution to their academic Welshampton C of E Primary School - 18 achievement. Teachers involve pupils in class and school life; support and encourage them in their learning and recognise and reward pupils’ efforts and achievements. They are starting to ensure pupils are given responsibilities, but at present these are only for the oldest pupils. Because of the good support and guidance, pupils want to do well in their learning and are keen to take on the responsibilities offered. The monitoring and promotion of pupils’ personal development is in the very early stages of development. It is too early to assess the impact of the strategies and procedures that have recently been introduced.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. The teachers are monitoring pupils’ academic performance well and this has shown immediately in changes to the special educational needs register, some pupils being added and others removed. The staff have a new system for tracking pupil achievement which promises to be helpful in setting clear targets for them but this system is only just beginning. Pupils’ annual reports are an accurate representation of their achievements.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Parents express positive views about the school, At the pre-inspection meeting they were keen to stress how much many elements within the school had improved since the appointment of the new headteacher. Despite this, currently the schools links with parents are not fully effective.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. The school has recognised the need to encourage parents to become involved in the school and consequently with their children’s education. The teachers actively promote an “open door” policy. The headteacher plays a significant part in communicating with parents by ensuring she is available, at the end of the school day, to talk to parents either to celebrate their children’s achievements or to talk through any concerns they may have. Currently only one parent helps in the classroom and the school values this contribution. This additional support has a positive impact on pupils’ standards of achievement. Where their children are directly involved, for example in concerts or the harvest service, parents give good support. Fund raising events organised by the small, but active, parent and teacher association (PTA) receives good support from parents. Money raised is used well, for example to purchase a new design and technology trolley for the

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

school. When homework is set, and where parents are able, they support this activity. The home- school agreement does not reflect the church status of the school. Signed returns of the agreement have not been monitored and because of this the school is not aware how successful any consultation with parents has been. Presently parents have little involvement with the school and their impact on their children’s learning is limited.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

55. There is a good amount of written information about the day to day life of the school, including information about the curriculum and an outline of homework expectations. Regular newsletters give good information and also celebrate the school’s and pupils’ achievements. Two parents’ evenings are held each year, which are reported to receive good attendance. The school plans to hold an open day later in the year, so parents can see their children at work. Annual reports to parents about their children’s progress are very good. They provide parents with a clear view about what their children know and can do; this is despite the length of comments being restricted by the small amount of space that is available. The school brochure is very well presented and gives prospective parents a good overview of the school. The governors’ annual report to parents has a number of important omissions and statutory requirements are not met. Overall the information

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

provided for parents is good and they appreciate this.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. At the time of this inspection, the headteacher had been in post for just over half a term and all other teaching staff were on temporary contracts. At this point the commitment and dedication of all the staff cannot be faulted and the pace of change in the school, as it affects the pupils, is staggering but highly beneficial. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 19 57. The quality of leadership and management has improved since the last inspection. Very good leadership and management by the headteacher is one of the main reasons why the school is improving very rapidly. The headteacher leads the staff and the school very well. She already has a clear vision for the development of the school. It is clear that standards are being raised across the curriculum including in mathematics where there has been an identified need for improvement for some years. The headteacher, as a class teacher and manager leads by example. Since taking

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

up the post and with the co-operation and dedication of the other teachers, the learning environment has been vastly improved, for example in the furnishing and organisation of the Reception and Key Stage 1 classroom and in the presentation of all three classrooms. A programme of renewal and improvement of the learning environment has begun and is already having an impact; pupils taking increased pride in their school, their work and their achievements.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The headteacher has made a very good analysis of trends in performance as indicated by test and other assessment results. This analysis has revealed both strengths and weaknesses and has already resulted in action such as further training and support for the teaching staff, programmed use of additional support and the bringing in of ‘expert teachers’ to support and advise. These strategies are already making a difference because of the additional focus given to the weaker areas of pupil performance. The head has led the staff in auditing the pupils’ experience and knowledge in other subjects and staff are developing ways to fill the gaps. In addition to these immediate actions to support the raising of standards, the head is also beginning to outline long term improvement strategies.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. One major focus of the management of provision is the promotion of inclusion of all pupils in everything that the school offers. For example, monitoring of planning helps to ensure that lessons meet the needs of pupils of all abilities. Also, the provision of additional support for pupils is being addressed so that all pupils have the best possible opportunities.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The useful monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning, praised in the last inspection report, has been maintained. This is primarily focused on literacy and numeracy, but in the light of the positive outcomes of monitoring by the headteacher and through this inspection, the monitoring can now progress to other areas.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. At the present time the school targets were not set by the current staff. However, the teachers are already setting individual pupil targets and the head, in agreement with the teachers, has devised a good pupil tracking system which will support the staff in monitoring the progress of each pupil as they progress through the school. There is no evidence that any system already exists for these pupils. The recording of pupils’ achievements is now efficient.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The Governing Body fulfils its statutory responsibilities in almost every respect. The only noted omission is in the content of the Governors’ Annual Report which is lacking in some features. It is undoubtedly the case that the governors are very supportive of the school and they are to be praised for the quality of their recent appointments. However, it is clear that as a body they have only partial knowledge of some major facets of the school. The most obvious example of this is that whilst they knew about the weakness in mathematics, they did not challenge the amount of time taken to begin to address the issue. The overall result is that standards have not improved and are still lower than those in science and English. Minutes of the governors meetings reveal that they accepted only superficial explanations for weaknesses. The role of the governors now needs to be improved.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Some of the governors are able to come into the school on a regular basis and gather their own information about teaching, learning and the quality of provision and the headteacher plans to encourage these closer links.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. Financial planning is good and there is a history of prudent management of finances. Finances are used well. Specific grants are used appropriately, for example to improve teachers’ skills in the teaching of reading and writing. Major spending is linked to the development targets which are recorded in the school improvement plan. The management of finance appears to be relatively efficient though there is no evidence that the recommendations of the last auditors report (1996) Welshampton C of E Primary School - 20 have been fully implemented. The headteacher understands and seeks best value for money and this is a particularly well focused issue due to the proposed changes to the school building.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The accommodation is clean and tidy and is increasingly becoming a very good learning environment. At the moment, the spaces available to house three classes are not being used most efficiently, as the small hall, which is not a suitable space for physical education, stands empty for most of the day. Since January, some new furnishing has been provided and changes to the building to provide an office are imminent. Some of the many out of date and redundant materials stored in the school have already been removed and there is considerable scope to continue this process when the staff have time.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. There is a suitable space for outdoor provision for the under-fives and there are plans to use this when the office is moved and the space is made secure. This will significantly enhance the quality of learning for these children. There are good playing fields adjacent to the school. Resources for teaching and learning are mostly satisfactory and these include resources for information and communication technology. The head and the teacher who specialises in information and communication technology have significantly improved the provision for this subject by organising the timetable very well for all classes and by getting a large number of lap-top computers into school on one day a week. This means that pupils can be taught intensively and the standards of achievement are rising rapidly.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The induction of new teachers into the school is very successful despite all staff being a part of that group. The new staff have very quickly become full members of a team. There is on-going training for all staff.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

