Titchfield Primary School

TITCHFIELD 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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TITCHFIELD 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. Titchfield Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Southampton Road Titchfield Fareham Hampshire Postcode: PO14 4AU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Tim Burgoyne

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 June 1997 Titchfield Primary School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

20752 John Collings Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education The characteristics of the school The school results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9769 Margaret Morrisey Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 12764 Wendy Thomas Team inspector English Music Religious education Foundation Stage 21184 Alan Fullwood Team inspector Art History Special educational needs How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Aspect responsibilities

18579 Anne Johns Team inspector Equal opportunities

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Aspect responsibilities

8682 Martin Trevor Team inspector Mathematics Design and technology Geography

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Aspect responsibilities

Full Circle division of Parkman The Brow 35 Trewartha Park Weston-Super-Mare North Somerset BS23 2RT Titchfield Primary School - 5 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 Titchfield 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? 13

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Titchfield Primary School is a smaller than average primary school catering for 158 pupils aged four to 11. The number on roll is rising. Their attainment on entry is similar to the national average. Pupils are taught in single-aged classes with some specialist support for English and mathematics. The school draws pupils from a range of social and economic backgrounds that is, overall, similar to the national average. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is also similar to the national average. The number of pupils on the register of special educational needs is 34 per cent, which is significantly higher than the national average; two of these pupils (1.1 per cent), which is broadly average, have statements for their learning needs. The number of pupils who enter and leave the school is high. This is largely due to a significant number of travellers and a number of parents in the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Navy who are relocated. This has a significant effect on tracking overall progress throughout the school.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Titchfield Primary School has many significant strengths and it is very well placed to improve further. The headteacher and staff are very committed to the school. They have been appointed mainly in the last year and have worked very hard to create a school with clear priorities and values. The headteacher provides strong leadership and is very well supported by the senior management team to ensure morale and confidence in the school’s ability to raise standards. Because of the small class numbers, the high number of pupils with special educational needs and the significant number of pupils who do not attend the school for the whole of their primary education, comparison of standards year on year is unreliable. Pupils make good progress in the Foundation Stage and infants, and sound progress in the juniors. Teaching is satisfactory overall and is very good in the Foundation Stage, good in infant and satisfactory in junior classes. The school provides sound value for

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What the school does well

• Leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff are good, and the monitoring of the school’s performance and taking appropriate action is also good. • Provision for the Foundation Stage is very good. • Pupils’ behaviour, relationships with each other and staff and enthusiasm for school are good. • Links with parents and the community are good. The information provided for parents and their views of the school are good. Attendance is high. • Provision for special educational needs is good, there is good equality of access and opportunity and child protection procedures are very good. • Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Titchfield Primary School - 8

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What could be improved

• Raise standards in mathematics, science and English at Key Stage 2. • Raise standards in information and communication technology at both key stages. • Review the curriculum to make more effective and imaginative use of curriculum time. • Apply the skills learnt in English, mathematics and information and communication technology more widely across the curriculum. • Ensure assessment procedures inform the planning of a wider range of subjects so that pupils have work well matched to their age and ability. • Review the procedures for the removal of pupils from lessons for support to ensure time is used effectively. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in June 1997. There have been many changes, including the headteacher, most of which have occurred in the last year. Overall improvement has been good and the key issues have been addressed. Observations during the inspection show standards in mathematics, science and writing have improved. Other improvements include the quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage and infants, spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision, the parents’ views of the school, the role of the governing body and, in the last year, the significant steps the school has taken to monitor the quality of teaching and the performance of pupils and the action taken to improve them.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

English C E B A well above average above average A B Mathematics B C B B average below average C D Science A E A A well below average E

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schools

The table above shows the results obtained in the last academic year and shows attainment was above average in English and mathematics and well above in science. When compared with similar schools, attainment is well above in English and science and above in mathematics. When comparing attainment in 2001 with pupils nationally who achieved similar point scores in 1997 when infants, pupils at Titchfield achieved well above average results in English, mathematics and science. Infant attainment in 2001 showed reading to be average and writing and mathematics to be below. The school has set challenging and realistic targets for attainment in 2003 and have made a good start to achieve these.

