Fryent Primary School

FRYENT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 24 th May 2002

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FRYENT PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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FRYENT 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. Fryent Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Church Lane Kingsbury London Postcode: NW9 8JD

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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: Robert Wharton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th June 1997 Fryent Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

19385 Martin Beale Registered inspector Mathematics What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school's results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 15527 Christine Laverock Lay inspector How high are standards? b) 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? 23805 Margaret Lygoe Team inspector Science; design and technology; physical education 22147 Anne Holland Team inspector Art; music; under-fives 21899 Gillian Lawson Team inspector Geography; history; special educational needs 1963 Sibhani Raychaudhuri Team inspector English; English as an additional language 12603 Tusha Chakraborti Team inspector Information and communication technology; religious education; equal opportunities How good are the curricular and other

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Aspect responsibilities

2 Haselwood Drive Fryent Primary School - 5 Enfield Middlesex EN2 7BU

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Fryent Primary School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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 pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a large primary school, currently attended by 508 pupils. A further 48 children attend part-time in the Nursery. The intake is ethnically and culturally diverse with pupils of Indian, black-African, black- Caribbean and Pakistani backgrounds being the largest groups in the school. There are 74 refugee children mostly from Somalia, and two traveller children. Three-quarters of the pupils have English as an additional language with almost 20 per cent at an early stage of learning English. The main languages spoken are Gujarati, Urdu, Somali and Arabic. A significant minority of pupils live in temporary housing and as a result there is a very high turnover of pupils each year. Many pupils are from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and the number entitled to a free school meal is double the national average. The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs, including statements, is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

broadly average. Moderate and severe learning difficulties are the main reasons for higher levels of need. Overall attainment on entry to Reception is broadly average, but the high turnover of pupils reduces this significantly. The headteacher is currently managing a local school on a temporary basis for three days each week, her place being filled in an acting capacity by the deputy head.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school in which staff strive successfully to ensure that all pupils, whatever their background, specific needs or time spent in the school, benefit from the educational opportunities provided. Strong leadership and good teamwork maintain a focus on improving teaching and raising standards. Teaching is good overall and particularly so in Year 6. Standards in English and mathematics are well below average by Year 2 but compare favourably with similar schools. Good progress in Years 3 to 6 is resulting in improving standards, which are close to the national average by Year 6. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teaching is good overall and standards compare favourably with similar schools as a result of the particularly high quality of the teaching in Year 6. • The headteacher and deputy head provide clear direction, and manage change and improvement very effectively. • Staff focus successfully on meeting the learning needs of all pupils in their classes and ensuring that they have access to all aspects of school life. • Cultural diversity is recognised and celebrated, helping to generate a harmonious atmosphere in which the contribution of everyone is valued. • Moral and social development are promoted very well, particularly through the programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE). • The very good individual support and guidance helps the pupils to settle into the school and make the most of the opportunities available to them. • The pupils’ academic progress is carefully monitored and information is used effectively to plan the

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What could be improved

• Although pupils in Years 1 and 2 make satisfactory progress, standards in English and mathematics are well below average in Year 2. • Shortcomings in teaching physical education are leading to unsatisfactory standards. • Attendance is well below average and punctuality to school is unsatisfactory for a significant number of pupils. 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

Good improvement has been secured since the last inspection in 1997. The very good leadership and management of the headteacher and deputy head and the effective role now played by co-ordinators place the school in a strong position to maintain this progress. Test results have improved, and Fryent Primary School - 8 weaknesses highlighted by the last inspection report have been largely eliminated. There have also been substantial improvements in other areas, although attendance has deteriorated. Overall standards in design and technology have improved, as they have in English and information and communication technology (ICT) in Years 3 to 6. Homework is now used well to support learning and pupils have many opportunities to apply their investigative skills.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

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

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Key

Test results have fluctuated at Year 2 but have maintained a steadily rising trend at Year 6. An analysis of test data shows that the high pupil mobility and the large number of pupils with English as an additional language adversely affect results. This is considerably more marked at Year 2 than Year 6, indicating the success of the school in meeting the needs of pupils the longer they have them. Results for Year 2 pupils in 2001 were below average in writing and mathematics and well below average in reading, but all were above the results of similar schools. Standards in reading have regularly been lower than writing and mathematics in spite of the action taken by the school. The school’s targets for Year 6 pupils in English and mathematics were exceeded in 2001 and have been raised to a challenging but achievable level for 2002. Evidence indicates that the action taken to raise standards in science to

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Key

the level of English and mathematics has been successful.

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Key

Inspection evidence also indicates that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language achieve well and make good progress during their time at the school. Children in Nursery and Reception are on course to achieve standards expected nationally by the time that they enter Year 1 in all areas of learning except for aspects of literacy. Overall attainment is close to national expectations in most subjects by Year 2 except in English and mathematics, where standards have fallen to well below average. This is as a result of factors highlighted earlier and also the high number of pupils with special educational needs in this year group. By contrast, further improvements have taken place at Year 6 where attainment is close to national expectations in all subjects. The exception is physical education, where pupils do not achieve as well as they should and

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Key

attainment is below expectations throughout the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Most pupils concentrate well, put much effort into their work and are keen to answer questions.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils respond well to their teachers’ expectations, but the behaviour of a small minority can detract from an otherwise harmonious atmosphere.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and Pupils undertake responsibilities well, particularly those involved in the Fryent Primary School - 9 relationships school council or in resolving any difficulties others might be experiencing. They mostly work and play happily together.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is well below average and several pupils are regularly late to school. The youngest children settle quickly into the routines of the school; however, later arrivals, often from quite troubled backgrounds, can take some time to come to terms with their new environment. Attitudes and behaviour improve the longer that the pupils are in the school. They learn to respect each other’s feelings and beliefs. Attendance levels have declined in recent years, although unauthorised absence has fallen considerably this year. Not all parents support the school’s drive to improve punctuality.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Satisfactory Satisfactory 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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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection, and much of the teaching in the upper part of the school in English and mathematics is consistently of a high quality. The teaching of both subjects is good overall. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been successfully implemented, and both literacy and numeracy are promoted and supported well in other subjects. The needs of a small number of gifted and talented pupils are being met well. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are taught well and benefit from individual attention in small teaching groups. Lessons are generally planned well and resources carefully prepared. The objectives for each lesson are shared with the pupils so that they have a good idea of what they are to learn. The best teaching is brisk and lively, generating interest and enthusiasm and a good pace to the pupils’ learning. Many teachers have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

and set interesting and challenging tasks to which most respond well by working hard. Shortcomings in teaching are largely as a result of teachers not handling the behaviour of a small minority of pupils. The flow of these lessons is disturbed and learning slows. There are also some weaknesses in the subject knowledge of some teachers in art, music and physical education.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced. Literacy is promoted well in many subjects and pupils have many opportunities to develop skills of enquiry and investigation.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Pupils with literacy difficulties receive very good intensive support in small teaching groups. The provision for pupils with statements is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Refugee children and other new arrivals are supported particularly well and helped to settle into the school. The needs of pupils are rigorously assessed and their progress carefully monitored.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural Very good provision is made for social and moral development. Cultural development is promoted well. Provision for spiritual development is satisfactory. The pupils’ personal development is supported very Fryent Primary School - 10 development effectively through the PSHE programme.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Secure procedures are in place to promote the health, safety and well- being of the pupils. Volunteer mentors and youth workers provide particularly valuable and effective support for individual pupils.

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Aspect Comment

All National Curriculum requirements are met, and the curriculum in the Nursery and Reception classes is planned to national guidance. There are very good procedures to monitor the progress of pupils, particularly in core subjects. The information is used well to plan the next stages in their learning. The support and guidance for pupils is very good, particularly for those who enter mid-year. The school has established good links with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, very ably supported by the deputy head, provides strong and effective leadership based on improving the quality of education and has managed very well the progress made in recent years.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The Governing Body has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and has supported action to eliminate any shortcomings, although there are several vacancies for parent governors.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The wealth of data available is used well to track the impact and effectiveness of action taken. The systematic and rigorous monitoring of the quality of teaching has been instrumental in improvements made in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Funding is used well to meet the school’s main priorities, including providing extra resources for pupils with special educational needs.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory. Subject co-ordinators and other staff with management responsibilities have clearly defined roles, which they are fulfilling with increasing effectiveness. A large budget surplus has accrued as the school has not undertaken redecoration while awaiting the outcome of possible building projects. The school seeks to get the best value when purchasing goods and services and in making educational decisions.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Teaching is good and their children are making good progress. • Behaviour is good. • The school is well managed. • They find staff approachable. • The range of extra-curricular activities. • The amount of homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team supports the parents’ favourable view of the school. The team judges extra- curricular activities to be satisfactory, although generally only available to older pupils, and homework supports learning well. Fryent Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. National Curriculum test results for Year 2 pupils in reading, writing and mathematics have fluctuated but have followed an improving trend since the last inspection. A high point was reached in 1999 followed by a fall in 2000 but improvements again in 2001. Whilst writing and mathematics results remained below average, those in reading were well below average. Results in all three areas were above those in similar schools. The main reason for lower reading results was that more pupils failed to reach the expected Level 2 than in writing and mathematics. The teacher assessments of pupils in science were below average for the proportion of pupils at the nationally expected Level 2 but well above average at the higher Level 3. One factor that significantly affects results by Year 2 is the high pupil mobility. Pupils who enter the school during Years 1 and 2 achieve considerably lower results than others. Several are

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

at an early stage of learning English, which has a particularly significant impact on their reading. They learn to read individual words reasonably successfully, but are not able to gain meaning from text as rapidly and therefore do not understand all that they read.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Test results in English, mathematics and science for Year 6 pupils have also followed an improving trend, at a similar rate to improvements nationally. Overall test results were below average in 2001 but well above those in similar schools. Results in English and mathematics improved sharply in 2001. Mathematics results matched the national average and were well above similar schools. English results were below average but above similar schools. By contrast, improvements in science were only slight in 2001. Results were well below average nationally and below results in similar schools. The main reason for the lower science results was that many more pupils than nationally failed to achieve the expected Level 4. An analysis of recent test data shows that pupil mobility has a much smaller impact by Year 6, as pupils benefit from longer in the school and the good teaching in Years 3 to 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Boys are doing quite well at Fryent compared with girls in relation to differences nationally. Although girls have achieved better test results at Year 2 than boys in reading and writing and in English at Year 6, this is not always by the same margin as nationally. Boys have consistently achieved better results at Year 6 in mathematics. There has been no significant pattern to any variation in test results by ethnicity in recent years.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Baseline assessments of the children when they enter Reception show that overall attainment is close to the national average. The children make satisfactory progress during their time in the Nursery and Reception classes. Most children are on course to achieve the standards expected by the Early Learning Goals (nationally expected standards for children of this age) in all areas of their learning by the time that they enter Year 1. The exceptions to this are in aspects of literacy such as writing and speaking.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The satisfactory progress made by pupils in the Nursery and Reception classes continues in Years 1 and 2. There is considerable pupil mobility during these two years and pupils arrive who have been through considerable disruption to their early schooling. Many are refugee children who may well be at an early stage of learning English. The staff work successfully to settle them into the school, but attainment particularly in English and mathematics is much lower than for the pupils who spend all of their time in the school. Furthermore, some pupils leave the school as their families move into permanent accommodation, which may not be in the immediate locality. Several of the pupils who arrive after the start of Year 1 do not necessarily stay in the school for a significant period of time. To ensure that these pupils can make the best of their time in the school, staff work hard to monitor and track the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The effect of this turbulence is to lower overall attainment by the end of Year 2. The current Year 2 group is also slightly weaker overall than in recent years, with a much higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs. As a consequence, standards in English and mathematics are lower than in the 2001 National Curriculum tests and are well below average. By contrast, the current Year 1 is a Fryent Primary School - 12 more able group, although future mobility may well affect attainment. Attainment in all other subjects is close to national expectations by the end of Year 2. This is largely because teachers are able to adopt a wide range of methods for the pupils to record their knowledge and understanding in subjects such as science, geography, history and religious education. It is only in physical education that progress is unsatisfactory and attainment is below expectations by the end of Year 2.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils are grouped by ability in English and mathematics from Year 2 upwards for parts of each week. Each year group adopts a slightly different arrangement. The effectiveness of these arrangements varies but progress is still very much dependent on the skill of the teacher. Pupils in Year 6 benefit considerably from these arrangements not only because much of the teaching is of a high quality but also because the deployment of an extra teacher means that groups are comparatively small. This has enabled pupils in the bottom group to make significant progress this year. Most are not working securely at the level expected for their age, but in many cases they are considerably closer than they were at the start of the year. Pupil mobility has an impact on attainment in Years 3 to 6, but it is not as significant as in the earlier years. This is partly because the good work done with these pupils has had