68. In order to continue the programme of school improvement begun in 1998, the headteacher, governors and staff should now:-

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in all aspects of mathematics throughout the school. They should ensure that: all pupils are appropriately challenged and supported in all lessons by having work that is matched to their needs and which helps them to fill the gaps in their prior learning; all pupils are helped to gain good mental arithmetic skills. (2) Give pupils experience and knowledge of all aspects of a broad and balanced curriculum. They should ensure that: all aspects of all subjects are taught fully; there is appropriate provision out of doors for children in the foundation stage. (3) Give pupils with special educational needs access to the full curriculum. They should ensure that additional support to which the pupils are entitled helps them to access as full a range of learning opportunities as possible. (4) Involve governors in actively seeking evidence of school improvement and thereby sharing the responsibilities of management.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

69. In addition to the above issues the school might also consider: Seeking greater involvement of the parents in the life of the school Providing better opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for their own learning. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.21

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.

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 53

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 2

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 11

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 7

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.21

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 22

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

There are less than 10 pupils in this cohort and therefore attainment is not reported.

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

There are less than 10 boys in the group and therefore girls and boys’ attainment is not recorded separately. Year Boys Girls Total

p.22

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 3 10 13

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 12 9 12

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 92(100) 69(43) 92(86) at NC level 4 or above National 84(82) 88(86) 88(86)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Total 9 9 10

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 75 (71) 69(57) 77(86) at NC level 4 or above National 70(68) 72(69) 80(75)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 23

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.2 Financial year 1999-2000

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR-Y6 Total expenditure 117449

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 1957

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30 Balance brought forward from previous year 4190

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 4834

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 24

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 61 30 9 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 30 4 0 4

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 48 43 9 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 52 0 4 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 13 4 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 74 22 4 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 57 39 4 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 65 30 0 0 4

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 65 26 9 0 0

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 26 22 0 4 Welshampton C of E Primary School - 25

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

No judgement on improvement since the last inspection is possible. 70. There are currently only three children in the reception class, two of whom began school in January. The children are taught in a class with pupils in Year 1 and Year 2. The quality of teaching and learning for the reception children is very good and the standards they achieve in all six areas of learning are good. The quality of the curriculum for these children is satisfactory, it is good and often very good as provided in the classroom but there is no suitably organised or equipped area for work out of doors. The headteacher is aware of this shortcoming.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. The children are given a very broad and stimulating curriculum. On four days a week they are taught by the headteacher and on the fifth day, they are taught by another teacher during the headteacher’s administration time. The quality of teaching ranges from good to excellent; both teachers work to the same very high standards and involve the classroom support assistant very well. This results in very rapid progress for these children and the rest of the class.

p.25

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

72. The mixture of ages of pupils in this class supports the young children’s social development. They work as individuals, as part of the whole class or as part of the foundation stage group and they mix freely with adults. In all situations they are supported when they need it and they grow in confidence.

p.25

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

73. The class routines are good. Not a moment of the day is lost and the children are actively engaged in their learning from the minute they walk through the door. Children begin many of their sessions with a short and relevant discussion with the teacher or the classroom support assistant and then they are supported in their various activities. Children are expected to make choices and to obtain the materials and resources that they need. They are also expected to persevere with their tasks. When they are asked to go to another activity or to begin something else, they are very mature in their attitude because the adults usually explain well what they will be doing next. The children and the staff all get on well together.

p.25

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

74. As far as they are able, the children show initiative, for example clearing up some of their work items without being asked. There is very little incidence of any inappropriate behaviour; the children are always willing workers in the classroom.

p.25

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

75. Almost all children are likely to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Because they see the work of the older pupils and are often involved in discussion about it, they benefit from the mix of ages and this experience helps them to be ready for the next stage of education.

p.25

Communications, language and literacy

76. In all of their activities, children are required to talk to the adults and to each other and to explain their ideas and choices. This is clearly a target which the teachers and the class assistants share. Most of the children talk readily with the adults and are learning to negotiate, for example, when they plan the activities of the day and the sequence in which they will tackle their work.

p.25

Communications, language and literacy

77. The children regularly listen to stories told by the teacher. They show generally good listening skills. For example, in a relatively long session working with an adult, they switch easily from a conversation about matching letters to planning the next items of their work. At break and at lunchtime, most of the children speak politely to each other and to the other children and to their helpers. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 26 78. The children are able to link sounds to letters and are they are making rapid progress. Many of them have good recall of the sounds and letters they have already experienced. In the week of the inspection, the children were starting to show their knowledge of sound/letter links and were able to indicate the initial sound of some words. They can suggest words beginning with particular sounds.

p.25

Communications, language and literacy

79. The children are able to read their own name and other simple words. They all know how to use books and they show a clear understanding that print carries meaning. They handle books appropriately and they all indicate that they enjoy books and stories.

p.26

Communications, language and literacy

80. The teacher has provided a writing area with an interesting range of equipment and reference texts. The children are learning to write and are being helped with their handwriting by being given a number of different physical tasks which require good hand co-ordination, such as operating the workstation on the computer. Children are learning to form letters accurately.