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schools

The inspection finds that by the end of the juniors standards are below average in English, mathematics and science. At the end of infants, standards are average in English and Titchfield Primary School - 9 above average in mathematics and science. At the end of the Foundation Stage, standards are above those expected.

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schools

With the small cohort sizes and differing proportions of special educational needs pupils in each year group, the trend since 1997 shows variation year on year but is generally above average and follows the national trend. In all other subjects where it is possible to make a reliable judgement, standards are in line with national expectations in both key stages except information and communication technology, which is below expectations at both key stages.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Overall pupils’ attitudes are satisfactory. They are very good in the Foundation Stage and good in infant classes.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Overall, behaviour is good. On the few occasions where teaching was unsatisfactory, behaviour was a significant factor.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ relationships with one another are good. Relationships between teachers and pupils are also good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance has improved since the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

The school is continuing to improve attendance and reduce the amount of unauthorised absence; strategies used since September are having a positive effect. The majority of the unauthorised absences are related to traveller pupils and some term time holidays. In classrooms where teaching is good, behaviour is also good. In the minority of lessons where teaching is not good, unsatisfactory behaviour is a significant factor.

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

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

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

Overall 42 lesson observations were graded. Of these, two (five per cent) were excellent, six (ten per cent) very good, 16 (38 per cent) good, 16 (38 per cent) satisfactory and two (five per cent) unsatisfactory. Since the last inspection the quality of teaching has improved with over half the lessons now good or better.

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

Strengths in the best teaching are: • in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, particularly where the level of challenge is high; • the teaching of pupils with special educational needs; • when teachers’ good knowledge and understanding are used to set work that is challenging and appropriate to pupils’ age and ability; • teachers’ use of a range of methods to stimulate and engage pupils’ interest; • when there is good pace in lessons to engage pupils’ interest and concentration; Titchfield Primary School - 10 • where there are good strategies for managing behaviour and pupils concentrate on their work and pay attention to the teachers.

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

Areas for improvement in teaching are to: • match the challenge in lessons more closely to pupils’ age and ability across the whole curriculum, not just in English and mathematics; • inform pupils more clearly on how they can improve their work; • improve some pupils’ concentration by greater variation in the pace of lessons; • make more use of information and communication technology to other subjects.

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

Teaching in mathematics varies from very good to satisfactory and in English from good to unsatisfactory. Overall, teachers show good subject knowledge. Relationships are good which enable teachers to manage pupils well. In the better lessons, teachers explain clearly what the lessons are about, keep the lessons moving at a good pace and make sure that the vast majority of pupils have work that is challenging.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. It was a key issue at the last inspection. It has been recently revised to fit the school’s class structure.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good, with very clear assessment and support from teachers and learning assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Spirituality is promoted well through assemblies and cultural provision has improved since the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Child protection procedures are very good and the care for pupils’ personal welfare is good. Parents value the caring ethos of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Curricular provision is at least sound and meets statutory requirements. It has been systematically and comprehensively overhauled in the past year. However, there are areas for improvement. These include greater integration of the curriculum so that skills learnt in one subject can be applied to another. Although there are some inconsistencies, the school is providing sufficient homework to comply with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) recommended guidelines. The impact of parental involvement in the school has significantly improved since the last inspection. The school cares well for its pupils. Child protection procedures and those to monitor and improve attendance are very good. The procedures for monitoring pupils’ personal welfare and of pupils’ personal development are good. The provision for pupils’ health, safety and welfare is good. Titchfield Primary School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall, with very strong leadership by the headteacher to unite a staff mainly appointed in the last year. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher and the new senior management team.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are aware of their roles and are supportive of the school. They are aware of strengths and weaknesses and where they would like the school to be in the future. However, they are less clear of the steps required to get there.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The school have put in place good monitoring procedures, identified weaknesses and addressed them. It is very aware about what still needs to be done.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are used well. The school uses its money well and applies the principles of best value.