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

longer to make an impact. Good progress is made overall in Years 3 to 6. Progress is very good in Year 6, particularly in English and mathematics. Attainment by Year 6 is close to national expectations in all subjects, the exception again being in physical education. Progress here is unsatisfactory and attainment is below expectations. Standards are poor in swimming where only a quarter of the year group have achieved the standard required for the age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. The action taken to improve standards in science has been particularly effective this year. Most pupils make good progress throughout the school and the majority have achieved the level expected for their age by the end of both Year 2 and Year 6.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The school has identified a number of gifted and talented pupils since the start of this academic year and has introduced specific programmes for four. This includes in one case the pupil working with pupils two years older for English and mathematics. These programmes are in their infancy but are meeting the needs of these four pupils well. They are making good progress as a result.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Careful identification and assessment and specific learning programmes together with the consistent reinforcement of basic skills in many lessons help pupils to make good progress in developing reading, writing and number skills. Pupils, despite their difficulties, have good attitudes towards their learning. Most try hard to respond well to their teachers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils with English as an additional language, particularly those at an early stage of learning English, make good progress in their acquisition of English language skills. Early learners of English do not have sufficient proficiency to work at the standard expected for their age in National Curriculum subjects; however, by Year 6 most can participate in all aspects of lessons and achieve similar standards to others. They make particularly good progress in literacy.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attitudes to the school are good overall. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The majority of pupils concentrate well in lessons and put effort into their work, particularly if it is interesting and imaginative. Pupils are friendly to visitors and keen to talk about what they are doing. They listen well to others and take pride in the presentation of their work. The majority like to answer questions and participate in class discussions. Attitudes to learning are best in Year 6 as a result of the very high standard of teaching. Pupils’ positive attitudes to their work contribute to the good progress that they make during their time in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Behaviour is good overall, and in many lessons it is very good or excellent. This was seen in an innovative numeracy lesson with a Year 6 class when pupils were learning about prime numbers and factors. They responded very positively to the challenges set them and worked co-operatively with each other. This contributed to the very good progress that they made in their learning. In a few lessons behaviour is unsatisfactory. This is usually as a result of weak class control by the teacher and uninteresting lessons, which do not move pupils’ learning on fast enough. As a result they become Fryent Primary School - 13 bored and restless. Sometimes pupils are required to sit too long on the carpet listening to their teacher. A small minority of pupils in almost every class present very challenging behaviour, but the majority of teachers deal with this skilfully.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The majority of pupils behave well in and around the school. When the field is in use, pupils have plenty of space and most play well together. There are incidents between pupils but these are often resolved by the pupils themselves, without an adult having to intervene. Pupils have a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others and many opportunities are provided for them to consider this. In the dining room, which echoes, pupils tend to shout to be heard. This makes it a very noisy and unpleasant place in which to eat a meal. Some of the younger pupils do not use cutlery properly or sit down when eating.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. There have been five exclusions in the last academic year, but this is unusual for the school and there are particular circumstances that explain this. The school is usually able to deal with extremes of behaviour effectively.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Relationships between pupils are good and they work well in small groups and pairs in most lessons. This is impressive given how frequently pupils move in and out of the school and the very wide range of backgrounds and cultures from which they come. There are occasions when pupils work less well together, but this is usually as a result of weaknesses in teaching. Pupils show respect for each other’s feelings, values and beliefs as a consequence of the efforts by all staff to promote this. There is a strong sense of racial harmony.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils readily undertake jobs around the school. They enjoy their role as monitors, school council representatives, classroom helpers and peace officers. At lunchtimes, only the older pupils clear their lunch trays; younger pupils are also capable of doing this. Pupils often demonstrate independence in their learning, using dictionaries for words that they do not know, and the Internet for researching topics. For example, pupils in a Year 3 lesson about non-violent people of faith like Martin Luther King had found out much information in preparation for a debate.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Attendance and punctuality are poor and have steadily deteriorated in recent years. Too many pupils arrive at school late or have regular absences. As a result they miss lessons and this affects their progress. Unauthorised absence is above average when compared with other schools but has decreased this year. Part of the reason for this absence relates to keeping pupils on roll for a time after they have left the school. Many absences are recorded as authorised and the school needs to take a closer look at the reasons why parents are allowing so many days to be missed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching and learning are good overall. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection, particularly in Years 3 to 6. A small amount of unsatisfactory teaching remains (around eight per cent of lessons seen), but more than 20 per cent is very good or excellent. The systematic and rigorous monitoring of teaching, coupled with effective advice and support has been instrumental in securing these improvements even with a relatively high turnover of staff in recent years. A high proportion of the best teaching is in English and mathematics in Year 6. This accounts in part for the rising standards in these subjects and the very good progress made by the pupils in their final year at the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teaching is satisfactory in the Nursery and Reception classes and as a result the children make sound progress. Planning is supported by national guidance for children of this age and all staff work well as a team. Teaching is good in science, design and technology, geography and ICT throughout the school. It is also good in English, mathematics and history in Years 3 to 6.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Individual teachers and classroom assistants know the needs of their pupils well, through careful observation and planned assessment. Whole-school procedures are used to monitor and track the progress of pupils. This has a positive impact on their achievement. Teachers and assistants provide effective, specialist support for these Fryent Primary School - 14 pupils in developing their reading and writing over time. Teachers benefit from the expertise of the two experienced and well-qualified co-ordinators who carefully analyse pupils' results and track their progress. This ensures that teachers have appropriate knowledge and teaching strategies to meet the pupils' needs. Teachers have worked with the co-ordinators on planning learning targets for individual education plans, with successful results. Consequently staff are now aware of how they can help the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils, and they are setting specific, measurable goals in well-written individual education plans.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is largely through support in mainstream classes and is mostly good. There is also some small withdrawal group teaching, with sessions planned carefully in conjunction with class teachers. The specialist teacher and teaching assistants focus well on developing the pupils’ speaking and listening skills as well as their understanding in English.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Lessons are generally carefully planned so that skills from previous lessons are reviewed and consolidated, and new learning can build on this. The clear objectives for each lesson are shared with the pupils so that they have a good picture of what it is they are to learn. Their success in meeting the objectives is discussed at the end of the better lessons, but this is not a common feature in all classrooms. The very good planning and structure to a Year 6 literacy lesson and skilled questioning that engaged the pupils well, focused the subsequent discussion and generated a brisk pace to learning. A literacy lesson to a top Year 6 group, where the pupils were evaluating the style of an author, also benefited from very thorough planning with clear objectives. Again, skilful questioning was used very effectively to check the pupils’ understanding. Teachers also use homework well to build on and extend

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The more successful teachers have high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and how well they should behave and, as in the previous examples, they use questioning skilfully to draw out pupils’ ideas and to check their understanding. For example, the teacher’s high expectations in a Year 2 science lesson, coupled with the judicious use of praise, encouragement and questioning helped to generate pace, purpose and challenge. The pupils responded by working hard and with much interest as they made predictions about whether electrical circuits would work. Pupils were challenged to think in a Year 6 science lesson as they learned about different electrical components and circuits to enable them to design a burglar alarm. The teacher expected and achieved good behaviour. As a result, the pupils tried hard and many were successful in completing the task. The calm manner of the teacher and her high

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

expectations of the pupils in a middle-ability Year 5 numeracy set produced a very effective working atmosphere. The teacher skilfully reviewed, consolidated and adapted teaching in response to weaknesses that emerged in the pupils’ understanding of how to change fractions into decimals and then how to order decimals. A good level of questioning was used to confirm understanding and to extend learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Much of the best teaching is brisk and lively and teachers demonstrate a high level of expertise. This generates interest and enthusiasm in the pupils, who work hard and learn new ideas at a rapid pace. A good example of this was evident when the teacher’s high level of subject expertise was used very effectively to initiate a discussion about forces and friction on a moving boat as a prelude to a Year 4 science investigation of water resistance. This captured and retained the pupils’ attention and drew out many good ideas from them. The teacher in a very well-taught Year 6 music lesson generated pace and a sense of purpose as the pupils were encouraged to understand that lyrics have a social and cultural meaning. Excellent class management and very good discussion of lyrics and melody generated enthusiasm, and very clear explanations ensured that the pupils understood the purpose of their tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

The teaching in a Year 6 numeracy lesson for a below-average ability group was brisk, lively and interesting as the teacher initially reviewed place value and then went on to consider the symmetries of standard shapes. The teacher handled the pupils’ mistakes positively and ensured that they understood before they moved on. Teachers also make very good use of the resources available to them. This was particularly evident in the use of the recently purchased interactive whiteboard. This was used well in two Year 6 lessons to stimulate the interest of the pupils and to make presentations very clear.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. There are some shortcomings in teaching, which need to be tackled. While most teachers have established a good working atmosphere in their classes based on clear and understood expectations for behaviour, this is not the case in all classrooms. The methods used firstly to capture and retain the Fryent Primary School - 15 interest of the pupils and secondly to control their behaviour are not effective. A small number of pupils in these classes take up a disproportionate amount of the teacher’s time, disrupt the smooth flow of lessons and slow the pace at which everyone can learn. The main other shortcoming is that individual teachers do not have secure knowledge in all subjects. This accounted for unsatisfactory music and science lessons. More widespread is the weakness in knowledge and understanding in teaching physical education, which is resulting in slow progress and unsatisfactory standards.

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PUPILS?

27. Overall, the quality and range of the curriculum provided by the school are good and promote the aims of the school well. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements and offers to pupils a good range of opportunities. Appropriate policies and schemes of work are in place for all subjects and each receives an appropriate amount of teaching time. Team curriculum planning in year groups means that long-term and medium-term planning is good and provides for the coverage of all National Curriculum programmes of study. Weekly plans are detailed and focus on key objectives that meet the differing learning needs of pupils well. Subject co-ordinators monitor the planning to ensure that all aspects of their subjects are being taught in sufficient depth and at an appropriate level for the age and abilities of the pupils.

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PUPILS?

28. The school’s strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy have proved effective in raising standards. The provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is good, with a detailed scheme of work in place. Sex education and the use and misuse of medicines and drugs are taught as part of this programme and through the science curriculum. Pupils are provided with accurate information, which promotes positive attitudes to a healthy life style.