p.26

Communications, language and literacy

81. All children are likely to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage due to the good progress which they make.

p.26

Mathematical development

82. Children make good progress in their mathematical development and almost all of them are likely to reach the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. The classroom supports the current learning targets. They are learning to count and to recognise numerals.

p.26

Mathematical development

83. Children regularly play with number games and equipment. The teachers plan for them to work on a set task with an adult and then develop their learning through further activity, for example in the sand pit when working on shapes and with games when working on numbers. For example, following work with the teacher on adding numbers to make 5, they went on to use Old McDonald’s Farm to put into practice what they had learnt, using their counting skills. Two of the children can count to 10 reliably.

p.26

Mathematical development

84. The teachers have provided good displays and ranges of equipment so that children regularly see and handle plane and three-dimensional shapes. Some of these children know the names of some regular shapes; triangle, square and circle and can identify them. In their lessons this term they have built with construction equipment and have discussed the shapes that they are using and creating with an adult, learning the necessary vocabulary. Much of the work on shape has been reinforced through the use of computer games.

p.26

Mathematical development

85. There are regular lessons with the teacher and with other adults on the various aspects of mathematical learning and many of the pupils are expected to use their mental arithmetic skills. They are taught songs and rhymes such as ‘Five Current Buns in a Baker’s Shop’ to reinforce the sequence of numbers. They already know some aspects of measurement and can easily and accurately describe bigger and smaller and taller and shorter.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

86. The children develop good knowledge and understanding of the properties of materials and of some structures as they regularly use construction and scrap materials to build. Children make choices and in doing so are making discoveries about the properties of a range of materials. This occurs for example, when they choose to use Lego, Duplo or wooden bricks to construct items for their play.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

87. The computers are always available for the children to use and they are familiar with a range of simple operations. They can use the mouse with ease and can select answers to the puzzles they are set. In a very good lesson, the children planned their work with an adult and then went to work on the computer using a toolbox extension to build a picture of a house and to create items on screen for a tea party. Their control of computer programs is good for their age. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 27 88. Children learn about features of the physical environment through displays such as the one on rusting. The grounds of the school and in particular the playing fields are used well to broaden children’s experience of the environment. In a good ‘science’ based lesson with the support assistant, the children explored floating and sinking, learning to use the vocabulary accurately and to describe in detail what they could see. The good range of books and illustrations available to

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

them helps them to understand about their society, about families and about times past.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

89. The children are working on dangers in the environment, hearing talks from a member of the Transport Police for example. This taught them about the danger of electric railway lines and also linked well to their visit to the railway museum.

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Physical development

90. The children are learning a good range of skills with tools and equipment. They are taught to hold writing implements correctly and to use scissors and other tools safely.

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Physical development

91. The children have regular physical education lessons which they enjoy and these help them to gain control of their bodies, moving with increasing precision and with good awareness of space. This is reinforced in the classroom as often these children not only plan the work that they will do but also the space in which they will do it. In the classroom, most of the children move carefully and with confidence.

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Physical development

92. Through construction work with toy railways, building blocks and sand for example, children are learning about balance and weight and about the materials they are using. The school does not have an outdoor area for children to use independently and therefore there are restricted opportunities for the development of some physical skills.

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Creative development

93. The children have many opportunities to paint and make models from a good range of materials. They use their developing skills regularly. Easels are always available for painting and the children have done some work on printing to make covers for books. They have the chance to make things as part of their work, using a range of materials such as play dough and clay as well as paints to create different effects.

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Creative development

94. They have many opportunities to use language creatively. Dressing up clothes are provided in the classroom to support the pupils’ creative play. There is also a good range of play items such as a fort, a farm and animals which children can work with to develop stories and ideas. They are also encouraged to use the sand and water areas to explore and create.

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Creative development

95. As a part of their directed work, the children made safety posters following a talk from a member of the Transport Police. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 28

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ENGLISH

96. The results of statutory assessment in 2000 indicate that the standards of pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 were in line with the national average in reading and above average in writing. However, standards were well below the average of those achieved by pupils in similar schools in reading and below average in writing. Teacher assessment of speaking and listening indicated that standards of attainment were well below the national average, although a well above average proportion of pupils achieved the higher level 3. At the end of Key Stage 2, the 2000 national tests showed that pupils' attainment was well above the national average and above average compared to those of pupils in similar schools.

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ENGLISH

97. Results of statutory assessment over the four years from 1997 to 2000 indicate that there has been considerable fluctuation. This reflects the small numbers of pupils in each cohort and the overall disproportionate affect of even a small number of pupils with special educational needs. Consequently great care needs to be exercised in interpreting such statistical data. In Key Stage 1, standards in reading and writing have been consistently above average and in both of these subjects an above average proportion of pupils has achieved the higher level 3. In Key Stage 2 standards rose from below average in 1997 to above average in 1998 and they have been consistently above average since then. In both key stages, girls have done better than boys in the tests, although the differences in these results has been less marked in Key Stage 2.

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ENGLISH

98. Current inspection evidence indicates that the standards of pupils’ attainment in English are similar to the standards expected of pupils of their age in both key stages. The standard of pupils' handwriting is frequently above average by the time they leave the school. Standards in literacy are satisfactory throughout the school.

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ENGLISH

99. Children enter the school with satisfactory language skills. In Key Stage 1, pupils make appropriate progress in developing their speaking and listening skills and by the end of the key stage they attain the expected level. Pupils generally listen attentively to stories and to their teachers or other pupils in discussions. Pupils develop their speaking skills well in paired or group work and they ask questions or take part in discussions confidently as part of the whole class. At this key stage insufficient use is made of opportunities such as role-play to extend pupils' skills. In Key Stage 2, pupils listen attentively, and benefit from the frequent opportunities they have to offer ideas and join in discussions in most lessons. They continue to make satisfactory progress and they reach appropriate standards for their age. Pupils with special educational needs also make satisfactory progress.