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Aspect Comment

The school is staffed satisfactorily with a good number of support assistants. Accommodation is good overall. The internal accommodation is satisfactory with a good range of displays to stimulate pupils’ thinking. Outside accommodation is good with a large area for physical education and extensive grounds to support studies of the environment. Generally, resources are satisfactory with good resources for physical education.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher has created a positive and optimistic ethos in the school. This is reflected in its aims and objectives and is being implemented through the effective way the school is managed and the enthusiasm and dedication of all staff. The school uses its money well and applies the principles of best value effectively.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • They feel their children are making good progress. • Behaviour in the school is good. • Teaching is good. • They are well informed on how their children are getting on. • The school works closely with parents. • Their children are expected to work hard. • The school is well managed. • They think the school is helping their children to become mature. • The school provides an interesting range of activities. • The amount of work their children get. Titchfield Primary School - 12 Overall, the 58 returned questionnaires indicate that parents’ views of the school are good. Inspectors agree with the positive comments of parents. Inspection evidence does not support the negative comments. Issues raised regarding the lack of extra-curricular activities are not supported by the inspection findings. Overall, the amount of work in pupils’ books was at least satisfactory and the amount of homework meets the DfES guidelines.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

However, there is some inconsistency in the amount of homework given and the expectations in different classes. Titchfield Primary School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Since the last full inspection in 1997, standards in the last reported year, 2001, improved from average to above average in English and mathematics and to well above in science when compared to schools nationally. This is unlikely to be sustained in 2002 because half the class in the current Year 6 have special educational needs, only 12 of the 20 pupils have been in the school for the whole of their junior education and the small numbers in the class make year on year comparison of standards unreliable.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school has set challenging and realistic targets for attainment in 2003 and have made a good start to achieve these. The result of the National Curriculum tests at the end of the infants in 2001 at age seven were average for reading and below average for writing and mathematics when compared to schools nationally. The 2002 results have not yet been verified but are likely to show a significant improvement in these areas of learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The results of the 2001 tests at the end of the juniors were above average for English and mathematics and well above for science. The number of pupils who achieved the higher Level 5 standard was above average for English, mathematics and science. When compared to similar schools, standards were well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. The trend since 1997 shows variation, year on year, but broadly follows and is above the national trend. When comparing attainment in 2001 with pupils nationally who achieved similar point scores in 1997 when they were at the end of the infants, Titchfield pupils achieved well above average results in English, mathematics and science. Over time, pupils at the end of the juniors have made very good progress, and building well on their infant standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Averaged over the last three years, infant and junior boys have attained higher standards than girls. However, care must be taken in interpreting these results as numbers are small, they vary year on year, the school has a large number of special educational needs pupils and a significant number do not spend the whole of their primary education in the school. The school is aware of the differences and is monitoring pupils’ progress and teaching and learning to ensure any differences are not significant.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Children start school in the autumn term following their fourth birthday. When they join the school, their skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing are below average. Their early mathematical skills and their personal, social and emotional development are also a little below nationally expected levels, as is their knowledge and understanding of the world. However, most children in the present reception class have not had pre-school experience as there have been changes in local provision. During their time in the reception class, children make good progress in all the areas of learning and by the time they are ready to begin Year 1, the majority are attaining the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in each area, with a significant proportion of children exceeding them. Children with special educational needs are identified promptly and given sensitive support. Titchfield Primary School - 14

