Curry Mallet Church of England Primary School

Controlled Primary School

Dates of inspection: Monday 3 rd - Tuesday 4 th April 2000

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Controlled Primary School

Inspection number: 194679 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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Controlled 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. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and junior School category: Voluntary Controlled

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lower Street Curry Mallet Taunton Somerset Postcode: TA3 6TA

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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: Mr A J Davies

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18/2/97 Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 5

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Team members

Mr L Lewin Registered inspector Mr A Bradley Lay inspector Miss S Barton Team inspector

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Team members

South West Education Services 4 Wordsworth Close Exmouth Devon EX8 5SQ

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 6

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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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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

The majority of teaching is very good. Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 2. The school is very well led and managed. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong relationships exist between pupils and between pupils and staff. The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils’ support, guidance and welfare is very good. The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school is very successful in establishing strong links with the parents and the local community.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14

Although staff liaise very closely together on all matters, the school has not yet established formalised and rigorous systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and their effects upon attainment and progress. Although the school has many useful assessment procedures in place, systems for tracking pupils’ attainment are not sufficiently formalised. The member of staff designated as child protection officer has not received the necessary training in this area.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16

Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Curry Mallet Primary School is situated in a very pleasant rural location 10 miles from Taunton. There are currently 82 pupils on roll taught in 3 classes by 4 teachers one of whom is the headteacher and one of whom is a part-time teacher. Pupils come from the immediate locality as well as the nearby surrounding villages. Compared to national averages, the number of pupils eligible for free school meals is very low as is the number of pupils registered as having special educational needs. Children starting school show broadly average attainment. At the time of the inspection seven children were under five. All pupils come from white ethnic backgrounds

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. Staff and governors work together as a highly effective team and enable the school to make rapid progress with improving the quality of education offered to the pupils. Very effective leadership and management and very good teaching result in pupils attaining high standards by the time they leave the school. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The majority of teaching is very good. • Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 2. • The school is very well led and managed. • Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong relationships exist between pupils and between pupils and staff. • The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils’ support, guidance and welfare is very good. • The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • The school is very successful in establishing strong links with the parents and the local community.

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What could be improved

• Although staff liaise very closely together on all matters, the school has not yet established formalised and rigorous systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and their effects upon attainment and progress. • Although the school has many useful assessment procedures in place, systems for tracking pupils’ attainment are not sufficiently formalised. • The member of staff designated as child protection officer has not received the necessary training in this area. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1997. Since that time the school has made particular improvements to the buildings and this has significantly enhanced the quality of education offered to the pupils. In addition, other improvements have been carried forward at a good pace so that the school has been able to maintain high standards of pupils’ attainment by the end of Key Stage 2. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 8

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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 A* B A B average below average C D Science A* B A A well below average E

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Key

A* denotes the school’s results as being in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Low numbers of pupils are involved in end of key stage testing at this school. Caution should be exercised when interpreting results, as, with such low numbers, statistical analysis can be unreliable.

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Key

On entry to school children show broadly average attainment. The range of attainment for this age group is wide. End of key stage tests results show that by age seven pupils attain an above average level in reading and average levels in writing and mathematics. The table above shows that pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 2. Standards have improved over the last few years in line with the national trend of improvement. Work seen during the inspection confirms the high standards for pupils in Year 6. However, work seen carried out by Year 2 is of better quality than that indicated by test results with many of the current cohort likely to attain above average standards in writing and mathematics as well as reading by the end of the year. Pupils at both key stages also work well in geography and design and technology and they make good use of their information technology skills to support work in a wide range of curriculum areas.

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Key

From the evidence of work seen, pupils attain standards in religious education that are at least in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus.

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Key

Pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils generally make good progress. The school sets appropriately challenging targets for pupils and makes good progress towards them. Overall, pupils' achievements indicate that they are working to their full potential by the time they leave the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils display excellent attitudes towards work and school life in general. They are enthusiastic, well motivated and try hard with all activities.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well. They are courteous and well mannered.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils show very good personal development. Older pupils in particular show initiative and carry out responsibilities in a sensible fashion. Pupils collaborate with each other in a highly effective manner and relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 9

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

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

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

Sixty per cent of the teaching across the school is very good, 13 per cent is good and 27 per cent is satisfactory.