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PUPILS?

29. Overall, the quality and range of learning opportunities for children in the Nursery and Reception classes are satisfactory. The planning is detailed and takes full account of the six areas of learning as recommended in the curriculum guidance for this age group.

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PUPILS?

30. The pupils are fully included in the life of the school, enabling them to benefit from the many learning and social opportunities provided because of the school’s very good strategies for inclusion. The school has identified some very high-attaining pupils in literacy and numeracy and has made appropriate arrangements for extending these pupils. The school has made a sustained effort to improve its provision for pupils with special educational needs since the last inspection and pupils' needs are now identified effectively. Individual teachers have a good knowledge of these pupils, and individual education plans are well written and have regular review dates. The monitoring and recording for pupils with a statement of need are very good and annual reviews very effectively meet the requirements of the new Code of Practice. Teaching assistants are experienced and fully trained to do the work that they are

p.15

PUPILS?

given. Overall, provision is good and is enabling pupils with special educational needs to learn effectively and make good progress. Good provision is also made for the increasing number of pupils with English as an additional language. The support for these pupils is carefully targeted to meet their specific needs, which are identified by a thorough assessment system. Early learners of English in the lower part of the school and the achievement of pupils in Years 5 and 6 are the current focuses for support.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. A minority of parents are unhappy with the range of activities provided beyond the school day. Inspection evidence is that extra-curricular provision is satisfactory and most pupils are able to take part in a variety of activities. Examples include choir, football, netball and private French and tennis coaching by outside providers. The additional activities undertaken by the school are adding an extra dimension to the planned curriculum. These include visits to the local museum and a residential visit to the local authority’s outdoor educational study centre. The curriculum is also enriched by visits from a storyteller, a scientist and an artist from a minority ethnic community.

p.15

PUPILS?

32. The good links with the local community make a positive contribution to the pupils’ experience and learning. The school has established good working links with organisations like Beacon Schools for supporting the gifted and talented pupils and the organisation called Bears Youth Challenge for providing mentors for some pupils. A reading partners scheme is now developed where an employee from a city Fryent Primary School - 16 financial institution supports pupils in developing their reading skills. There are sound links with the local high school to which most pupils transfer. This involves staff from the high school coming to Fryent to talk to pupils and pupils visiting the high school.

p.15

PUPILS?

33. The promotion of the pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. It is enhanced through religious education, where they learn about world faiths, and in assemblies. Here, pupils enter to a calm atmosphere created by the well-chosen music. Pupils take part in prayers and have time for reflection. They are encouraged to develop an appreciation of the wonders of the natural world, for example, through PSHE lessons where they are taught to protect the environment.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. Provision for moral development is very good and is a strength of the school. Staff provide very good role models. Pupils are taught right from wrong from an early age and are encouraged to reflect on their behaviour and the impact it has on both adults and other pupils. The school has its own ‘Golden Rules’ which are displayed in the classrooms and to which the pupils adhere very well.

p.16

PUPILS?

35. The school also makes very good provision for the pupils’ social development. Staff have created a very caring community in which everyone is respected and supported very well. There are valuable opportunities for the pupils to work collaboratively in lessons. Older pupils have many opportunities for taking on responsibilities in and around the school, such as wet play monitors and peace officers. Pupils are elected as school council representatives, reporting to the school about the progress they make in dealing with the areas for improvement as suggested by the pupils.

p.16

PUPILS?

36. The provision for cultural development is good. Aspects of work in geography, history, art and religious education offer opportunities to explore both British and other cultures. An understanding of other cultures is also developed well, through assemblies, where the pupils’ own diverse cultures are celebrated. During the black history month, the school had visits from many successful members of the African and Afro-Caribbean communities, such as a storyteller, a scientist and an artist, raising their awareness of different cultures.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The support and guidance provided for pupils are strengths of the school and have improved considerably since the time of the last inspection. Staff know pupils and their particular family circumstances very well and sensitively support and guide them. Knowledge of individual pupils is used intelligently to target specific provision to meet their needs. For example, homework support and booster classes are provided for those needing additional help. African-Caribbean boys in Years 5 and 6, who have been identified as having behavioural difficulties and special educational needs, are very effectively supported by external mentors. This is part of a local 'Boys to Men' initiative. This assists with developing the pupils’ self-esteem through positive role models provided by African Caribbean men who have volunteered from the local community to work alongside them. New pupils with English as an additional

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

language are carefully placed in a class where a common language is present. Pupils from the traveller community are linked in with Local Authority support workers. All new pupils are allocated a buddy to show them around the school and help them to settle in. Pupils in Year 6 are well supported as they prepare to transfer to secondary school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The arrangements for assessing pupils’ attainment and for tracking their progress have improved since the last inspection and are very good overall. Individual attainment in English and mathematics is assessed each half term and progress is systematically monitored. This tracking system is being extended to record progress in science. Assessment information is used very effectively to plan the next steps in learning and to set targets for individuals, classes and for year groups. Pupils’ attainment is matched against the expected national standards for each age group, and teachers set appropriate goals for their pupils. The regular assessments enable teachers to detect under-achievement and to intervene at an early stage. Gifted and talented pupils are now being identified and they are being properly challenged. An exciting and innovative system is being developed to enable teachers to record

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

assessments, plan, and to analyse and track progress using laptop computers in the classroom. Fryent Primary School - 17 39. Assessment procedures in the Nursery and Reception classes are very good, and the information gained is used appropriately to move the children’s learning forward. Pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs benefit from the good systems described above and they are also carefully and regularly monitored to ensure that their specific needs are being met. Individual needs are identified speedily at whatever stage pupils enter the school. Assessment in subjects other than the core is being developed and there are already good systems in place to monitor progress and guide planning in ICT. There remains work to do to establish useful procedures in art, music and physical education.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school correctly identifies pupils with special educational needs. Individual teachers have a good knowledge of these pupils, and provide them with effective levels of personal support and guidance. Individual education plans are well written and have regular review dates. The monitoring and recording for pupils with a statement of special educational needs are very good and annual reviews very effectively meet the requirements of the new Code of Practice.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has effective measures to promote good behaviour. A positive behaviour policy is in place, which the majority of staff implement well. A variety of strategies are in use. These are targeted specifically at individual pupils’ needs, such as star charts, merit awards and good work assemblies. Twenty of the older pupils have received training to assist them with strategies to deal with disagreements and conflict. There is evidence of this in use around the school as peace officers mediate and intervene in playground incidents. Oppressive behaviour is discussed as part of PSHE lessons and assemblies. Pupils are equipped with the skills to challenge bullying and talk confidently about how they use them. The majority of staff deal with behavioural incidents in a very constructive way, talking calmly with pupils and listening to their explanations.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school is very effective in promoting racial harmony. This is achieved by all staff promoting and valuing different cultural experiences and contributions through lessons and assemblies. For example, in a Year 5 English lesson on a poem written by an English poet, cultural influence and dialect were also explored. Acceptance of others is also achieved through dealing with incidents as they occur. Racist incidents are recorded, talked through with the individuals involved and monitored to ensure that they are not repeated. All staff demonstrate awareness of the importance of this and are vigilant in tackling such situations when they arise.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The good practice of targeting improvements in behaviour and learning has not been applied to attendance and punctuality and consequently the school is far less effective in this area. Too many pupils are missing lessons by either being late or not coming to school at all. There are some measures in place to tackle this; for example, the deputy headteacher waits for late arrivals in the corridor and hurries them to their class. Rewards are given to classes and individual pupils for good attendance; however, the system of class teachers monitoring attendance is ineffective as they do not have the time to do this properly. Non-class based staff need to be involved in contacting parents if their child is not at school – this is currently only done by letter and only on a weekly basis. Much more stringent measures are needed in partnership with parents to promote punctual arrival at school and

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

improved attendance. The codes which teachers use to record absences are also not being used consistently throughout the school – this was identified at the time of the last inspection and has not yet been dealt with successfully.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Procedures for child protection are good, as are arrangements for ensuring pupils’ welfare. The school is part of the Healthy Schools Initiative and issues free fruit to all pupils each day. First aid is administered appropriately and sensitively by trained welfare staff. Regular risk assessments are carried out to ensure health and safety procedures are adhered to, and this is overseen by the Governing Body.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Lunchtimes are adequately supervised and the system devised by staff enables all pupils to eat their food in the time and space available. In the dining room, shouting is often tolerated and pupils are not always required to eat their food sensibly. Pupils are provided with plastic cutlery which is difficult for them to use to cut their food. Links between lunchtime staff and teachers of the younger pupils are good. Information is shared about circumstances which relate to individual pupils, and any incidents which occur between pupils are reported back; however, links are not as strong between lunchtime staff Fryent Primary School - 18 and teachers of pupils in Years 3 to 6 and this could be improved. There is currently a limited amount of play equipment available for pupils of all ages to use, although there are plans to remedy this soon.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Parents’ views of the school are very positive on all matters with the exception of a small number who are dissatisfied with after-school activities and the amount of homework which the school provides. The vast majority of parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire state that their child likes school, is making good progress and that teaching is good. They feel comfortable about approaching staff at the school and feel well informed about how their child is doing. They think that the school is well led and managed and that behaviour in the school is good. The inspection confirms all of these favourable views. The inspection team judges after-school activities to be satisfactory, although recognises that the widest range is only available to older pupils, and judges homework to support learning well. Satisfaction levels amongst parents have improved since the time of the last inspection. The Governing Body issues a

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

questionnaire to parents every year to monitor and respond to their views about the school. This is good practice.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school makes good efforts to include parents in its work but few are actively involved. A small number help in classes and accompany educational visits. The policy, which some teachers follow of not allowing parents to help in their own child’s class may well be deterring involvement. There are vacancies for parents to serve as members of the Governing Body. The school needs to find more imaginative ways of involving parents in its life. Parents do show an interest when their child is presenting work or is involved in a performance, and several attended an assembly which one of the Reception classes led during the week of the inspection. The majority of parents help their children with reading and homework tasks, although few write comments in reading diaries.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. There is a Parent/Staff Association which organises regular fundraising and social events. These are well supported and raise valuable funds for the school. Money raised has been used to purchase equipment for the Nursery, blinds for classrooms and dictionaries for pupils as they leave Year 6. The Home/School Liaison teacher organises monthly coffee mornings which some parents attend. Regular newsletters are sent to parents encouraging their involvement and are written in a very welcoming and friendly way. They provide very useful information and give helpful advice, such as how to help a child prepare for their tests; however, newsletters do not give examples of the varied ways in which parents could help the work of the school. This will be worth including in future communications. Efforts to involve parents of pupils with special educational needs are effective. For example, a drop-in is held at