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils in Year 2 entered the infants with levels broadly in line with expectations of the Early Learning Goals. By the age of seven, they attain average standards in English and make sound progress. However, unvalidated results from the 2002 infant tests suggest pupils attain well in reading and writing. In lessons, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to discuss their work in pairs, which helps to develop their speaking skills. Pupils are developing a secure knowledge of letter sounds and use this to build up words when reading aloud. Pupils in Year 2 show good understanding of the features of non-fiction texts. They can explain that these books are likely to have contents pages, labelled diagrams and glossaries. The written work in pupils’ books shows a good range of work developing pupils’ literacy skills. However, there is little evidence that pupils transfer the skills to their independent

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

writing and this has a negative impact on standards overall. They try hard to present their work neatly and are developing a clear style of joined handwriting. The more able pupils are beginning to use a good range of expressive vocabulary in their writing. Attainment in mathematics is broadly average when they enter Year 1 and they make good progress to be above average by the time they are seven. Many understand place value to 1000, find the half of given numbers, round to the nearest ten and identify multiples of ten. They use information and communication technology to create graphs of their favourite drinks and tackle problems related to money. In science, pupils also achieve standards that are above average. They recognise that humans need a range of foods to be healthy and that sugar gives them energy. With the appropriate support they investigate how quickly ice melts in different situations and appreciate it can be refrozen. They also know that in order

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

for a bulb to light the circuit needs to be made of materials that conduct electricity. Overall progress through the infants is good.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. By the end of the juniors, pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science is below average. In most English lessons, pupils are not confident in speaking to the class. However, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils spoke animatedly about their experiences at the recent visit to a water activities centre. They do not use a good range of vocabulary and their sentence construction is average. They are confident in reading aloud and the more able are fluent readers. However, as at the time of the last inspection, pupils do not talk about a wide range of books. Pupils are not being made sufficiently aware of the rich range of literature available to them and are not being helped sufficiently to develop the competence that would enable them to attain the higher levels in reading. In mathematics, higher attaining pupils compare mixed fractions by converting to the same denominator and are confident to find the square