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

Teaching for the under-fives, reception and Year 1 age groups is satisfactory overall with physical education being well taught. Teaching for pupils in the Year 2 and 3 age range class and for the class of Year 4, 5 and 6 pupils is consistently very good in nearly all lessons. Teaching of English and mathematics in the youngest class of pupils is satisfactory and very good in the other two classes.

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

Teachers skilfully plan work that matches the wide age ranges and attainment levels in their classes. Their strong subject knowledge is apparent in the clear and succinct explanations they provide. This is particularly evident in literacy and numeracy lessons. Teachers are particularly skilful with questioning pupils in such a way as to promote good learning. Classroom assistants are usually well briefed and provide valuable guidance for pupils. For the oldest class of pupils the strategy of splitting the class between two teachers for some sessions is extremely beneficial in accelerating their learning. Teachers generally set high expectations for pupils and motivate them by appropriate use of praise and encouragement. Personal development is particularly well promoted through very good teaching, especially in the oldest class of pupils in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that is significantly enhanced by the wide range of experiences provided through links with the local and wider community.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision. The school monitors the progress of pupils with special educational needs very carefully and caters precisely for their needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school very effectively promotes pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by placing a high priority on fully involving these areas in all aspects of the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has a very caring family atmosphere. Staff know all individuals very well and cater sensitively for their needs. The member of staff designated as child protection officer has not received the necessary training for this role.

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Aspect Comment

There is a very strong working partnership between the parents and the school. Parents are kept very well informed and many are strongly involved in supporting the work of the school. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led and managed by the headteacher. He is particularly successful in enabling the staff to work together as a highly effective team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are fully informed about and involved in the management of the school. The chair of governors, in particular, has worked very effectively in partnership with the headteacher and staff in recent times to enable the many improvements, including those made to the school buildings.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Through the regular visits that many governors make to the school, they gain a good knowledge of its overall effectiveness. Staff liaise very closely and, the headteacher, by working alongside his colleagues, has a good insight into the quality of their work. However, the school recognises the need to create formalised systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources A well constructed school development plan, rigorous financial systems in which the principles of best value are carefully considered, plus the very efficient work of the school finance officer mean that the school makes the very best use of all available financial resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents generally show that they have a high regard for the work of the school and in particular feel strongly about the following areas: • The children enjoy coming to school. • The teaching is good. • Staff are very approachable. • The standard of behaviour is very good. • Children make good progress. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is particularly good. • A small number of parents feel that not enough homework is set and that the quality of work set is not always appropriate. • A small number of parents feel that they do not receive enough information about the progress their children make.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the very positive views of the parents. Evidence from the inspection indicates that generally suitable and appropriate homework is set for pupils and, in the view of the inspection team, parents are kept well informed about their children's progress. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Teachers plan and prepare their lessons very carefully. They are particularly skilful with planning work that matches the wide age ranges and attainment levels in their classes. In addition, very careful consideration is given to exploiting cross-curricular links. For example, in a Year 2/3 literacy lesson, the shared text work usefully focused on the current geography theme. Tasks are efficiently organised so that all materials required are close to hand and this accelerates pupils' learning by enabling them to move rapidly from one task to the next. Resources for teaching and learning are well used either as visual stimuli or as a means of assisting pupils' recording. The tasks set by teachers are generally challenging and well matched to the different age ranges and attainment levels in the class although very occasionally expectations are not set high enough for the youngest class of pupils. A good variety of tasks is often set and this motivates the pupils and, as a result, they make