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

each open evening for any parents who may have concerns about how well their child is doing. Staff make themselves available to parents at the beginning and end of each school day and much informal contact is made this way.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The information which the school provides for parents is good. Welcome packs are translated to assist parents for whom English is an additional language. Efforts are also made to ensure that another parent or member of staff can translate any conversations which need to take place. Annual reports provide a thorough analysis of each child’s progress and achievements in English and mathematics and include targets for future development. There is evidence of increasing parent partnership and community involvement in the area of special educational needs. Parents are kept informed of their children's progress and are invited in regularly to review meetings. They are consulted on targets in individual education plans and use 'drop in' sessions at parents' consultation evenings to discuss concerns about their children's learning needs.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Strong leadership and very effective management processes have been instrumental in the good progress made by the school in recent years. The headteacher and deputy head provide the school with a clear direction based on improving teaching and raising standards. This commitment is shared by all staff. The school is successful in its main aims of meeting the individual needs of all pupils and providing a safe, happy and stimulating learning environment. The headteacher and deputy head work Fryent Primary School - 19 particularly well as a team. Their skills complement each other and have ensured continuity while the headteacher leads a neighbouring school for three days each week.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Strong teamwork is a particular feature throughout the school and has been used effectively to manage the implementation of initiatives through staff working groups. The roles of the subject co-ordinator, year team leaders and others with management responsibilities have developed considerably in recent years and they now have a pivotal part to play in the process of improving the school. These roles are fulfilled with varying effectiveness, largely dependent on the time in post. They have made a significant impact on the implementation of national strategies, improvements in science and ICT, developing provision for pupils with special educational needs and the introduction of a comprehensive system for monitoring the progress of pupils. Year teams work particularly well, enabling expertise to be shared, staff supported and a common understanding of standards to be agreed.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well managed. An effective development plan following the last inspection has had a positive impact on the management and progress of pupils. The school has very close relationships with visiting professionals and the use of their specialist support is very effectively managed.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. One significant factor in the progress made has been the introduction of thorough and rigorous procedures for monitoring the work of staff and evaluating the effectiveness of action taken by the school. The systematic monitoring of the work of teachers, coupled with support, advice and further training has brought about significant improvements in teaching and learning. Lesson observations, the scrutiny of planning and the regular analysis of pupils’ work have all played an important part in this process. Senior staff and co-ordinators have a clearly defined and appropriate role to undertake. The procedures for managing the performance of teachers have also been effectively introduced and used to support the school’s established processes. As a result, the strengths and shortcomings in teaching are understood by the headteacher, and steps continually introduced to secure improvements. The school

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

is now building up a considerable bank of data which is used well to evaluate how successful the school’s action is in securing change. The processes and the information that they generate are used well to guide planning for the improvement of the school. The main priorities and the action plans associated with them are appropriate and are based clearly on raising standards.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The Governing Body is successful in ensuring that the school meets all of its statutory responsibilities. It is able to check the progress of planned action through its committee structure. Governors are suitably involved in planning for the school’s improvement and in supporting action taken. The major weakness in the Governing Body is that there have regularly been several vacancies for parent governors. The work, therefore, falls back on a small core of committed governors. Most are in full-time employment, making it difficult for them to undertake visits to see the school at work. In spite of this, governors have a secure understanding of the school and what needs to be done to maintain recent progress.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Financial planning is not straightforward. The high pupil mobility causes uncertainty over likely levels of both income and expenditure. Governors have, therefore, been prudent over the latter. One consequence is that they have not felt it possible to appoint more permanent support staff, the numbers being comparatively low for a school of this size. On the other hand, financial planning has been used particularly well to meet other school priorities and to extend computer facilities. Staff use the new technology available to them well to support learning and to monitor the progress of pupils. Governors and the Local Education Authority have been involved for three years in bidding for Private Finance Initiative (PFI) funding to rebuild parts of the school. Because of this, the redecoration of areas of the school has been put on hold. As a result, a comparatively large budget surplus has accrued. It would

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

appear that the bid has been unsuccessful at present and governors are now looking at plans to reduce this high surplus.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The funds that the school receives for pupils with special educational needs through the Local Authority audit are appropriately targeted and efficiently managed. The school places a high priority on spending for pupils with special educational needs and substantially supplements the budget. Fryent Primary School - 20 57. The number of staff is satisfactory overall. The school has sufficient teachers for each class but a low number of classroom assistants and administrative staff when compared with schools of a similar size. This means that teachers are carrying out tasks, such as checking unexplained absences, from which they could otherwise be relieved. It also slows the rate of progress which pupils in Years 1 and 2 make as a result of too few adults being available to work with small groups and individual pupils. The small number of classroom assistants that the school does employ provide very good support in lessons.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Office staff spend much of their time, compared with many other schools, dealing with the administration associated with the transfer of pupils in and out of the school.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Teaching staff are confident in the areas of literacy, numeracy and ICT and teach these subjects well. The special educational needs team is also experienced and effective; however, there are weaknesses in the teaching of music and art as there are no permanent co-ordinators managing these subjects. There are also gaps in the knowledge and understanding of many teachers in physical education, which results in weak teaching.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. The school site is a good size with a large field. Classrooms are located on two floors, although four are separate from the main building and housed in temporary buildings. There are two good-sized halls available for physical education lessons and assemblies. The school has a separate canteen, which is barely adequate for the current number of pupils. Voices echo in the dining hall, which makes lunchtimes very noisy and unpleasant. Classrooms vary in size; some are adequate for the number of pupils, others are very cramped and make moving around difficult. The lack of space, and in one class, the lack of water, restricts the teaching of design and technology, science and art.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The Reception classes still do not have a dedicated external area for the children’s physical development. This was mentioned at the time of the last inspection. There are plans to deal with this soon. The surface of the playgrounds is uneven and unsuitable for outdoor physical education lessons. There is no library, although classrooms are well stocked with books. The building is in a poor state of decoration.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. Learning resources are satisfactory overall. Resources are good in English and ICT and support learning well. The resources available for pupils with special educational needs, English as an additional language and traveller children have all improved since the last inspection. Although resources for physical education are satisfactory overall, they are inadequate for gymnastics. Resources for teaching religious education are unsatisfactory as there are insufficient artefacts available.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

62. To continue the good progress made in recent years, the school should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise standards and the rate of progress of the pupils in Years 1 and 2 in English and mathematics (paragraphs 6, 82, 84, 86 and 96)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve teaching in physical education (paragraphs 6, 7, 39 and 26)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) rigorously seek to improve attendance and reduce lateness to school.* (paragraphs 18 and 43)

p.20

Other issues which should be considered by the school

63. In addition to the items above, the governors may wish to consider the inclusion of the following points in their action plan:

p.20

Other issues which should be considered by the school

• Improve teacher subject knowledge and assessment procedures in art and music. (paragraphs 26 and 39) Fryent Primary School - 21 • Provide access to an outdoor area for all children in Reception.* (paragraphs 60 and 71) • Improve resources for gymnastics and religious education. (paragraph 61)

p.20

Other issues which should be considered by the school

* These items have been identified by the school as priorities for development in its improvement plan.

p.21

AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

64. The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good. The school has maintained its provision since the last inspection, although the percentage of pupils has increased from 62% to nearly 75% since then. Nearly one-fifth of the pupils are at the early stages of English acquisition, and many of them are refugees, mainly from Somalia. These pupils often enter the school during the school year, and may have had traumatising experiences and disrupted education or not have been to school at all. Consequently many of the learners of English as an additional language start from a very low base.

p.21

AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

65. The good management and co-ordination of provision help the school to work effectively towards raising the achievement of these pupils. The school carefully considers the needs of pupils from different ethnic groups and pupils who arrive in the middle of the school year. The Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant has been targeted well to employ specialist teachers and teaching assistants, based on the pupils’ identified needs. This year, the staff are supporting early stage learners in Reception and Year 2 as well other pupils in Years 5 and 6 who are likely to reach the standards expected for their age. Support is also given to the ethnic minority pupils in Years 5 and 6 who are at risk of exclusion.

p.21

AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

66. The standards of work produced by the early stage learners are well below national expectations; however, they make good progress in language acquisition. The pupils achieve well in literacy, particularly in speaking and listening through targeted support given by the specialist staff. This progress continues, and towards the end of Year 6, the majority have acquired the necessary language skills to participate in lessons and achieve well in the national tests. This is reflected in the school’s analysis of pupils’ progress. Although Somali pupils are achieving lower results overall, pupils who have joined the school from Years 3 to 6 have made good progress. This is a significant achievement for the school.

p.21

AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

67. Teaching consists mainly of in-class support, but there are occasions when small group work outside the class is set up through joint planning with class teachers. The quality of teaching is generally good. In the lessons observed, the specialist teacher showed a secure knowledge of how to develop the English language skills of bilingual learners through other subjects of the curriculum. There was a clear focus on developing the pupils’ speaking and listening skills. The teaching assistants use suitable methods and visual resources, which enable pupils to develop understanding in English. Whole-school assessment has promptly been brought in line with the Qualification and Curriculum Authority’s scale for assessment. The needs of pupils are very carefully assessed and progress is rigorously monitored.

p.21

AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

68. The whole ethos of the school is one of inclusion. Great value is attached to the pupils’ cultural tradition and home languages to raise their self-esteem and confidence. The school has improved its provision for dual language books since the last inspection. There is very good support for refugee children and other new arrivals to help them settle into the school. Volunteer mentors and youth workers support individual pupils effectively and give them a sense of security. The school’s links with parents are good. They receive welcome packs in their languages, if needed, and there are staff from the same language backgrounds as parents who also help them. Parents are consulted on their children’s targets and receive information on their progress.

p.21

AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

69. The current level of staffing is not adequate to meet the growing needs of pupils and the school is aware of this. In order to improve the provision, the school needs to develop the skills of class teachers in tackling the needs of pupils. Fryent Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 29

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 24 508

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 181

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 8

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 135

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 383

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 115

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 156

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Fryent Primary School - 23 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Fryent Primary School - 24

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 34 44 78

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

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

Boys 23 26 29 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 34 37 39

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (78) 81 (80) 87 (80) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (83 ) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 25 27 30 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 36 35 39

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 78 (76) 79 (81) 88 (76) at NC Level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.24

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

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

p.24

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 44 33 77

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 30 34 33 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 23 21 23

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (56) 74 (53) 74 (67) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 31 33 33 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 23 21 23

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (54) 73 (69) 74 (54) at NC Level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Fryent Primary School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 68 Black – Caribbean heritage 3 -

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 74 Black – African heritage - -

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 48 Other minority ethnic groups 1 -

p.25

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.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 25.9 Financial year 2000/01

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.9

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 1,436,286

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6.3 Total expenditure 1,397,324

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 169.25 Expenditure per pupil 2,333

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: Nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 100,505

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 139,467

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 21

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 21

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Fryent Primary School - 26 FTE means full-time equivalent. Fryent Primary School - 27

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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. 52 37 6 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 33 7 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 38 10 5 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 58 29 11 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 32 5 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 27 1 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 47 35 11 1 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 50 34 5 3 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 51 40 6 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 41 29 13 9 8 Fryent Primary School - 28

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

70. The school has sustained the quality of provision for children in the Foundation Stage reported at the previous inspection. Overall, the teaching and the quality of the curriculum offered to the children gives them a secure foundation to their school life. Teaching is satisfactory in all areas of learning and the children are making satisfactory progress. Teachers plan carefully in line with the recommended curriculum, with the exception of outdoor activities in the Reception classes.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. The Nursery is housed in the main building with easy access to a very large, secure, appropriately equipped outdoor area. This area is well used to support the curriculum. The two Reception classes are housed in the main building but currently have no access to an appropriate outdoor area. Opportunities to link the indoor curriculum to outdoor activities are, therefore, severely limited. The school has identified this as a priority for development. Currently there are two large Reception classes, which share a third classroom for creative activities. The classrooms are small and are not linked. As a result, opportunities for children to experience practical activities and to engage in learning by discovery are limited. In addition, the emphasis in the summer term on preparing children for Year 1 sometimes results in a too formal approach to learning for children of this age. The Nursery is well equipped with a

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

wide range of resources. The range of resources available in the Reception classes is satisfactory.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. Admission arrangements are sensitive to the needs of young children. A significant number of the children entering the Nursery are at the early stages of learning English. Staff work hard to establish good relations with parents and to involve them in their children's learning. By the time that they transfer to the Reception classes, they have made considerable progress in all aspects of their learning. By the time they enter Year 1, most pupils have reached the standard expected nationally in most areas of their learning with the exception of speaking and writing.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. In both the Nursery and the Reception classes, good provision is made for children with particular needs. Assessments made by staff when children enter school indicate that the attainment of most children is in line with national expectations. Staff use these assessments very well to plan work for the children, to assess their future needs, and to ensure that they make continued progress as they move through the Foundation Stage. Support staff work closely with the teachers, and their contribution has a beneficial effect on the progress made by the children.