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

root of numbers. They can add decimals with two decimal places and use mathematical vocabulary, such as parallel, to describe shapes. However, a significant number of pupils find these tasks difficult and are not able to apply their knowledge confidently to new situations. In science, pupils understand that in order for an object to float, the water must exert force upwards equal to the object pushing downward. However, pupils do not fully understand that plants make their own food through a process of photosynthesis. Neither are they able to plan and carry out independently investigations from questions they have raised for themselves.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Progress in English, mathematics and science through the juniors is satisfactory. Tracking progress from when they were tested in the infants in 1998 is unreliable because of the high number of pupils with special educational needs and the significant number who have not spent the whole of their junior education in the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology are below expectations at the end of both key stages. This is a decline since the last Titchfield Primary School - 15 inspection. However, national expectations have risen significantly in the last five years. The school is addressing the issue with the recent appointment of a new subject manager. She is already having an impact on standards. In art, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education, standards meet expected standards at the end of both key stages. In religious education, standards are in line with the expectation of the locally agreed syllabus by the time the pupils are seven and 11 years of age.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress in relation to the targets set in their individual education plans. Good provision is made for those pupils who have specific learning difficulties in English and mathematics or who have behavioural difficulties. There are noticeable differences in attainment between boys and girls over the past three years where girls are achieving significantly less well than boys. The school has recognised this and is addressing it through termly monitoring of all teachers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. As at the time of the last inspection, pupils’ attitudes to learning are good overall and pupils respond positively to the caring but firm ethos the school provides. In reception and infants, pupils have good attitudes to learning. In the juniors this is true of the majority of pupils, although in a number of lessons pupils were not able to sustain concentration and motivation for the whole lesson. Children are keen to come to school and they settle quickly to lessons; a number of pupils have only been in the school for one week and have already integrated well into the community. They are confident, settle quickly to work and have clear enjoyment in their tasks and a thirst for learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Even the youngest children are confident when expressing opinions and show tolerance and interest when listening to the views of each other.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Good behaviour around the school and in the playground has been maintained since the last inspection. Where the teaching is good, behaviour is also good. Pupils understand, observe and value the rewards given for good work and behaviour and are keen to receive acknowledgement of the rewards they have earned in the weekly sharing assembly. Parents are happy with the standard of behaviour required by the school and, like the pupils, believe the rewards and sanctions to be fair and consistently used. No issues of bullying were observed and parents and pupils are confident that any such issues will be dealt with swiftly and sensitively within a no blame policy. The good behaviour in the school contributes to the improved ethos of learning and is increasing opportunities for pupils’ personal development. There have been four fixed period exclusions in the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance has improved since the last inspection and is now good. The school is working hard to reduce the rate of unauthorised attendance and is able to show an improvement since the start of the school year. The majority of pupils arrive punctually to school. There are very good relationships with, and support from, outside agencies that work in partnership with the parents, pupils and school to maintain the good standards of attendance.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Relationships across the school are good and have improved since the last inspection. Pupils have a genuine respect and affection for their teachers, which are reciprocated. This creates an environment of care and security where work and learning can progress. Pupils are confident to question and challenge, as well as to Titchfield Primary School - 16 develop and build good relationships between each other. This happens both through work and play. In an English lesson, when discussing the need for patience, perseverance and how to be confident, one pupil said, “I felt more confident when I realised what I can do”. In lessons, pupils work co-operatively in pairs and groups and collaborate well in practical tasks.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils have good opportunities to develop personal skills through their life in the school, for example, working as Young Governors with representatives from Year 2 onwards. Through the Young Governors, representatives are entrusted with running meetings and organising and leading the class they represent through developments in the school. These include the recent changes to the school playground. All pupils have monitoring roles and from reception onwards carry these out with a high degree of maturity and enthusiasm. The pupils have a range of opportunities to support both local and national charities and recently took part in the Fun Schools Challenge to raise money for children’s charities and show off their fitness under the supervision of a Solent Star Basketball player by doing press-ups, star jumps and other activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Generally pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. The behaviour of pupils with specific behavioural difficulties is good, with pupils showing good responses to their teachers and learning support assistants. The response of other pupils towards pupils with special educational needs is also good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. At the time of the last inspection there were a few weaknesses in teaching, particularly in infant classes. Teaching at that time was broadly satisfactory, with some good and some unsatisfactory teaching at both infants and juniors. Since that time the quality of teaching has improved, with over half the lessons good or better. Teaching is satisfactory overall with very good teaching in the Foundation Stage, good infant teaching and satisfactory junior teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In the Foundation Stage, of the eight lessons seen, two (five per cent) were excellent, five (63 per cent) very good and one (13 per cent) good. At Key Stage 1, of the 11 lessons, one (nine per cent) was very good, six (55 per cent) good and four (36 per cent) satisfactory. At Key Stage 2, of the 23 lessons seen, nine (39 per cent) were good, 12 (52 per cent) satisfactory and two (nine per cent) unsatisfactory. Overall, teachers have sound subject knowledge in the core subjects of English and mathematics. Where teaching is good in these subjects, teachers’ knowledge and understanding are also good. In other subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is at least satisfactory and often good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers are hardworking and are committed to the welfare of their pupils. They have good relationships with their pupils and care for them as individuals. The school has a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. The teachers are successful in meeting pupils’ needs, and answers and contributions are well valued. This encourages the pupils’ good attitudes to school and helps build their self confidence. These in turn contribute to the overall good achievement made.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Strengths of the teaching noted in observations and in the examination of

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pupils’ previous work are:

i) There is effective teaching of basic numeracy and literacy skills throughout the school where the level of challenge is broadly appropriate for all Titchfield Primary School - 17 groups of pupils. There is good support for pupils who have special educational needs and they make good progress. There is some very good teaching where the level of challenge is high. When this is combined with good use of resources, changes of pace and the continual checking of pupils’ understanding and learning, it ensures pupils’ involvement and very good learning. Teachers also make good use of pupils’ first hand experience to develop literacy skills. A ‘water activities’ week was well used by the Year 6 teacher to develop speaking and listening skills. Pupils were encouraged to talk about and record their experience in the style of a ‘Newsround’ report. Pupils also make good use of the local environment in local studies for both

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pupils’ previous work are:

history and geography, and the school grounds are well used to support science. In the Foundation Stage, the very good planning and use of resources make a very significant contribution to the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills, for example, the use of two guinea pigs to stimulate pupils’ interest. The teacher used the children’s initial concern about the small animals snuggling together, to develop pupils’ conversation into talking about who they would stay close to for safety.