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

rapid progress with their learning. For example, a 'carousel' of different science investigations set for Year 4/5/6 pupils to complete within a specific time, forced pupils to work intensively and at a rapid pace. Teachers monitor activities very carefully and intervene at just the right moment to provide encouragement or guidance to help pupils move to the next step in their learning. At the same time they allow pupils sufficient scope to explore and extend their skills independently or in collaboration with other pupils. This approach was emphasised in the oldest class of pupils and was seen to be particularly effective in promoting pupils' personal development (see below) during science and geography work.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Whole class teaching is usually very effective. Teachers show strong subject knowledge that is apparent in the clear and succinct explanations they provide. This was particularly evident in literacy and numeracy lessons, where, for example, in a lesson for Year 2/3 pupils the teacher skilfully focused pupils on using their knowledge of phonemes to improve reading and spelling skills. Teachers generally ensure that what pupils are expected to learn is made particularly clear at the start of each session and then check with pupils at the end of each session to gauge the degree of success. This careful assessment enables them to tailor the next lesson for a particular subject very precisely to match the needs of individuals. Teachers are particularly skilful with questioning pupils in such a way as to promote good learning. For example they often follow up pupils' responses with questions such … 'why do you think that?' - usefully forcing pupils to articulate and extend their

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Teachers also generally provide very good teaching to groups of pupils and, where necessary, to specific individuals. This part of the teaching programme is also often very effectively supported by the work of classroom support staff, who are usually well briefed and provide valuable guidance for pupils. Occasionally, the support assistant is not sufficiently utilised during the whole class sessions with the youngest class. For the oldest class of pupils the strategy of splitting the class between two teachers for some sessions is extremely beneficial in accelerating their learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. Teachers have a very good rapport with pupils in their classes. They set high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Teachers also raise their pupils' confidence levels and motivate them through appropriate use of praise and encouragement. All successes are suitably celebrated and this helps to set an ethos in which pupils are keen to work towards their full potential. Teachers also demonstrate that they value pupils' contributions. For example, during a Year 2/3 lesson on fractions, one individual suggested a particular fractions shape formed a pentagon and the teacher spontaneously used the idea to investigate with pupils other shapes they could identify.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage 2.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. When they start school children show broadly average attainment, although the range of attainment is wide. National testing for 1999 shows that pupils attain an above average level in reading and average levels in writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1. In the end of Key Stage 2 national tests pupils attain high standards in English, mathematics and science. Standards attained by the time pupils leave the school have improved over the last few years in line with the national trend of improvement. Work seen during the inspection Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 12 also reflected these high standards. However, the work of Year 2 pupils seen during the inspection is of better quality than that indicated by test results with many of the current cohort likely to attain above average standards in writing and mathematics as well as reading by the end of the year. The difference noted here is due

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

to the inevitable variation from year to year in standards attained in a school with such small groups of pupils involved in testing. Overall, pupils' achievements indicate that they are working to their full potential by the time they leave the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. In Year 2, pupils' speaking and listening skills are above the expectations for their age group. Pupils communicate their ideas clearly during class discussions and their responses demonstrate that they are listening carefully to their teacher. In most of the lessons seen, the oldest pupils in the school listen carefully and talk confidently. They make full responses to teachers' questions during discussion and confidently discuss aspects of their work with one another. They use a very good range of vocabulary for their ages. Pupils also speak in an expressive way in many cases. Year 2 pupils generally read well and show, for example, good ability with using alphabetical order to find items in an index. They are well used to using different types of text such as fiction and non-fiction and often raise their own ideas about text that they read together. Older Key Stage 2 pupils analyse