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ENGLISH

100. In Key Stage 1 pupils make satisfactory progress in developing their reading skills. They learn to read some frequently used words and to recognise letters and the sounds they make. They extend their knowledge of how letters combine to make different sounds, like ai and ay for example and begin to recognise some of these combinations in words. When they read aloud, higher attaining pupils can use their knowledge of letter sounds to work out what a word says. Other pupils, however, while often using the first letter of the word as a clue, frequently have limited skills to help them and consequently their reading is hesitant and they are unable to correct their own mistakes. While most pupils can also use the pictures to help them, few pupils read the rest of the sentence to help them work out an unknown word. Higher attaining pupils in this key stage read appropriately fluently and with expression and they understand what they have read.

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ENGLISH

101. In Key Stage 2, pupils make satisfactory progress in reading. They read a wider range of texts and gain experience of different styles of writing. Most pupils read with accuracy, some with both fluency and expression and most are making appropriate and consistent progress in developing their comprehension. However, they still use only a limited range of strategies to help them to read unfamiliar words and few are able to correct their own mistakes. Most pupils are not able to use the context of the particular passage, by re-reading or reading on, to make sense of unknown words. This slows their progress. The most enthusiastic readers read with expression, which helps to bring the story to life and reinforces their understanding; higher attainers discuss the characters and ideas in stories with enthusiasm. At this key stage pupils have appropriate skills for research Welshampton C of E Primary School - 29

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ENGLISH

using books; most understanding how to use contents and index pages.

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ENGLISH

102. Pupils in both key stages make satisfactory progress in developing their skills of writing. In Key Stage 1 younger pupils learn to write simple sentences by following models of writing which the teacher provides. This generally leads to accurate letter formation and by the end of the key stage, pupils' handwriting is joined, with consistently sized and appropriately formed letters. Younger pupils can find words in a wordbank to help them construct simple sentences. Older pupils use a dictionary to help find the words they need. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have developed an appropriate knowledge of the structure of words and sentences and they can organise their writing effectively in a sequenced way. Most pupils begin to use capital letters and full stops consistently in their writing. Higher attaining pupils have a knowledge and understanding of other aspects of punctuation such as commas, which they use in a list, or question marks. These pupils' skills are

p.29

ENGLISH

developing well, illustrated in the interesting phrases some use to enliven their writing, as one pupil did in a poem with. . lounging in the mud .

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ENGLISH

103. In Key Stage 2, pupils develop the content of their writing and many can write interesting and clearly expressed accounts. The majority continue to make good progress in developing a fluent joined style of handwriting. The presentation of their work has improved since the previous inspection. At times pupils give careful thought to the layout of their writing, as in their poems like The Spirit of Ellesmere , Dawn and Summer . Sometimes they use a word processing program effectively. Pupils’ spelling skills are developing more slowly at this key stage, with many of them having little grasp of some irregular plurals for example. Pupils have some opportunities for developing their skills of writing. They write poems and extended stories. In one good lesson seen, Year 5 and 6 pupils built on their understanding of report writing to prepare a leaflet of information for a museum visit. Their Alien poems on display show how effectively they can write using

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ENGLISH

rhyming couplets. Pupils’ writing folders contain evidence that they learn to plan for their writing, shown in their work on analysing the structure of George Layton's The Balaclava Story for example. Generally however, they are not learning skills of drafting and editing and they have too few opportunities to write directly or to re-draft their work using the computer.

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ENGLISH

104. The quality of teaching is consistently good in both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The quality of teaching is having a most positive impact on the progress made by pupils and their achievement in this subject. All the teachers have clear expectations of what they want pupils to achieve and organise work appropriately to build on pupils' previous achievements. Their lessons are generally interesting and well organised, with activities well matched to the needs of pupils within each class. In Key Stage 1 teachers are sensitive to their pupils' individual needs, pose questions well to draw out existing knowledge, build on pupils’ own ideas skilfully and respond warmly to their efforts. They provide very effective support to all pupils, and this contributes positively to the progress they are now making. In Key Stage 2 teaching is now equally as effective. The teachers use a range of approaches and strategies; they are purposeful and direct, manage pupils’ learning

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ENGLISH

with good pace, carefully prompt discussion and engage pupils fully in a variety of appropriate learning activities. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and communicate clear expectations to which they respond very well. Their classroom organisation and management is very good and the monitoring of pupils’ learning effective. The time available is used most effectively to ensure all pupils work hard throughout the lesson.

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ENGLISH

105. The marking of pupils’ work frequently identifies how it might be improved. Teachers often provide a clear indication to pupils of how to improve technical features of their writing, such as punctuation or tense. Teachers' own handwriting in pupils' books, however, is not always as good as it might be.

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ENGLISH

106. Considerable work has already been undertaken in the short time that the current staff have been in post, to develop teaching and learning in English across the school. Significant progress has been made. Priority has been given to enhancing pupils’ basic skills in reading and writing. All the staff work closely as a team and this now ensures a consistent approach across both key stages. The improvements noted at the time of the last inspection have been maintained. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 30

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MATHEMATICS

107. In the latest end of Key Stage 1 tests, pupils attained standards which were well below both the national average and with those of schools with similar pupils. This year’s test results continued a trend of below average results since 1999. Similarly, the results in the latest end of Key Stage 2 tests show pupils achieving below the national average and well below schools with similar pupils. This was known to be an issue at the time of the last inspection and there has been very little improvement in the two years until summer of 2000. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in mathematics are now rising very rapidly at both key stages. This is a very recent improvement and there is a sharp contrast in the work that the pupils produced prior to this year and since the start of the term. This is most marked in Key Stage 1. The pupils are now making very good progress this has not been in place long enough to make a significant difference and standards

p.30

MATHEMATICS

are currently lower than they should be.

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MATHEMATICS

108. The introduction of the numeracy strategy has helped to improve mental mathematics and pupils are developing a more secure knowledge of basic number facts which helps with all their other mathematics work. The standards achieved in lessons are considerably better than those attained in the tests because of the good teaching and support which pupils receive.