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pupils’ previous work are:

ii) Overall, teachers have good knowledge and understanding to ensure pupils are set work that is challenging and appropriate to their age and ability. Lessons are particularly effective when this is the case. For example, the excellent and inspiring activities in the Foundation Stage stimulates pupils’ imagination, involvement and pleasure in learning. The use of the Roamer by the teacher to tell the story of The Hungry Caterpillar before going on a bug hunt in the school grounds, was very successful. It developed a range of learning including speaking and listening and their knowledge and understanding of the world. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, pupils were continually challenged by the teachers’ good questioning of the strategies they had used to work out the square root of a given number. Another example of good teacher knowledge and understanding promoting good learning was apparent in a Year 3 music lesson. Here the teacher successfully built on

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pupils’ previous work are:

pupils’ previous learning and introduced a range of actions to help pupils to keep a steady beat.

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pupils’ previous work are:

iii) Overall, teachers use time and resources well. There were some notable examples where the use of carefully chosen resources stimulated, challenged and involved pupils in good quality learning. For example, the good range of instruments available in the Year 3 music lesson ensured all pupils were involved. The inspirational use of the Roamer in the Foundation Stage in The Hungry Caterpillar story involved pupils in effective learning. Another good example was the use of the digital camera in history to record Year 5’s topic on the local area. This was a good example of use of information and communication technology to support learning. Visitors such as the local vicar and a representative from the United Kingdom Islamic Mission are well used for studies in religious education. A range of visitors to support the school’s arts week is also used. Pupils’ learning is good when there is good pace in

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pupils’ previous work are:

lessons. Examples were seen in the Foundation Stage, a Year 1 science lesson where the change of pace gave pupils time to consolidate their learning, and in a Year 6 English lesson where pupils were challenged as well as being given time to stop and review their progress.

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pupils’ previous work are:

iv) The school provides appropriate challenge for all its pupils and enables them to make good progress. Higher attaining pupils do well. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in meeting the targets set in Titchfield Primary School - 18 their individual education plans. Travellers are also well supported in lessons and by the local education authority. Grouping within lessons for English and mathematics is firmly based on regular statutory and non-statutory testing and the teachers’ very good individual knowledge of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses. The differences in the attainment of boys and girls is being systematically monitored to ensure all make the best possible progress. v) Teachers use a wide range of different methods to stimulate pupils’ interest, thinking and attention. For example, in a Year 1 science lesson good questioning stimulated pupils to think about appropriate materials for building

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pupils’ previous work are:

and what would happen if we made skyscrapers out of paper and a wall out of wool; the use of a parrot puppet in the reception class to engage pupils in thinking how things would look from a ‘bird’s eye view’; the consistent emphasis in a Year 6 mathematics lesson to consider the strategies used to calculate the square and square root of numbers; and the use of drama in a Year 1 history lesson to engage pupils in Victorian life.

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pupils’ previous work are:

vi) The strategies for managing behaviour are good in most classes and in these classes pupils concentrate on their work and pay attention to the teachers. There are high expectations across the key stages and many lessons promote thought and reflection to stimulate pupils’ imagination and concentration. For example, the water-sports week and the use of WALT (what are we going to learn today) and WILF (what am I looking for) by teachers across the school, focuses pupils’ attention on lesson objectives. This is particularly effective with the use of puppets called Walt and Wilf with younger pupils. The management of pupils’ behaviour is also good when the pace of lessons is brisk, for example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson where skilful change of pace and well-matched activities challenged pupils and maintained their interest.