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Personal, social and emotional development

74. Considerable emphasis is placed on the personal and social development of the children in both the Nursery and Reception classes. As a result, by the time they leave the Reception classes, they achieve the expected standards in this area. This represents good achievement and reflects the sensitivity of the teachers and support staff to the need to develop the children's confidence. The activities planned support the development of confidence and independence. The teaching is at least satisfactory; staff are particularly aware of children who find it difficult to settle in to school routines. All children are making good progress in this aspect of their learning, including those with particular needs. Children are very aware of routines and they take care of equipment when they tidy up at the end of sessions. They concentrate, work well together in groups, are learning to listen to others in class

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Personal, social and emotional development

sessions and to take turns sensibly. Staff provide good role models. Staff question and involve themselves with children during activities. The children's cultural and spiritual development is fostered through stories, assemblies and the general ethos of the classes. A particularly good aspect of this area of the curriculum is the way in which staff value the rich diversity of cultures within the classes and the school. Fryent Primary School - 29

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Communication, language and literacy

75. Most children are making at least satisfactory progress, although many are unlikely to achieve the standards expected in all aspects of language. Teachers and support staff in the Nursery and Reception classes focus on developing speaking and listening skills. As a result, the children's listening skills are now in line with national expectations and their speaking skills are developing well. Staff expect children to answer questions fully and do not accept monosyllabic replies. In the Nursery, children can recognise their name cards and most can make some recognisable attempt to write their name. Most children in the Reception classes write their names legibly. Phonics is introduced early on, using appropriate texts. Three literacy lessons were observed: one in the Nursery and two in the Reception classes. The teaching in two was satisfactory, and in the other, good. In the Nursery, the book chosen

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Communication, language and literacy

stimulated discussion and interest. In the Reception classes, the lessons were based on the literacy strategy. Activities were focused, and in one class, the more able children benefited from the support of the teacher in a guided writing activity; however, opportunities are missed to involve children in more appropriate literacy-related activities. Writing is encouraged, and although most children still need considerable assistance from staff in order to write, they are aware of where to start on the page and increasingly aware of how to form their letters. Higher-attaining children have made good progress in this aspect of their learning and are beginning to write independently. In both the Nursery and Reception classes, children are encouraged to take books home to share with their parents. In all three classes, children are happy to share books with adults and can retell favourite books in their own words

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Communication, language and literacy

confidently. A higher-attaining child in one Reception class could read most of the text of a book chosen at random from the library corner. Attainment in speaking and writing is generally below the nationally expected levels for children of this age, but they are making sustained progress. This reflects the quality of teaching that they receive.

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Mathematical development

76. Most children are likely to achieve the nationally expected standards by the time that they enter Year 1. All children, including those with particular needs, make good progress. This represents an improvement since the last inspection when attainment was found to be unsatisfactory. There has also been an improvement since the last inspection in the provision of practical mathematical activities. In the Nursery and the Reception classes, teaching is at least satisfactory and one good lesson was observed. In the Nursery, the activities provided are appropriate and support learning in this area of the curriculum. Staff work hard to provide a variety of practical activities, which are made enjoyable for the children by the way in which they are presented. In the Reception classes, children are following the National Numeracy Strategy. In the good lesson observed, support staff were used particularly well

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Mathematical development

during group activities and good use was made of practical activities to support learning. There are occasions when they would benefit from more appropriate activities for children of this age. A lesson observed in the spare classroom offered some very good opportunities for the children to explore number through a variety of appropriate activities, which enhanced their learning. In the Nursery and the Reception classes, mathematical language is introduced early on; children are aware of shape in the classroom and in the environment. In the Reception classes, transition to group work is smooth and the children sustain concentration for long periods. Appropriate resources are available to support learning in the subject.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. The school has sustained standards in this area since the last inspection. Most children are on target to achieve the standards expected of them by the time that they enter Year 1. A variety of activities are presented to the children in the Nursery to draw the children's attention to the world in which they live. Particularly good use of the outdoor area is made to support learning in this area. Children grow things for themselves, for example cress, and were observed cutting it and using it when making sandwiches. In the Reception classes, staff also make good use of the school grounds to raise the children's awareness of the environment and why they should care for it. There are some examples of early mapping skills developing, but there are occasions when opportunities to consolidate this learning are lost. During the inspection, Reception class children made themselves coloured glasses which they

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

used on an environmental walk. They responded enthusiastically to the effect of viewing their Fryent Primary School - 30 surroundings through these glasses. In the spare classroom, Reception children have limited opportunities to experiment with water and sand and to increase their understanding of the effects of variation. These activities provide very good learning situations. For example, children could explain why the weight of the sand dropping on a wheel made it turn; they could also link this to similar activities in the water tray. In all three classes, children have ready access to computers. They handle the mouse confidently, know how to change the screen and to click, drag and drop pictures.

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Physical development

78. Children make satisfactory progress in their physical development and most children are on target to reach the nationally expected levels by the end of their time in Reception. In the Nursery, there is an appropriate range of equipment in the outdoor area. This includes a variety of climbing apparatus and large wheeled toys. Children in the Nursery use all this apparatus sensibly and with confidence. For children in the Reception classes, opportunities to extend and develop these skills are limited by their lack of regular access to an outdoor area. Two indoor lessons were observed, a physical education lesson for the Nursery, and one dance lesson for a Reception class. One Reception class outdoor lesson was also observed. All three were satisfactory. Children in the Reception classes would benefit from more informal physical activities to support their developing body control and to help them

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Physical development

understand the need to use space wisely. In all three classes, teachers and support staff are very careful to teach the children the skills required, such as how to cut safely using scissors and how to use glue sensibly. Children with particular needs are fully involved in all activities.

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Creative development

79. Levels of attainment are in line with the nationally expected levels for children of this age. All children, including those with particular needs, make satisfactory progress. Activities provided for children when they enter the Nursery, ensure that they receive a wide variety of experiences which support the development of their creative skills. They handle paint and brushes with confidence. Role-play areas are provided; they are well used by the children. Staff extend these activities through effective questioning of the children. Design and technology is introduced through food technology. Opportunities to extend these activities are limited in the Reception classes. The rooms are small and the concentration on preparation for entry into Year 1 in the morning sessions results in restricted access to creative activities. One very good session was observed in the spare classroom, but these

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Creative development

activities are not frequent. As a result, the opportunity to develop satisfactory progress into good progress is lost. When they do have the opportunity, the children produce paintings and collage, which they enjoy displaying and sharing with adults. There are some opportunities for music, such as when children join in singing games in both the Nursery and Reception classes. This too is an aspect of the curriculum which could be extended, particularly as it would support language development.

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ENGLISH

80. Standards in English are improving. In 2001, the National Curriculum test results for the pupils in Year 6 were below average when compared with all schools but well above average when compared with similar schools. The test results for Year 2 pupils for reading were well below and for writing below the national average. They were above results in similar schools.

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ENGLISH

81. Improving standards in all aspects of English has been a major focus of the school, with the strategies introduced meeting with much success. The present inspection findings show that about three-quarters of the pupils achieve the nationally expected levels in all areas of English by the end of Year 6. Standards are broadly in line with the national average when compared with the 2001 test results. By contrast, standards are below average in speaking and listening and well below average in reading and writing by Year 2. Pupils’ progress in English is slower in Years 1 to 2 than in Years 3 to 6 in part because of the very large number of pupils at early stages of learning English as an additional language. Given the very high proportion of these pupils, many of whom join the school part way through the school year, pupils achieve well and make good progress by the time they are in Year 6. This is an area of

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ENGLISH

improvement since the previous inspection. Fryent Primary School - 31 82. Pupils enter the school with below average attainment in English, which is also lowered by the number of early stage pupils from refugee families who join the school in Years 1 and 2. The school has introduced opportunities for speaking and listening through other subjects, which are beginning to make an impact on pupils’ attainment. Listening is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2 but speaking is below average by the end of Year 2 where many pupils lack confidence and fluency to speak in English. As pupils move up the school, they develop these skills satisfactorily. Teaching offers the pupils opportunities to work in pairs and groups, which help them to learn to collaborate and discuss.

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ENGLISH

83. By the time they are in Year 6, their speaking and listening skills are broadly in line with national expectations except for a few beginners in English. In the lessons observed in Year 6, the teachers used questions very skilfully to draw on the pupils’ understanding of effective styles of writing as a preparation for writing reading journals. The pupils compared and contrasted different styles of writing and discussed some of the effective features of writing, for example, some pupils said: “writing in the first person gives the reader a sense of private feeling” or “the first person writing makes books more convincing”. They also explained the importance of the use of descriptive words in writing as it “makes the reader feel that he is there.”

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ENGLISH

84. The strong focus on the teaching of phonics in Years 1 to 2 helps the pupils to learn letter-sounds effectively. This is sometimes at the expense of understanding, a crucial aspect of the development of early learners of English as an additional language. Although the standard in reading is well below what is expected for their age in the current Year 2, and pupils have limited understanding of what they read, they can sound out unfamiliar words. Higher-attaining pupils read fluently and talk about the characters, plots and main events of the story, and know how to find information from books. Average and lower- attaining pupils, who are often early stage English learners find it difficult to talk about the books they read. They are able to distinguish between fiction and non-fiction books because of the strong focus on the teaching of non-fiction texts.

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ENGLISH

85. The pupils achieve well in reading in Years 3 to 6, where standards are at least average for their ages. In Year 6, where the teaching is very good, the teachers frequently check pupils’ understanding through a range of questions. There are higher-attaining pupils who read fluently and accurately with expression and understanding, and reach very secure standards for their age. They can discuss the main points and themes of the books that they read. They are able to compare the styles of different authors such as J.K. Rowling and Jacqueline Wilson or Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton. The pupils generally acquire sound library skills for finding information from books and other sources.

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ENGLISH

86. The school has placed considerable emphasis on improving the pupils’ writing skills. There are now well-planned opportunities for the systematic development of different kinds of writing in extended writing lessons. Although standards in writing are improving in Year 2 because of the good teaching of basic skills, they are still well below national expectations. Work seen in Year 2 shows that pupils produce mainly short pieces or a sequence of sentences based on what they read. As teaching frequently reminds pupils how to improve sentences, they learn to write in grammatically correct sentences with punctuation appropriate for their age. Pupils write reports, make flow charts and label diagrams in other subjects such as science, history and geography; however, there is not sufficient evidence of different types of extended writing appropriate for their age; even the higher-attaining pupils do not write

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ENGLISH

87. Given the limitations of the pupils’ skills in Year 2 they make good progress in writing in Years 3 to 6, so that basic skills are well established for most pupils by Year 6. In the current Year 6, about three- quarters of the pupils are reaching the expected level and a small number have exceeded them. Work seen in pupils’ books in Year 6 shows that the pupils write at length, sustaining ideas and using complex sentences to extend meaning. The pupils in Years 3 to 6 are learning to write for a range of purposes and they are achieving well. They write poems, stories, book reviews, character descriptions, letters and diaries. At the heart of this achievement lies the good-quality teaching, which is very well planned with stimulating activities matched to the pupils’ needs. This helps to engage the pupils effectively on task and they learn with interest and enthusiasm. They enjoy writing poetry using rhyme

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ENGLISH

patterns, similes, metaphors and onomatopoeia (sound words), for example ‘Sounds in the House’ written by a Year 3 pupil: Fryent Primary School - 32 The squeaking of the box and the ticking of the clock, The ripping of the pages and the crumple of the edges, The squeaking of the door and the crack on the floor, The cat is fat and it’s purring by the mat.