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MATHEMATICS

109. At Key Stage 1, pupils are rapidly gaining skills in basic number work. In Years 1 and 2, pupils learn the language of mathematics including alternatives for add or take away. In a good lesson, pupils learnt that decrease is the same as subtract and showed that they had understood the idea. They learn the sequence of numbers, simple addition and subtraction and the names of some shapes. The older pupils are beginning to learn some of their tables and can readily talk about sets of items. Some of the higher attaining pupils show a good understanding of the value of numerals depending on their place in a number, for example understanding that the 5 in 54 has a higher value than the 5 in 45. They have a basic knowledge of simple fractions and can find half or quarter of a shape. Some of the pupils are clear about odd and even numbers.

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MATHEMATICS

110. At Key Stage 2, pupils are starting to build up their knowledge of mathematics beyond some simple number operations. For example, in upper Key Stage 2, they have recently learned to measure angles accurately and they are also learning to trust their own judgements, for example relying on their knowledge of more than or less than 90 degrees when reading a protractor. The Year 3 pupils learn to count confidently and are learning about multiplication and division facts, making use of their acquired skills with multiplication tables. They are beginning to use inversions to check the accuracy of their calculations, for example knowing that 6+7=13 and checking this by calculating 13-7. They are now extending this knowledge to learn that 4X5 =20 also tells them that 20 divided by 5 = 4. Some of the pupils in Year 5 know about handling mathematical data through the use of a spreadsheet on the computer and they can create a range of graphs. The

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MATHEMATICS

higher achieving pupils can talk about the most effective graphs to show particular trends and features.

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MATHEMATICS

111. Pupils at both Key Stages have significant gaps in their knowledge which are now rapidly being addressed. At both key stages pupils have only limited skills when using and applying numbers. Most are not able to select the correct number operation with confidence when solving a problem. Although their vocabulary is developing, few pupils use the correct names for 3 dimensional shapes and have only limited understanding of the properties of plane shapes. They have some experience of data handling but few have gone beyond the use of bar charts and most have some difficulty in interpreting more complex representations. There is little evidence of the older pupils having investigated symmetry or the rotation of shape.

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MATHEMATICS

112. There has already been some analysis of the shortcomings in pupils’ knowledge and staff are working hard to fill these gaps whilst consolidating pupils’ basic skills with number. Many of the pupils in both key stages show that they can learn quickly and are beginning to make sense of mathematics for themselves. The 7 and 8 year old pupils who have had more continuity in their learning since September, are making good progress and are building skills, particularly in number operations, which are at an appropriate level for their age. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 31 113. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, are currently making good progress in lessons and there is no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls. This is because of the rigorous approach of all of the teachers and the good working relationships which exist between them and the pupils. The pupils’ are developing good levels of motivation and they

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MATHEMATICS

have positive attitudes to learning. Almost all of the teaching is good or better. Teachers plan effectively for their mixed age classes. The teaching in Key Stage 1 is predominantly very good. The school has successfully adopted the numeracy strategy and planning is based on the national guidance.

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MATHEMATICS

114. Despite achievement in this subject being lower than that in English and Science for some years, a new policy and scheme were only put into place in November 2000 and therefore there has been little time for the effects of this to be seen. There is a clear structure to what will be covered in each class. Added to this comprehensive long term planning, teachers’ daily planning always includes work on the same basic theme but at different levels so that all pupils receive work which is hard enough to challenge them but not so hard as to defeat them. Only occasionally is work not well matched to the needs of the pupils when a visiting teacher gives the same work to pupils of widely different abilities and different ages. This lesson was overall satisfactory because of the good quality of the support given to individuals once the lesson had started but this was a missed opportunity to build pupils’ enthusiasm for the subject. Lower attaining pupils, including those with

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MATHEMATICS

special educational needs, are supported well by learning support assistants so that they make good progress in lessons. The good teamwork between teachers and learning support assistants ensures that lessons are effectively planned and delivered. Lessons have a clear focus on teaching basic mathematical skills. There is a good balance between whole class work and group work and a clear focus on getting pupils to describe how they are working. This reinforces their mathematical thinking and supports their speaking and listening skills.

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MATHEMATICS

115. Teachers effectively question pupils and challenge them to think things through and the pace of lessons means that pupils are actively involved and pay attention throughout. Teachers make it clear to pupils what they will learn in each lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

116. The subject is clearly a target of the new staff’s efforts. The numeracy strategy is being used well and it is helping to raise standards. There are good systems for monitoring standards and systematically tracking pupils’ progress but these are new and have not yet had any effect. Some observation of lessons has taken place to check on the quality of teaching. Indications are that the recent pattern of low results in mathematics is changing.

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SCIENCE

117. Teachers’ assessments indicate that attainment of seven-year-olds was below average in 2000 and this is confirmed by the inspection findings. The main area of weakness is experimental and investigative science. Standards at Key Stage 2 in national tests were well above the national average in 2000 and above those of school with similar pupils. Inspection findings cannot confirm these good standards due to the tiny cohort of pupils in the current Year 6. However, in the lessons seen, pupils are achieving at least the standards expected for their age except in investigative science where standards are lower because they have limited knowledge of practical work. However, the teachers have noted this and work now involves pupils in setting up and undertaking investigation. Standards are rising rapidly. Standards have improved at Key Stage 1 since the previous inspection because teaching is now good and it was poor. Good teaching is a

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SCIENCE

118. In their work on electricity, Year 1 and 2 pupils predict which of the many materials that they have been given will be conductors and which will be insulators. Following a good introduction to the lesson, the pupils used this terminology accurately. They knew that a part of the investigative work was prediction. The pupils tested their predictions accurately using circuit boards and some were able to record their answers. The 7 and 8 year olds study the body and in particular the form and function of the human skeleton. In a good lesson, the teacher questioned the pupils very well to Welshampton C of E Primary School - 32 get them to suggest the possible functions of the skeleton. The pupils made very good suggestions and the teacher further clarified their thinking by giving details, for example, about how a ball and socket joint works. This prompted pupils to ask further questions about ‘ what would

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SCIENCE

happen if?’ Older pupils investigated what happens to the pulse rate when taking exercise. The teacher built upon pupils' existing knowledge that the heart pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body and got the pupils to think of ways in which they might investigate pulse rate changes. Having checked that all pupils knew how to check their pulse, they then conducted their own experiments and recorded the results. The investigation of the results led pupils to realise that there was a need to check the accuracy of results and some of them were able to spot anomalous results in a result table. This work was of a high standard.