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

pieces of text that they use in different areas of their work, often making inferences and deductions based on what they have read during subsequent discussion work. Year 2 pupils use very imaginative phrases in some of their writing with, for example, one pupil, after a trip to the seaside inspired to write …'the roaring sea is going mad!…'. Pupils often write sentences showing correct grammatical structure. By age eleven, pupils' writing is varied and interesting. Pupils use both simple and complex sentences and often organise their writing into paragraphs. Their handwriting is generally fluent and joined and pupils show that they can write in many different ways to suit different audiences. For example, as well as writing extended imaginative pieces, Year 6 pupils write in-depth reviews of books read.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Pupils are on course to attain above average standards in mathematics by age seven and well above average standards by age eleven. Many Year 2 pupils have a good knowledge of multiplication tables and place value for their age, have a good basic knowledge of fractions and articulate their mathematical ideas well. They identify the properties of three-dimensional shapes and successfully analyse the graphs they produce as a result of a survey about pets. Older Key Stage 2 pupils use their understanding of place value competently in multiplying and dividing tens, hundreds and thousands. They demonstrate rapid recall of number facts relating to all of the multiplication tables. They have studied complex nets of various three-dimensional shapes and use a wide range of data analysis in many areas of their work.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Pupils at both key stages are involved in a wide range of scientific experiences. For example Year 2 pupils working with electrical circuits respond appropriately to questions posed and make simple predictions. They also pose their own questions and carefully record their observations. Older Key Stage 2 pupils were seen to make rapid progress through a variety of short investigations. While setting up their own investigations to find the comparative strengths of different magnets, they identified the crucial factors involved in the testing procedures and selected apparatus themselves to carry out the tasks. They realised the importance of repeating the tests to verify results and compared and discussed the relative merits of different tests.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. Throughout the school, pupils use their information technology skills well to support work in many areas of the curriculum. For example, they make frequent use of word processing to present their work attractively for wall displays. Another example noted showed younger pupils making good use of an art program to assist the design phase of a design and technology project. Amongst the wide range of usage at Key Stage 2, older pupils research for information via the Internet, program the computer to produce simple designs and usefully support their work within literacy lessons through using the computers for correcting and editing drafts of writing.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. At both key stages pupils carry out in-depth projects in design and technology and geography. Year 2 and 3 pupils create very detailed, labelled designs for houses, plan the work carefully and produce finished products showing good precision and attention to detail. Key Stage 2 pupils evaluate existing mechanisms and then design and make their own models that involve moving parts with cams and wheels. Pupils acquire a good range of geographic knowledge. For example, Year 2/3 pupils produce comprehensive follow-up work based on local visits made. Key Stage 2 pupils gain a deep insight into the differences and similarities between different peoples and places as was seen with their research into individual families living in an African country.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school is very well led and managed. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 13 11. The headteacher is particularly successful in enabling the staff to work together as a highly effective team. He has encouraged the staff to work together in a collegiate fashion and this has proved to be a very effective system through which staff can share in and support the responsibilities allocated to each of them. In this way staff are enabled to carry out their subject co-ordinator roles efficiently whilst also gaining a full overview of the development of other subject areas. The headteacher and chair of governors work closely together and ensure that all other governors are fully informed about and involved in the management of the school. Governors fully support the staff and, through their regular visits to the school, they gain a clear overview of the quality of education provided. The chair of governors, in particular, has worked very effectively

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

in partnership with the headteacher and staff in recent times to enable the many improvements, including those made to the school buildings. In this way the school has adopted a very proactive approach towards continually seeking ways of improving the facilities. The school has a well-constructed school development plan. It clearly delineates the main areas for development along with the associated financial implications. The plan shows that the school has a precise view of its future educational direction. In addition, the school has clearly set aims and values and all staff work hard to achieve these.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. The school adopts a very thorough approach towards ensuring careful maintenance of its budget and, in so doing, carefully considers the principles of best value. As a result the school makes full use of all available resources. The school's finance officer plays a key role in this area and, working closely with the headteacher, ensures the smooth and very efficient running of day-to-day administration.

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Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong

relationships exist between pupils and between pupils and staff.

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Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong

13. Pupils display very positive attitudes towards their work and school life in general. They are keen to take part and always try their best with the activities set. Pupils are enthusiastic and many show a confident and mature approach for their ages. Pupils have a clear understanding about the kind of behaviour that is acceptable and, as a result, occasions when teachers need to reprimand or remind pupils about correct behaviour are relatively rare. Pupils generally use a good deal of common sense in the way in which they behave and show much thought and consideration for those around them. Their attitudes in this respect support the main ethos of the school, enabling staff and pupils to operate like one large supportive family. As a result, relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff are very strong. The relationships are based upon mutual respect. An indication of the good relationships that exist is seen in the way that pupils clearly enjoy the success of other

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Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong

pupils almost as much as their own. Older pupils readily mix with and care for younger pupils. All pupils enjoy school and are keen to attend.