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ENGLISH

88. In a lesson in Year 5, the teacher showed pupils how to write a performance poem using a model. The pupils understood the importance of keeping the beat and rhyme patterns in a performance poem:

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ENGLISH

Pounce like a fast cheetah Jump like a huge kangaroo Sway from tree to tree Like a busy gorilla in a zoo.

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ENGLISH

89. The systematic teaching of spelling has contributed to satisfactory standards across the school. By Year 6, pupils have a sound knowledge of useful strategies to help with spellings. Handwriting is weak. Although pupils in Years 1 to 2 write using well-formed letters, handwriting is not yet joined up for many in Years 3 to 6.

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ENGLISH

90. Teaching has improved significantly in Years 3 to 6 since the previous inspection. It is satisfactory in Years 1 to 2, good in Years 3 to 5 and very good in Year 6. The lessons are very well planned, indicating the secure subject knowledge of the teachers. The teachers are effective in drawing on pupils’ previous learning, a strong feature in most lessons. Pupils are keen to show what they can remember and are ready to learn new things. Where teaching is only satisfactory, pupils are not effectively managed to enable them to remain on task and this often slows down the pace. Much of the teaching at the upper end of the school is very dynamic, where the teachers maintain a brisk pace through well- planned timed activities. They have high expectations of the work and behaviour of their pupils and manage them very effectively. Consequently, behaviour is good. English makes a good contribution to

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ENGLISH

the pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development.

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ENGLISH

91. Pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans with clear targets in literacy, which are followed carefully, and they make good progress. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language also make good progress.

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ENGLISH

92. Good improvement has taken place since the last inspection. The systematic monitoring of teachers’ planning and their lessons, very good assessment procedures and the use of test data to set targets for pupils have helped to improve teaching and standards. The school has effectively implemented the National Literacy Strategy. This is having a beneficial impact on the quality of teaching and pupils’ standards across the school, but more so in Years 3 to 6. Teachers use other subjects creatively to develop reading, writing and research skills. Speaking, reading and writing remain major weaknesses in Years 1 to 2 and quite rightly need to be major focuses for the work of the school.

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MATHEMATICS

93. Standards in mathematics, as measured by National Curriculum test results for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils have improved since the last inspection. Results at Year 2 have fluctuated. They rose sharply in 2001 but were still below the national average. There has been a steady improvement at Year 6, and results in 2001 were close to the national average. Two factors, the high level of pupil mobility and the large number of pupils with English as an additional language affect results, to a much greater extent at Year 2 than at Year 6. The school has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and introduced teaching in ability groups from Year 2 upwards to support rising standards. These initiatives are having a greater impact in the upper part of the school.

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MATHEMATICS

94. Teaching is satisfactory overall in Years 1 and 2. Most pupils make sound progress, but standards in the current Year 2 are well below average. A greater proportion of this year group than in 2001 are not working securely at the level expected for their age. This is partly because there are more pupils with special educational needs and also as a result of high pupil mobility. Attainment is higher in Year 1, Fryent Primary School - 33 which baseline assessments have shown to be a more able year group. One further factor influencing attainment in Years 1 and 2 is the large number of pupils with English as an additional language. Their progress is slower than others as they are often just starting to learn English. The support for these pupils during mathematics lessons as well as for pupils with special educational needs is not sufficient for them to make the progress needed from a low base to achieve standards expected for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Progress made by most pupils is good in Years 3 to 6. Teaching is good overall and of a consistently high quality in Year 6. The number of pupils working securely at the level expected for their age is higher in Year 6 than in recent years, continuing the improvement in standards here. Overall, standards are close to the national average in the current Year 6. Pupils are achieving well in relation to their earlier test results in Year 2. One factor that is significantly influencing standards is the teaching of pupils in ability groups. This is particularly effective in Year 6, where the deployment of an additional teacher results in small class sizes. The pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and English as an additional language benefit considerably here from greater individual attention as well as the high quality of the teaching.

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MATHEMATICS

96. One strength of the teaching is that lessons are very carefully planned with clear objectives for the pupils’ learning. These are discussed with pupils at the start of each lesson, but are not consistently reviewed at the end. Lessons usually begin with a discussion of previous learning so that pupils have a clear idea of the purpose of each session. Skills are systematically developed both in individual lessons and over a period of time. In most classes, teachers use a good variety of interesting activities to promote the development of mental arithmetic skills and the quick recall of basic number facts such as the pupils’ multiplication tables. Pupils are keen to participate in these sessions and often a real sense of enthusiasm is generated. For example, Year 1 pupils were engrossed for a long period as they practised finding the difference between two numbers generated by rolling a large dice. Similarly, Year 6

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MATHEMATICS

pupils in an above-average ability group readily investigated the possible starting two-digit and three-digit numbers in multiplication questions where they were given the final answer.

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MATHEMATICS

97. Written methods of calculating are introduced in Year 4. The pupils are taught several methods and encouraged to use the one with which they feel most comfortable, while checking their answers for accuracy. Most Year 6 pupils can calculate with whole numbers and decimals, while the higher- attaining pupils are accurate when calculating with fractions and percentages. Main class teaching sessions in the best lessons are brisk and lively; teachers have high expectations to which the pupils respond well by concentrating and working hard. New skills are learnt rapidly. Questioning is used skilfully to retain attention and to probe the pupils’ understanding. Teachers were observed to adapt their teaching patiently when questioning revealed misconceptions. For example, the teacher in a Year 5 middle ability set discovered that the pupils were quite uncertain in changing fractions to decimals and

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MATHEMATICS

then putting decimals in order. By thoughtful questioning and careful explanations she was able to clarify misunderstanding and ensured that the lesson’s objectives were met by most pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

98. The activities provided by teachers to support new learning are imaginative and varied. They are often pitched at various levels, but there are times when the work for pupils in ability groups is not varied, thus missing the potential of this organisation to discriminate more finely between the ability and potential of the pupils. The activities provided are often challenging. Pupils are required to solve problems or undertake simple investigations. As result they learn to apply their mathematics readily to unfamiliar situations and gain a deeper understanding of concepts. Pupils also learn how to handle and interpret data, although they do not use their ICT skills consistently to support their learning and the presentation of their work in this area. Teachers give suitable consideration to developing the pupils’ understanding of the properties of shapes. Year 2 pupils were observed learning how to measure capacity and becoming

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MATHEMATICS

familiar with the metric units such as litres and millilitres. Higher-attaining Year 6 pupils can calculate the area of complex shapes and understand their angle properties. Pupils in the lowest ability set were observed accurately classifying two-dimensional shapes by their symmetries. Homework is used well in most classes to support and extend learning.

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MATHEMATICS

99. There are some shortcomings in teaching, but these are not necessarily associated entirely with mathematics. A slow pace and weaknesses in discipline led to some unsatisfactory lessons. Marking is also not being used consistently to give pupils a clear picture of what it is that they need to do to improve their work. Fryent Primary School - 34 100. Subject leadership and management have been effective in securing good improvements since the last inspection. Monitoring of planning and teaching has been instrumental in improving teaching, supporting the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and raising standards. Considerable progress has been made in the introduction of thorough procedures for assessing pupils and monitoring their progress. The information is used well to guide teachers in their future planning and to adapt their teaching programmes. There remains scope for further progress, particularly in Years 1 and 2 where

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MATHEMATICS

teaching is not consistently of the same quality as higher up the school. The school should also look towards increasing classroom support in Years 1 and 2 to increase the progress of pupils.

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SCIENCE

101. Results in the National Curriculum tests and assessments in 2001 were just below the national average at Year 2 and well below average at Year 6. Standards in science have improved since then and, by the time the pupils reach the end of Year 2 and Year 6, attainment is in line with national expectations. This progress is the result of concentrating on systematic lesson planning, improving the quality of teaching, which is now good, and an emphasis on developing investigative skills. Pupils in all year groups now achieve well in relation to their previous attainment.

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SCIENCE

102. During Years 1 and 2 pupils are taught to make careful observations and to describe and record their work with increasing independence. Good foundations are laid for work in Years 3 to 6. Pupils become confident in presenting their findings in various ways. In the best lessons, teachers have high expectations of the pupils’ ability to conduct investigations and to record outcomes. For example, many of the pupils in Year 2 were able to work independently, record their predictions about whether various electrical circuits would work, and subsequently test their ideas. Most pupils made logical predictions and showed a good understanding of the need for a complete circuit before the light bulbs would work. Pupils’ learning is made more exciting and interesting through the teachers’ relevant and effective use of the environment. Year 1 classes learned about movement and forces in relation to pushing and pulling

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SCIENCE

through a visit to a local playground. Similarly Year 2 pupils investigated outdoor habitats such as trees and ponds. From Year 1 onwards, teachers establish good links with other subjects such as geography and design and technology, making learning coherent and relevant. Data handling skills are encouraged, as pupils learn to present their work in charts and block graphs.

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SCIENCE

103. Teachers are clear about what pupils are to learn and each lesson builds securely on previous work. As pupils move through Years 3 to 6 their knowledge and skills are systematically developed, building on earlier learning. For example, while Year 2 recognise electrical circuits which are represented pictorially, pupils in Year 6 draw circuit diagrams correctly and apply their more advanced knowledge of electricity to design and make burglar alarms operated by pressure pads. All pupils, including those learning English as an additional language, benefit from the fact that all work continues to be underpinned by practical investigations. The pupils understand how to plan and prepare to undertake practical work. Teachers generally manage practical lessons very well, and intervene at suitable moments to move learning forward when guidance is needed. In a Year 6 lesson, for example, a very well-timed intervention ensured that several groups were moved on and redirected as they found

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SCIENCE

difficulties in creating a pressure switch. Pupils are encouraged to explain their ideas orally, as well as in writing. During a very skilfully led discussion in Year 4, the teacher involved all pupils in sharing their ideas as they planned an investigation exploring forces and friction. The pupils showed a good understanding of the principles of fair testing and how these could be applied.

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SCIENCE

104. Teachers have at least satisfactory and often good subject knowledge. Correct subject vocabulary is carefully introduced, explained and frequently repeated, and pupils are encouraged to use words in the correct context. As a result, many pupils are confident in describing their work. For instance, at the start of a Year 6 lesson, two pupils confidently and fluently described their circuit diagrams to the class, using technical language correctly. Teachers ensure that correct vocabulary is used in written work, but there is scope for marking to be more careful since some average and higher attainers repeatedly spell key words incorrectly, reinforcing errors. In other respects, skills in recording investigative work are developed well. Teachers have good expectations in terms of presentation, and most work is tidy with neat diagrams. Pupils are taught to measure accurately using an appropriate

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SCIENCE

Fryent Primary School - 35 range of instruments and to record their work in suitable ways. Year 5 pupils learned to plot their findings about evaporation on a line graph, with the teachers appropriately linking work in science with that in mathematics. The pupils had a good basic understanding of the process of evaporation, and also of the need to repeat experiments to check results for accuracy. There is some evidence, from Year 2 onwards, of pupils being taught to draw general conclusions from their experiments where relevant, but this could be developed further in some classes. Most teachers have good presentational skills and they are successful in motivating and interesting the pupils. Lessons generally move at a brisk pace and restless behaviour is managed effectively so that the pace of learning is not disrupted. Practical activities are usually organised very well, in spite of the constraints of the small classrooms. Where

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SCIENCE

teaching was unsatisfactory, the introduction to the lesson was too long, the pace was slowed by interruptions to correct behaviour and pupils were not sure of what to do because the task had not been clearly explained.