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SCIENCE

119. Teaching quality is consistently good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Planning for science is good throughout the school. Teachers discuss their ideas with each other and clarify what is being taught. This also helps to ensure that there is progress from year to year. The teachers have clear learning targets for the pupils.

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SCIENCE

120. The teachers have made a good analysis of the pupils’ learning needs and have taken appropriate action. This is seen in upper Key Stage 2 where the teacher has given the pupils clear written instruction about testing ideas fairly so as to get accurate and meaningful results. Throughout the school, the teachers make science lessons lively, interesting and meaningful and the pupils make it clear that they find these lessons enjoyable and they feel that they are learning a great deal. All teachers have high expectations of pupils and set challenging tasks for them. All of the pupils, including those with special educational needs, are supported well to make good progress.

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SCIENCE

121. Pupils’ learning is supported by the very good working relationships which are established in lessons which result in very good and sometimes excellent behaviour. This allows all lessons to proceed as planned. The subject is managed well. An effective scheme of work has been established to support teaching and learning. This is an improvement since the 1998 inspection. Regular evaluation of pupils’ work helps to provide an overview of standards and provide targets for further improvement.

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ART and DESIGN

122. A limited amount of art was seen during the inspection but the pupils’ paintings and other art work completed since December indicates that their developing skills are as expected for their age at both key stages. In this element of art standards are satisfactory. Standards in art in Key Stage 1 have improved significantly since the 1998 inspection. In Key Stage 2, standards have fallen slightly. There is limited evidence of art and design work prior to this term.

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ART and DESIGN

123. Pupils are making good progress in their artwork and pupils of all levels of ability produce some pieces of good work. In Key Stage 1, the pupils study the work of Picasso and draw in the cubist style. They are very successful in their work and can hardly contain their excitement during the work and in the evaluation which follows. In Key Stage 2, the older pupils have worked in the style of Constable, painting landscapes. They follow the teacher’s instructions with great care and take a real pride in their work. Some of the pupils who have special educational needs and who usually find concentration for long periods difficult, persevere for very long periods taking great care and showing tremendous patience. They, like the other pupils, show pride in their efforts.

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ART and DESIGN

124. The school has adopted nationally recommended schemes for the teaching of art. The curriculum provides a good range of opportunities for pupils’ creative expression. Good use is made of computer programs to develop pupils’ skills in art, through drawing and printing. Use of a digital camera allowed the pupils to produce images of the view from the school window which they were then able to use as the basis for their landscape painting.

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ART and DESIGN

125. Techniques for drawing and painting are developing well. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 have recently been taught to use pastels for their cubist drawings. The teacher is very careful to show some of the difficulties of using pastels but also the effects which can be created. Pupils practise these skills immediately in their own work. Welshampton C of E Primary School - 33 126. The pupils are making good progress because of good and very good teaching. The teachers have quickly gained a good understanding of what pupils can do and are developing their skills very well. Very good teaching in Key Stage 1 means that the pupils are quickly gaining knowledge of an artist and skills in using media and techniques. Following a clear introduction and demonstration, the children were allowed to begin their own work which was completed very rapidly and was of a poor standard. The teacher had anticipated this, called the class together and encouraged children

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ART and DESIGN

to evaluate their efforts. They were then given new materials and asked to begin again. The pupils were much more focused, took time and care with their work and the results were of a very good standard for pupils of this age.

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ART and DESIGN

127. Similarly in Key Stage 2, the teacher has staged the work on landscape very well, teaching the techniques used, focusing pupils on a distance view and, over a period of weeks, teaching techniques so that pupils build up their work in stages. The pupils are astounded by the quality of their own work. In this class, the work has been linked very well to English; the pupils have written poetry about clouds after looking at Constable’s paintings and the sky over Shropshire.

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ART and DESIGN

128. A weakness in the pupils’ learning is their knowledge of artists and their work. They have little recollection of having studied different genres, styles and traditions. Pupils in upper Key Stage 2 could name only Constable and Claris Cliffe as famous artists.

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ART and DESIGN

129. The teachers are organising the management of art between them and their planning is helping to ensure that skills develop over time and the gaps in pupils’ knowledge are being filled.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

130. Insufficient evidence was available to make a clear judgement about standards in either key stage. Only very limited samples of work were available. The school is very poorly resourced for this subject and it is unlikely that the pupils will have been able to work with an appropriate range of media using appropriate equipment.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

131. Discussion with the older pupils indicates that they know about the importance of good design when tackling technological problems. The one record of work which was available, showed that the pupils had considered the features and purpose of the task before beginning the design of a scarecrow with moving arms. Almost all of the pupils had come to the same solution of using split paper fasteners to make moving joints and there is little to indicate that they had thought further about how to make the arms move.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

132. The pupils had clearly identified the equipment that they would need and had written plans which helped them to sequence the making process. There is no evidence to show that they had evaluated the process or the product. The pupils have only limited recollection of how the task was set.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

133. There are very clearly gaps in the pupils’ knowledge of the subject and gaps in their experience. None of the pupils could remember working with food or textiles as a part of their work in the subject and the school has no tools or equipment for work with resistant materials such as wood.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

134. The school had produced curriculum plans for the subject based on national guidance, but is seems that only a limited part of the curriculum has been delivered. The headteacher has clearly identified the shortcomings in the subject and has already purchased a small cooker for use in the classrooms and the Parents’ Association has received a request to fund the purchase of a resources trolley for this subject. This is clearly a development item.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

135. In Key Stage 1 a start has already been made on improving this subject. In a very good language based lesson, Year 2 pupils were given a very clear task of finding a way to get ‘The Gingerbread Man’ across the river, avoiding the dangers of the fox’s mouth. As well as the very good discussion and recording which took place, the pupils worked hard on designing boats and rafts. They were Welshampton C of E Primary School - 34 encouraged to debate and evaluate their ideas, to test materials where necessary and to come up with a design solution. Some of the pupils used the construction materials which were available in the classroom to model their ideas. This was very good design work, delivered as a part of a language lesson.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

136. The subject is clearly being well managed as evidenced by the actions already taken. The new resources will allow the teaching staff to deliver the curriculum which is already planned. Current planning includes: • the design and production of weaving frames for the oldest pupils as a part of their work on landscape, • the design building of Tudor-styled houses using frames, for the 7 and 8 year olds to support their history work and, • the design and build of windmills as a part of the work on energy for pupils in Key Stage 1.