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Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong

14. Pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. Teachers work hard and are successful in promoting this area of their pupils' education. Most pupils join in classroom discussions with a good deal of confidence. They listen to their teachers and one another very carefully. Pupils of all ages carry out tasks in a responsible and sensible fashion. The teachers provide many very good opportunities for pupils to collaborate with each other either through discussion or co-operative involvement in practical tasks and pupils respond extremely well, maximising the potential gains of sharing, exploring and sometimes creating new ideas together. One powerful example of this was seen with older Key Stage 2 pupils studying the life of people in Mali in Africa. When asked to report back their findings to the rest of the class, one group spontaneously chose to make a dramatic presentation of what they had found out, with each member of the group playing the part of one member

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Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good and strong

of the Malian family they had researched. In this way pupils very effectively used and developed their initiative.

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The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils’ support,

15. Staff know the pupils very well and cater sensitively for their needs. The strong relationships and family atmosphere that exist form a very solid basis for ensuring good provision of support, guidance and welfare for the pupils. Staff provide strong encouragement for all individuals and pupils spoken to show enthusiasm for the school's system of rewarding achievement and are clearly motivated by this system. The reward system recognises a wide spectrum of achievement and all staff and occasionally parents are involved in nominating pupils for achievement. In this way the school is very effective in promoting pupils' personal development and encouraging good attitudes and behaviour. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 14 16. The school has a good range of procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and uses the information gained to help plan future work. The system of annually assessing pupils' mathematics and science attainment

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The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils’ support,

and looking at samples of pupils' work is particularly useful in helping to build up a clear picture of each pupils' attainment as they move through the school.

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The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs and for pupils’ support,

17. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The provision is very well co- ordinated and the member of staff concerned has a clear overview of the work of all pupils on the special needs register. A comprehensive file is maintained for each individual and each pupils' progress is very carefully monitored. Individual education plans are suitably reviewed each term and appropriate short-term targets set. Parents are kept very well informed and the co-ordinator ensures that close liaison is maintained between all parties concerned. The co-ordinator, special needs learning support assistant and teachers liaise especially closely with a weekly schedule of support sessions carefully planned and resources and activities carefully prepared. All support sessions, either in class or through withdrawing pupils are precisely geared to compliment the work of the class teacher and in all of the sessions seen the pupils concerned made good progress.

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The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

18. Pupils gain a strong awareness and respect for the feelings of others through classroom discussions and assemblies where teachers focus upon relevant stories about peoples' lives and experiences. For example, pupils examine the feelings of Judas in the Easter story and consider the life of people such as Grace Darling. Their awareness is further built on through occasions such as the weekly 'Sharing Assemblies' in which the achievements of different pupils are celebrated. Pupils gain an insight into a range of traditions and beliefs as, for example, when the Year 2/3 class watched a simulation of a Baptism Service in the local Church and also through pupils' studies of different belief systems in World religions. Lots of opportunities are provided for pupils to express their feelings, for example through drama and poetry writing. Many very good opportunities are provided for pupils to reflect on a range of issues such as during assembly where they were asked to

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The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

consider what their approach had been to and how they had behaved on 'Mothering Sunday'.

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The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

19. The school has a very consistent and positive approach towards encouraging good behaviour. As a result, pupils have a very clear idea about right and wrong and what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Teachers suitably provide older Key Stage 2 pupils with the chance to consider moral situations such as the rights and wrongs of building a supermarket in the countryside next to the school. Circle time sessions for the oldest class are another example of pupils having the opportunity to consider school and local moral issues.

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The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

20. Through the strong emphasis upon teamwork and collaboration and co-operation, pupils' social awareness is very effectively developed. Teachers skilfully promote opportunities for pupils to work intensively in this way and they thereby learn how tasks can often be more efficiently completed by a team or group effort. Pupils also develop social awareness in a wider sense through their involvement in raising money for charity, attendance at events such as the 'Church Bell Tower appeal' and older pupils' participation in residential school trips.