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SCIENCE

105. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and they make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. Teachers are skilful in asking questions at a variety of levels to ensure that all pupils move forward in their thinking. In one Year 2 class, a lower ability group benefited from working with the teacher as she insisted that they looked carefully at drawings of circuits and described exactly what they could see. As a result they made good progress in identifying and explaining which circuits would work.

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SCIENCE

106. Management of the subject is very good, and has contributed significantly to the good improvement since the last inspection. There has been a substantial improvement in the teaching of investigative skills, and in introducing systems for assessment and record keeping. Science is shortly to be included on the individual tracking sheets, so that each pupil’s progress will be closely monitored during the year. Subject performance is rigorously analysed and there are good systems in place to monitor teaching and learning and to feed back to teachers. Further resources need to be provided to enable the pupils to use ICT to monitor and record physical data.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. The last inspection noted that pupils met national expectations by Year 2 and Year 6. This position has not changed.

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ART AND DESIGN

108. Art is taught in half term blocks, alternating with design and technology. No art lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2 during the inspection. An examination of pupils’ work, including displays, sketchbooks and collage indicates that pupils are reaching the levels expected nationally in the subject by the end of Year 2. There is evidence of a satisfactory range of materials and techniques being used to support teaching in the subject. Art is also used to support other areas of the curriculum, such as history and geography.

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ART AND DESIGN

109. Two lessons were observed in Years 3 to 6. The teaching was satisfactory in one and good in the other. In the good lesson, pupils were making observational drawings, which demonstrated movement. The teacher had good subject knowledge and high expectations of what pupils could achieve. She intervened effectively to move learning forward. The interest of the pupils was stimulated and they recognised the need both to improve their work and their ability to do so. By the time pupils reach Year 6, work seen indicates that they have a satisfactory awareness of the work and techniques of other artists, such as Van Gogh and Monet. Work in sketchbooks demonstrates satisfactory progress over time. Pupils are being introduced to a wider range of techniques and materials, including clay. There are some good examples of artwork supporting other areas of the curriculum, for example history and geography. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory

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ART AND DESIGN

progress. 110. There is no permanent co-ordinator for the subject at the moment. An acting co-ordinator has updated the school policy. A national scheme of work has recently been adopted, but this is not yet fully exploited. There is no formal assessment procedure in place. More careful assessment of the subject would support learning and progress throughout the school. The profile of art within the curriculum needs to be raised and teacher expertise developed if attainment is to improve and the progress of pupils increased. Trips are used to support learning in the subject. During the inspection Fryent Primary School - 36 week Year 3 visited the National Portrait Gallery. This visit incorporated links with the history curriculum.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Attainment in design and technology by the time pupils reach the end of Year 2 and Year 6 is in line with that expected nationally. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were found to be below average. Skills in designing, model making and evaluation are now developed systematically, teaching is good and pupils achieve well in lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. By the end of Year 2 pupils are able to make simple products, such as a small garment, carefully following their patterns. Teachers have very good presentational skills, demonstrating and explaining techniques with great clarity so that all of the pupils find the instructions easy to remember and follow. In one Year 2 lesson, pupils watched intently as the teacher showed them how to prepare templates and to cut felt shapes to decorate their “Joseph’s coat”. In a parallel class, all pupils worked with great concentration to stitch the seams of their small garments, many managing with a minimum of help. This work in Year 2 built very well on previous lessons where pupils had used computer drawing software to design the patterns for their garments, and had explored a variety of ways to join fabrics. Once models are completed, pupils are taught to evaluate their work and to identify the aspects they

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

might improve. Year 1 pupils, for example, had evaluated their model cars, and most had thoughtfully identified, through drawing or writing, aspects of their models which might be improved.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Skills learned during Years 1 and 2 are systematically developed as pupils move through the school. Pupils gain a secure understanding of how to plan a sequence of actions to achieve a finished product. They learn to choose suitable materials and practise a range of techniques, for example joining materials. Mathematical skills are put to good use when pupils measure card accurately to make “pop- up” books, and, in Year 6, detailed plans indicate proposed measurements for a moving toy. Examples of the finished work illustrate a good attention to detail in finishing and decorating products. Money containers made by Year 4 pupils were carefully made and decorated, with a variety of different designs chosen. The pupils learn to use increasingly complex mechanisms to make their models move. Year 6 pupils have made attractive toys with a moving cam, demonstrating accurate measuring and joining

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

skills. By Year 6 pupils understand the need to make prototype models to test their designs before using more expensive materials, for instance when they make slippers. In a Year 6 lesson, the teacher’s probing questions led pupils to think carefully about the design aspects of their prototype slippers before they started the practical task. The brisk start to the lesson, with very clear explanations and demonstrations, ensured that all the pupils understood what they were to do and started the sewing activity quickly and sensibly.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Management of the subject is currently satisfactory. Deficiencies identified in the previous report were effectively tackled through a programme of staff training, alongside the introduction of a scheme of work which covers all the expected topics. There is good evidence now of pupils learning aspects of food technology and working with textiles. Further resources need to be provided to enable the pupils to use ICT to control mechanisms. Although resources otherwise are adequate, space remains a limiting factor in some of the smaller classrooms, which are very cramped for practical work.

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GEOGRAPHY

115. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with those expected nationally. The school has effectively maintained standards since the last inspection and has made satisfactory improvement particularly in developing a broader range of opportunities for pupils through new schemes of work and more detailed, rigorous year group planning and monitoring. This has had a positive impact on pupils' learning. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well. Fryent Primary School - 37 116. By Year 2 pupils have a good knowledge of the difference between human and physical features and describe effectively those which characterise certain localities. This is due to good teaching, which strongly emphasises practical activities. Pupils enthusiastically work in pairs to compare aerial photographs of a small seaside town with their immediate location. They are delighted to point out their

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GEOGRAPHY

own school and familiar features of their locality. Teachers encourage them to relate characteristics shown in the local aerial photograph to other urban areas they know. Most pupils recognise the differences and similarities between the seaside and town developments and higher attainers talk perceptively about some of the ways that people change and affect their environment. Teachers use environmental walks and field trips well to encourage pupils' questions and observations. Pupils notice changes in the shops and streets in their area, and they begin to plan simple routes.

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GEOGRAPHY

117. Pupils continue to achieve well, and by Year 6 they make good use of geographical terms and talk animatedly about the problems of urban living and the different results of land use. They clearly enjoy the subject and many have extensive knowledge of other countries, which teachers use skilfully and sensitively to stimulate and reinforce learning. In discussing the use of water, Year 6 pupils spoke about their parents' villages in Africa, India, and Pakistan, clearly understanding the human and physical processes that had changed the features of the places and lives of the inhabitants. Year 5 pupils talk knowledgeably about the water cycle and work on display shows an understanding of the effects of water, or lack of it, on landscapes and people. Teachers skilfully link pupils' own understanding and experiences of shortages of water to the wider aspects of saving the earth’s resources, which also links

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GEOGRAPHY

their learning to other subjects. Year 4 pupils also investigate environmental issues through a range of sources including websites on the Internet. In one very good lesson, pupils who explored news reports of recycling projects were particularly interested in information they discovered about local schemes. Very effective teaching supported discussion on the merits of recycling stations and the importance of sustaining natural resources. Year 3 and 4 pupils extend their skills in mapping and work on scale. Pupils in Years 4 and 5 skilfully use co-ordinates to read maps and plot routes in their local area. They are familiar with street maps and recognise the symbols and marking for distinctive buildings and features. In the lessons where the teacher uses the pupils’ experiences well to encourage and motivate them they respond enthusiastically and learn very effectively.

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GEOGRAPHY

118. Visits and talks by people from the locality make additional contributions to pupils’ moral and social development as well as supporting the geography curriculum and widening pupils’ experiences. Pupils who have special educational needs or those for whom English is an additional language make good progress because of effective support, good teaching and well-planned lessons. Teaching objectives are made very clear and pupils are aware of them so that they learn the right things. Day-to- day assessment is based on how well pupils have understood and retain these ideas. Teachers have a very clear idea of pupils' progress and know what to do to move their learning on. Teaching is less effective when teachers are temporary or unsure of the subject, and marking and assessment are inconsistent.

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GEOGRAPHY

119. Although the co-ordinator is relatively new to the responsibility, the subject is managed well. There is a useful subject improvement plan, and good awareness of what to do to moves the subject on. New schemes of work have provided a useful framework for joint year and lesson planning and a strong monitoring programme has had a positive impact on teaching. In order to improve teaching further the school should develop ways to support the induction of new and temporary teachers in geography.

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HISTORY

120. Standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with those expected nationally. The school has effectively maintained standards since the last inspection and has made satisfactory improvement particularly in monitoring teaching, tracking pupils' progress and developing links with other subjects, which together have had a positive impact on learning. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well in history because of expert in-class support, and work individually tailored to meet their needs .

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HISTORY

121. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand how to acquire historical facts and develop appropriate subject skills. They develop knowledge and understanding of the lives of people in the past in response Fryent Primary School - 38 to well-planned, carefully structured teaching and a work programme which is well adapted to the range of learning needs in the class. For example, higher-attaining pupils compare the lives of Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, stating the similarities and differences in their lives, showing an increasing sense of chronology and some understanding of why famous people acted as they did. Most pupils succeed in putting a sequence of events into the correct order and can answer questions about the past, because teachers use pupils' experiences and stimulating resources to develop their sense of history. Each year the school celebrates ‘Black History Month' during which the whole school

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HISTORY

welcomes a range of visitors and plans activities to bring the history of black people to life for all pupils. Through these experiences teachers provide good opportunities for the pupils' moral and cultural development. Pupils begin to produce well-structured writing on events and people in the past. Pupils with poor linguistic skills have additional literacy support, which develops their language skills, supports their work in lessons and enables them to make sound progress.

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HISTORY

122. By Year 6, pupils have a good understanding of some of the main dates and aspects of Britain during the twentieth century because lessons are well planned and teachers have good subject knowledge. Teaching objectives are clear and most pupils know exactly what they have to do. Year 6 pupils used secondary sources to investigate features of the 1950's in Britain and presented their work very successfully to the class in the form of posters, role-play, and short talks. Pupils with English as an additional language successfully investigated the colloquial speech of the 1950s and used it in a short play which they presented to a delighted class. Pupils examine photographic and documentary evidence from the Second World War to discover how lives changed, and produce a range of factual and empathetic writing in newspaper form. They successfully research the role of women during the war and the different effects of evacuation on people's lives. Pupils in Year 5 show their sense of time is

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HISTORY

developing well and use secondary sources to understand life in Victorian times. High-attaining pupils write vividly and empathetically about poverty and childhood, showing a good understanding of life in those times.