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GEOGRAPHY

137. During the inspection, it was not possible to observe any lessons in geography, since it was not timetabled for this half term. However, although the range of completed work in pupils' folders is limited, it nevertheless indicates that standards are broadly in line with those expected at the end of Key Stage 2. There was insufficient evidence to support a judgement about standards at the end of Key Stage 1.

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GEOGRAPHY

138. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are able to identify some of the human and physical features of an environment. They do this in comparing their own village of Welshampton, with a nearby town, contrasting rural and urban services and facilities. Pupils at this key stage study land use and they appreciate how this can affect peoples' lives. They use maps to inform their investigations of the differences between places and begin to recognise the characteristics of contrasting areas. Pupils have good opportunities to extend their mapping skills, from drawing plans of their classroom to studying the features of maps and the symbols used by mapmakers. Older pupils at this key stage can use four figure grid references to locate and identify features on a local map. There is no indication that pupils have used information and communication technology for research in geography.

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GEOGRAPHY

139. National guidance for teaching and learning has been adopted in Key Stages 1 and 2. An assessment component is completed at the end of the topic being studied. These developments are having a positive impact on the standards pupils achieve.

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HISTORY

140. During the inspection it was possible to observe only one lesson in history. Teachers' planning, pupils' work, discussions and displays indicate that standards of attainment are in line with those expected of pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. There was insufficient evidence to support a judgement about standards in Key Stage 1. A variety of initiatives ensures that the subject has an appropriate priority in the curriculum, for example outings to museums and places of historical interest and visitors to the school and these contribute positively to the progress pupils make in extending their knowledge and understanding of the past. Older pupils demonstrate a good knowledge of the periods and topics they study in history. Their response in the single lesson observed was good, with pupils demonstrating both confidence and competence in working independently on their tasks. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and

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HISTORY

141. Achievement in Key Stage 2 is satisfactory overall. In the one lesson observed, pupils were interested in their work on the Tudors, enthusiastically responding to their teacher's questions and keen to learn. They understand how buildings were constructed in Tudor times, are able to describe how wattle and daub are used for example. Visits to museums, to places of historical interest, like Shrewsbury for example, and the visits of experts into the school has helped pupils learn about the Tudors. The visit of a Town Crier had significantly added to their learning, extending Welshampton C of E Primary School - 35 their understanding of life in Tudor times. Pupils continue to make progress in developing their understanding of chronology at this key stage, and they can place events into a sequence. However, they do not extensively use increasingly complex timelines in the various topics. Pupils’ earlier completed work on Britain since 1930 indicates that there is a strong emphasis on the

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HISTORY

acquisition of historical knowledge, although in some activities their historical skills are appropriately developed. Their writing about the experience of an evacuee indicates their growing ability to empathise with people in the past. This is supported with the use of oral history, as they talk to their grand parents about the past for example.

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HISTORY

142. In the lesson observed during the inspection, the teaching in history was good. The teacher demonstrated good subject knowledge and she successfully communicated an enthusiasm for the subject. This enabled her to manage the group discussion very well and generated real interest and enthusiasm, which resulted in a commitment to the task set. This was used well to extend pupils’ understanding of the past. Discussion was demanding; the teacher provided constant challenge and communicated her expectation that pupils would provide extended responses to her questions. Her own knowledge and understanding enabled her to extend pupils’ ideas effectively. The teacher provided good support for pupils with special educational needs during the lesson, which enabled them to make appropriate progress.

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HISTORY

143. There is appropriate leadership in this subject. National guidance for planning and assessment has been adopted in both key stages. Appropriate attention is paid to giving pupils meaningful experiences in the form of visits to museums and places of historical interest to correspond with the topic being studied. Visitors into school also make a positive contribution to pupils' learning, with experts thus able to provide pupils with an authentic view of different historical periods. Good opportunities are taken to extend pupils' understanding of the past in other subjects, like in music, with what they learned about a bowed psaltery for example and in physical education in learning some Tudor dances.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

144. Standards of pupils' attainment are in line with those expected at the ends of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 in most aspects of information and communication technology. The improvement in standards since the previous inspection has resulted from the improved resources available, the skills which teachers new to the school have brought to teaching the subject and the systematic and determined development of the opportunities provided for pupils. Although improvement in some aspects of their work has been better than others, in word processing and data handling, pupils' are now making rapid progress in developing their skills. In other aspects of their work progress has not been so rapid and pupils still have too few opportunities to use the computers in their work in other subjects. The school is tackling this situation positively however and there is a plan to extend the numbers of computers available in each classroom.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

145. In Key Stage 1 most pupils use the computers confidently and make satisfactory progress in developing their information and communication technology skills. Pupils begin to develop their skills as soon as they start school, with good use made of alternatives to the keyboard for controlling operations in simple programs for example. Younger pupils develop appropriate control of the mouse and they can manipulate it to drag and drop as they move things around the screen; they can use the mouse to draw down menus within a program and to access the print command. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can access programs by double clicking on an icon on the desktop; most of them can manage a range of simple programs for themselves. They can use the menu to search for clipart illustrations and then import those selected into text, to illustrate chosen words from the story of Goldilocks for example. Pupils are interested and keen to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

complete their tasks as they work with the computers, with even the youngest pupils in the class showing they can concentrate effectively for lengthy periods of time.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

146. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have made significant progress in developing their skills. However, while pupils are continually getting better at using the computers, their progress in the past has been slow and they have some way to go to catch up. They make satisfactory progress Welshampton C of E Primary School - 36 in using and controlling the mouse to point and click when using different programs, but many pupils lack confidence in using other keyboard functions and their keyboard skills are still fairly slow. Progress over the recent past has been rapid however, and pupils now have good opportunities to extend their skills. They are swiftly improving their ability to communicate ideas using simple word processing programs and they can print their work. Pupils understand programming to control some domestic appliances for example. In their work on control, younger pupils at this key stage can program the Roamer robot to move along a set path, using forwards,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

backwards and turn commands. Older pupils at this key stage can use a logo program to control the screen turtle and are able to construct a sequence of commands to complete the desired operation. At this key stage, pupils still have too few opportunities to use computers to support their work in all areas of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

147. Pupils are quickly growing in confidence as they use the computers and they enjoy working with them. Most now respond to opportunities to use the computers sensibly and maturely. Even the youngest pupils show that they can concentrate for lengthy periods and are able to sustain this concentration when they are working alone or in pairs. Older pupils co-operate well with others as they work with the computers. They want to learn more. These positive attitudes are contributing very positively to the progress they are now making.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

148. The teaching of information and communication technology is very good throughout the school. There has been very significant improvement since the previous inspection, when both the standards of pupils’ attainment, the quality of teaching and teachers’ planning were considered unsatisfactory. In Key Stage 1, resources have been improved so that pupils have more frequent access to and regular use of the computers. Teachers now use the computers appropriately to extend younger pupils' skills, including a weekly lesson with the information and communication technology co-ordinator. The limited resources available until recently inhibited the opportunities they had for developing specific skills of information technology. The loan of a number of portable computers from the Education Action Zone is now enabling teachers to provide for more direct teaching of specific skills with the whole class. The quality and frequency of teaching, support and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

intervention has improved dramatically since the previous inspection. Improved levels of resources and teacher expertise have contributed positively to the improvements already made.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

149. Curriculum leadership in information and communication technology is very good. The new co- ordinator has successfully managed the rapid development of the subject and a great deal has already been achieved. The co-ordinator has contributed to the improvement of teaching because she has opportunity to work with all the pupils in the school. In other subjects however, pupils throughout the school have too few opportunities to work with the computers. While they develop appropriate word-processing skills, for example, pupils' completed work indicates that they have too few opportunities for re-drafting their writing using the computers. A most valuable weekly after school computer club enables pupils to have additional time to work with the computers. While there is a pleasant informal atmosphere during this club session, teachers take the opportunity to build on the skills taught during lessons or to teach additional skills, like using a desktop

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

publishing program to design a poster for example.

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MUSIC

150. The standard of pupils’ attainment in music is in line with that expected of pupils at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Pupils are enabled to make satisfactory progress in developing their musical skills. Pupils sing enthusiastically although not always as tunefully as they might.

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MUSIC

151. It was possible to observe only a very small number of lessons in music during the inspection, but pupils were enthusiastic and keen to participate in both composing and listening activities. In Key Stage 1 good opportunities were provided for pupils to listen to contrasting pieces of music and then discuss what they had heard. Good use is made of appropriate subject vocabulary. Older pupils at this stage are beginning to use appropriate terms like tempo and dynamics for example, and they understand how these differ in the pieces they hear. Insufficient opportunities are taken at other times during the day to sing rhymes, join in action songs or to explore sounds, both around Welshampton C of E Primary School - 37 them in the environment and with tuned and untuned percussion instruments.

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MUSIC

152. In Key Stage 2 pupils build effectively on their earlier work on composition. Pupils co-operate well as they work on their own small group compositions, with most able to share their ideas appropriately. In one lesson seen, a group of pupils used all the resources at their disposal, including voice, to create a piece linked to their work on the Tudors in history and they demonstrated a seriousness of purpose as they performed their piece. Pupils are learning to record their compositions using graphic notation. Further work is now needed to extend their understanding of rhythm patterns.

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MUSIC

153. Music is used effectively to create an appropriate atmosphere as pupils enter for collective worship. Insufficient use is made of this opportunity, however, to encourage and extend listening and appraising skills and to introduce pupils to different musical styles and the work of a variety of composers.

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MUSIC

154. The quality of teaching in music is satisfactory. Although not music specialists, teachers enable pupils to make progress in developing their own musical skills. Their warm response to pupils' efforts was clearly encouraging and motivating; there was a purposeful atmosphere in each of the lessons seen with pupils fully engaged in appropriate musical activities. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory, indicating that over time in both key stages, pupils experience a fairly well balanced programme of musical activities.

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MUSIC

155. Resources for music are satisfactory with a useful range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments readily accessible to pupils and teachers. There is some interest in instrumental playing, with a small group of pupils receiving peripatetic instrumental tuition.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

156. Insufficient evidence was available to judge either the standards achieved or the quality of teaching. In the dance lesson seen, pupils’ achievements were appropriate for their age. The Year 3 pupils were able to follow instructions for a Tudor dance, they moved at a lively pace and with a good deal of control and good co-ordination. They were given clear instructions by their teacher.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

157. The school has a programme for swimming and most pupils manage to learn to swim at least 25 metres. The school has good games facilities, having large playing field adjacent to the school. The pupils learn a good variety of games skills and participate in football, netball, cricket and rounders. They also participate in cross-country running and enter the county sport events. The provision of after school games clubs significantly enhances the curriculum for pupils in Key Stage 2.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

158. There are significant shortcomings in the provision for physical education as there is nowhere in the school for gymnastic activities. The school hall is not an appropriate space and there is no equipment. The pupils in years 5 and 6 state that they have never done gymnastics at this school. Some of them attend private gymnastics clubs. The headteacher is aware of this significant shortcoming and has successfully sought funding for transport to the good facilities at a nearby leisure centre.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

159. It was not possible to see any lessons in religious education during the inspection. Neither was there sufficient evidence in pupils' books and folders to support a judgement about the standards of their attainment in this subject. Teachers' planning indicates that an appropriate programme of work is planned in line with the local agreed syllabus.

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