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The school is very effective in promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

21. Through visits to museums, visits by theatre groups, exposure of the pupils to a range of music of different countries, studies of different artists and work in geography about the lives of people in different countries the school provides many very good opportunities for pupils to gain an understanding of their own culture as well as the cultures of other ethnic groups. Such understanding is further enhanced by stories in assembly relating to traditions in different countries, by pupils participating in country dancing and through studies of different World religions. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 15

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The school is very successful in establishing strong links with the parents and the local

22. The school works extremely hard at, and, is successful in establishing strong links with the parents. As a result, the parents are an important resource for the school providing much valuable support and assistance for the staff and pupils. A good number of parent volunteers usefully help in the school during the daytime and many parents helpfully involve themselves in running after school activities for pupils. The Parent Teacher Association is a highly active organisation that raises substantial sums of money to support the school. The school keeps parents very well informed through regular newsletters and provides extra information to usefully inform parents about forthcoming work in each class for the term. Written reports concerning pupils' progress are very detailed and also usefully include an evaluation by each pupil of his or her achievements. In addition, meetings are held with parents to inform them about new school initiatives and to provide opportunities to

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The school is very successful in establishing strong links with the parents and the local

consult with parents over proposed changes and improvements. Parents ideas are then usefully considered within the context of future school development planning. The staff of the school make themselves very accessible to the parents and the parents rightly value the 'open door philosophy' that the school operates.

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The school is very successful in establishing strong links with the parents and the local

23. The school maximises its links with the local and wider community to enhance the curriculum. There are strong links with the Church, where the school celebrates Christmas and Easter. Opportunities for visits such as to a museum, residential visits, field study trips in the local area as well as to a seaside village and visits jointly made with other schools thoroughly broaden pupils' study opportunities. Visitors to the school, such as a solicitor recently coming to talk to pupils, successfully enable pupils to apply their learning in areas such as literacy to real life situations. Links with other schools in terms of sporting occasions are also a useful means by which the school increases the opportunities for pupils to compete and improve their sporting skills.

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formalised and rigorous systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and

their effects upon attainment and progress.

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formalised and rigorous systems for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and

24. Staff work very closely together and the headteacher, in particular, works alongside other colleagues and gains a view of the quality of their work. Staff have access to each others plans to enable close monitoring of the progression and continuity of work across the school. In addition, many governors regularly visit the classrooms and, in this way, to a certain extent gain an overview of the quality of teaching and learning in the school. However, the school recognises the need to establish and implement a formalised system for regularly monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and their effects upon pupils' attainment and progress.

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Although the school has many useful assessment procedures in place, systems for tracking

pupils’ attainment are not sufficiently formalised.

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Although the school has many useful assessment procedures in place, systems for tracking

25. The school has a range of good procedures to aid in assessing pupils' attainment. Teachers also carry out their own assessments of pupils' performances. Some useful analysis of national test results also helps teachers identify areas of weakness. However, the school rightly recognises the need to introduce systems that will enable clearer tracking of pupils' attainment as they move through the school.

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The member of staff designated as child protection officer has not received the necessary

26. The school has high grade provision for ensuring very effective support guidance and welfare of its pupils. The safety and security of the pupils is clearly held as a top priority. However, the member of staff designated as the child protection officer has not received the necessary training. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

27. To further improve the very good quality of education offered by the school, staff and governors should now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Establish and implement a formalised system for regularly monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning and their effects upon pupils' attainment and progress.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Introduce systems that will enable clearer tracking of pupils' attainment as they move through the school and thereby enable teachers to more precisely set targets for pupils' future attainment.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Ensure that training is provided for the member of staff designated as the child protection officer. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons/parts of lessons observed 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) - 82

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals - 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 14

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 9 4 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 9 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 4 4

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (88) 100 (100) 92 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 8 8 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 4 4 4

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 92 (100) 92 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

*As the number of pupils involved in Key Stage 2 national testing for 1999 was below ten, the data for this key stage is not published in the report. Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 3.5 Financial year 1998/99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 139,108

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil (based on current roll) 1,696

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 36 Balance brought forward from previous year 10,929

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 14,336 Curry Mallet Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 53 42 3 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 44 3 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 29 53 14 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 31 51 15 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 25 7 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 51 42 5 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 36 51 8 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 47 44 7 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 39 56 3 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 51 5 3 2

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