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HISTORY

123. Overall, teaching is good because lessons are well planned and resources are carefully prepared and used well. Pupils are enthusiastic and engaged in the work. Class teachers make it very clear what pupils are going to learn and the end of each lesson is spent discussing how well the pupils have achieved this. Very occasionally, the teacher fails to manage the challenging behaviour of a few disruptive pupils, and consequently the pace of learning is slowed. This apart, teaching is effective throughout the school and most pupils show interest in history and work hard in lessons. The subject makes a good contribution to the development of the pupils’ skills in speaking, reading and writing. Teachers are beginning to make more extensive use of ICT, particularly the school's electronic whiteboard, and this has the potential to give pupils access to a wide range of exciting resources. Visits

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HISTORY

to historical sites and museums also make a good contribution to learning.

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HISTORY

124. The subject is well led. The school has adopted the national guidelines for the teaching of the subject. This ensures a balanced coverage of topics and continuity and progress through the years. More detailed, rigorous year group planning and monitoring has had a beneficial effect on teaching and learning. Classrooms have good displays, which create an effective learning environment.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, pupils’ attainment is in line with that expected nationally for pupils of these ages. This indicates a significant improvement since the last inspection when attainment at the end of Year 6 was reported as being below the expected level.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Since the last inspection a well-equipped computer suite has been established, which is networked across the school. This provides very good opportunities for pupils to develop their ICT skills as well as supporting their learning in other subjects. Pupils’ confidence in using technology develops steadily and rapidly as they move up the school. A high proportion of pupils achieve well in this subject.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. Through a planned timetable, pupils in all classes have access to the computers in the suite. During these lessons they learn particular skills and make progress in the use of these skills as they Fryent Primary School - 39 transfer from one year to another. These lessons are linked directly to work being done in class, so as well as developing ICT skills they also enhance the pupils’ learning in other curriculum areas.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. In Years 1 and 2, pupils log on to the network with the aid of clear instruction from teachers. They access software such as ‘colour magic’ to design a T-shirt and different vehicles. Pupils play directional games prior to using a programmable toy and in preparation for ‘logo’ work. For example, in Year 1 they give instructions to a programmable vehicle to practise and develop their understanding of standard measurement units. In Year 2, pupils are able to format their writing and add illustrations using different fonts and sizes. They are confident in word-processing skills and use software to retell stories and to draw maps. Some are good at research work and successfully retrieve information about different topics, such as animals.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. In Years 3 to 6, pupils make good progress in ICT so that by the time they leave the school they have good keyboard skills and confidently select items from menus and drop-down boxes. The pupils consolidate their skills, using the computers to support their learning in a variety of ways. Most are good at using a database to record information and, subsequently, to present the collected data in graphs. This was seen in a Year 3 science lesson where pupils used this process effectively to store information about mini-beasts and to produce a bar graph to present the information that they gathered. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 have been introduced to the Internet. Pupils use ICT appropriately to write a newspaper account set out in columns and with titles and sub-headings. They use search engines efficiently to skim and select information from a range of texts. In English, they develop their keyboard

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

skills in word-processing when writing simple sentences, practising their spellings or when writing for different purposes and audiences. In Year 6, pupils store their work in folders and, confidently, open them and show and explain their work and the skills they used. They can explain clearly how they used the ‘Power Point’ presentation techniques to present their findings about different mechanical toys.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. The quality of teaching is good and teacher competence and confidence are clearly evident, enhancing the work of the pupils and enabling them to move forward in their learning. Teachers’ confidence in their own skills has been enhanced throughout the school because of recent training for all staff and the high-quality support they receive from the co-ordinators. As a result, pupils achieve well throughout the school. The pupils thoroughly enjoy their work. They are keen to develop their skills and to demonstrate what they have achieved.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. The subject is led and managed very effectively. A well-organised team of three co-ordinators ensures good curriculum development and efficient management of staff development and resources. Appropriate assessment procedures are in place and are being implemented effectively. Resources are good. The school makes full use of all its resources in this subject and staff have developed an excellent database of assessment procedures and materials for use in all the other curriculum areas.

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MUSIC

132. At the time of the last inspection, a key issue was to raise standards in music throughout the school by ensuring that all teachers had satisfactory subject knowledge and that all pupils were challenged. Some improvement has been made since the last inspection; levels of attainment are now satisfactory both by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. There remains a lack of confidence amongst staff about the teaching of the subject.

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MUSIC

133. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. Pupils are eager to participate; they enjoy singing and sing well in unison. In Year 2, pupils are learning about dynamics, tempo and pitch. They demonstrate an understanding of pulse by their ability to clap the rhythm of a tune. Music is used to support assemblies; care is taken to select appropriate pieces to enhance the theme of the assembly.

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MUSIC

134. Teaching in the lessons observed in Years 3 to 6 varied and included some very good but some unsatisfactory teaching; it was satisfactory overall. In the Year 4 lesson, pupils were learning how to develop their own singing games and how to perform with confidence in front of others. The teacher based the lesson on lively, well-known tunes, which stimulated the interest of the pupils and supported learning. In the unsatisfactory lesson, the pupils’ interest was not engaged and as a result many were Fryent Primary School - 40 restless and learning limited. Year 6 pupils have the benefit of being taught by a teacher with a strong musical background. This is reflected in the progress that they make, which results in pupils reaching the nationally expected levels by the end of Year 6. The lesson observed was linked to football and the World Cup; pupils understood the importance of fitting the lyrics of their own songs to the tune they had

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MUSIC

to use. The lesson had pace and purpose, with a good balance of practice, demonstration and performance. Opportunities are lost to develop musical knowledge in assemblies. When music is used to support an assembly, as in the Year 3 and 4 good work assembly, pupils join in with real enthusiasm.

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MUSIC

135. There is no permanent co-ordinator for the subject at the moment, although the acting co- ordinator has subject expertise. A policy was produced two years ago and a national scheme of work has been introduced recently. This has improved progression in knowledge, skills and concepts in the subject, but some teachers who have no musical knowledge, still find teaching aspects of the subject difficult. The school has identified the need for all staff to have training in the subject. A part-time teacher with musical expertise has been appointed for next term to demonstrate and support teaching throughout the school. Currently, there is no formal assessment process in place. More careful assessment of the subject would support learning and progress throughout the school. There is a school choir which practises weekly and takes part in local musical events, such as singing carols to old age pensioners at Christmas. The school recognises the richness of its cultural diversity and music

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MUSIC

reflects this. The school also tried to introduce peripatetic music teaching but there was no parental response to this. The school plans to try this again next term.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Standards in physical education are below national expectations for pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and have deteriorated since the last inspection when standards were found to be average. Skills and knowledge are not systematically developed as pupils move up the school and the pupils are not achieving as much as they could. Pupils attend swimming lessons at the local pool for one term during Year 6. Standards achieved are low, with only one in five of the pupils in one class swimming the expected distance of 25 metres by the end of term.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. The quality of teaching in lessons seen was satisfactory overall, although in some sessions the teachers did not give pupils enough advice and guidance on improving and refining their skills. Lessons generally did not build effectively on work covered previously. As a consequence, while progress in the lessons observed was satisfactory, pupils are not making enough progress over time. Although there are some examples of good practice, expectations overall are not high enough and some teachers have limited subject expertise. Most, but not all, lessons are appropriately structured with warm-up and cool down sessions, but the time allowed for the central teaching activity is often too short. All classes have two periods of physical education, and there is ample space both indoors and outside. All lessons take place during the afternoons, and sessions are frequently rushed by the time pupils have changed and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. The pupils in a Year 2 dance lesson performed simple animal movements in response to music, but had little opportunity and insufficient guidance to improve their performance. Pupils tended to crowd together and their use of the available space was poor. In a short outdoor games lesson in Year 2, the teacher paid too little attention to refining and developing skills. Most pupils could bounce a ball with adequate control, but many had difficulty in controlling a football when dribbling. In Years 1 and 2 teachers managed any potentially foolish behaviour very effectively, but this was at the expense of focusing on skills. Praise and encouragement related more to behaviour than to performance in the skills being practised. Pupils in one dance lesson spent too long sitting listening to the teacher and not enough time actually moving.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. Pupils in a Year 3 class achieved average standards in a gymnastics lesson where the teacher had a secure command of the subject. Pairs of pupils worked well together to develop a gymnastic routine and had adequate time to practise and consolidate their skills. The teacher gave the pupils good opportunities to evaluate each other’s performance and she moved learning forward well by emphasising specific teaching points during demonstrations. By Year 6, however, standards in gymnastics are below average and most pupils do not reach the standards they should. Even in one well-taught lesson, the Fryent Primary School - 41 pupils’ overall performance lacked the poise and confidence expected by this stage. The pupils made good progress while working in small groups, improving their jumps and balances, and creating increasingly co-ordinated sequences. At the end of the lesson, however, some groups were very

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

embarrassed when demonstrating their work and the final performances lacked the quality of the practices. At times a teacher’s lack of knowledge of the subject leads to unsatisfactory teaching. For example, in one lesson expectations were much too low, pupils spent much of the lesson queuing for turns on the apparatus and the support given to help a pupil perform a forward roll was incorrect. The clothing and footwear worn by some pupils for gymnastics was unsuitable and restricted their movement. In most lessons the teachers manage behaviour well, but in the one games lesson seen in the upper part of the school, potentially good progress was slowed by the need to deal with the disruptive behaviour of a small group of boys.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. Extra-curricular sporting activities offer those pupils who attend them useful opportunity to widen their experience. The school football teams achieve success against local schools and further afield.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. Management of the subject has improved since the previous inspection in that there is now a single co-ordinator with responsibility for the subject across the school. Some very useful work has been done since his recent appointment in forging links with the community, which will improve resources and broaden pupils’ experience. The school now needs to focus on raising standards within the school for all pupils. The key to this is improving teacher expertise so that all teachers are confident in teaching the full range of activities. The resources available for gymnastics should be increased to allow teachers more scope when planning for group work, and the outside hard play areas need to be re- laid to provide safe surfaces for games.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. Attainment in religious education is in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Standards have been maintained at the same level since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. Very little written work was seen, but from the classes observed and discussions with pupils and the co-ordinator, it is clear that pupils are developing a sound knowledge and understanding of religious education and its application to their own lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

143. Pupils in Year 1 know about aspects of Christianity and Islam, including the five pillars of Islam and religious symbols, such as ‘symbols of light’ in different religions. Pupils learn to respect the environment and to recognise how human beings depend on the ‘natural world.’ They study the life of Florence Nightingale and the contributions she made to society during the war. Pupils in Years 3 to 6 study Judaism in detail. They know about ‘Shabbat’ and different symbols of Judaism and learn that the Jewish people pray in a synagogue. By the end of Year 6, they gain satisfactory knowledge and understanding of other major world religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism and explore the implications of some of the beliefs in these religions, such as ‘the cycle of life’ in Hinduism. They learn to respect the holy books and explore the similarities among religions, such as that all believe in God

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

and all have holy books and holy buildings.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory, with some good teaching. It enables pupils to develop empathy and thinking skills. In most classes, teachers question effectively to help recall facts from current or previous lessons. Teachers provide sound learning experiences, including organised visits to the local Hindu temple and visits from religious organisations to deepen the pupils’ understanding of religion and culture.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. Assemblies, lessons on the PSHE programme and the activities for promoting the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development make good contributions to their learning in this subject. In this multicultural and multi-religious school, the subject enables pupils to be respectful of each other’s religions. Fryent Primary School - 42 146. The management of the subject is satisfactory. The new co-ordinator is developing a good overview of the subject. Assessment procedures are not sufficiently developed. Resources have been audited. Resources for the subject, such as books and artefacts are unsatisfactory.

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