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pupils’ previous work are:

vii) The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good . All teachers are aware of the pupils on the register of special educational needs and all make reference to providing suitable activities to promote learning. Teaching is informed and attention is given to ensuring that the set work is appropriate and progressive. Particularly notable features of the provision for pupils with special educational needs are the regular assessments of the progress that pupils make towards learning targets and the detailed, informed records kept of their progress by the special educational needs co-ordinator and teaching assistants. The combined attention of teachers and assistants has a most positive impact upon the progress that the pupils make.

p.18

pupils’ previous work are:

22. There are some areas for improvement in teaching and these are important

p.18

to the school’s drive to raise standards. The most significant area are:

i) Matching the challenge in lessons closely to pupils’ age and ability is generally effective in the majority of literacy and numeracy lessons but is less effective in other parts of the curriculum. This is because what is expected is not always appropriate for the whole class, so some pupils do not always understand what is required of them. This is also related to the limited assessment procedures in subjects other than English and mathematics. The school is aware of this. It is already part of the school improvement plan to improve assessment procedures so that planning for the needs of pupils is better informed. This is particularly important when there are significant differences between the abilities of one cohort and the next. Titchfield Primary School - 19 ii) Pupils’ concentration sometimes wanes. It is most apparent in unsatisfactory lessons and unsatisfactory elements within satisfactory

p.18

to the school’s drive to raise standards. The most significant area are:

lessons. With the exception of mathematics and English, it is most often due to work not been firmly based on pupils’ prior attainment and insufficient pace in the lessons. These lessons are not planned with sufficient range of expectations, which results in some pupils not being challenged appropriately. There are also occasions when teachers are not sufficiently aware when pupils’ are not paying attention and continue with the current activity rather than changing the task, or setting a time limit to improve concentration and interest.

p.19

to the school’s drive to raise standards. The most significant area are:

iii) Marking is systematic and conscientiously carried out. However, although evaluative and supportive, overall marking does not give pupils sufficient information on how their work could be improved and is inconsistent across classes.

p.19

to the school’s drive to raise standards. The most significant area are:

iv) The use of information and communication technology. Standards in information and communication technology are below expectations in both the infants and juniors. One reason for this is the lack of planned opportunities to apply the learned information and communication technology skills to a range of situations across the whole curriculum. For example, although word- processing skills are adequate, they are not extended sufficiently to create multimedia presentations on, for example, the Year 6 water-sports week. Opportunities within science to word process, use a digital camera to record their investigations or use spreadsheets to analyse results are often missed.

p.19

PUPILS?

23. The school provides a curriculum with an appropriate range of worthwhile learning opportunities, which meet the interests, aptitudes and needs of its pupils. It is very good for those pupils aged under five, where provision has developed enormously, and is satisfactory in infants and juniors. The school has responded effectively to implementing the national strategies for numeracy and literacy and this is helping to provide a broader range of opportunities in these subject areas, and to improve basic skills. There are appropriate, largely nationally recommended, schemes of work in place for other curriculum subjects and these ensure systematic progression in learning and appropriate guidance to teachers. The curriculum meets statutory requirements to teach all subjects in the National Curriculum and religious education.

p.19

PUPILS?

24. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good overall. These pupils receive effective support from assistants within the classroom and make sound progress. Particularly notable features of this provision are the regular assessments of the progress that pupils make towards learning targets and the detailed, informed records kept of their progress by the special educational needs co-ordinator and teaching assistants. The combined attention of teachers and assistants has a most positive impact upon the progress that the pupils make.

p.19

PUPILS?

25. At the time of the previous inspection there was a key issue relating to curriculum provision in design and technology, music and religious education; this concerned the time provision for the subjects so that they could be taught in appropriate depth. This has been addressed and is now satisfactory. Titchfield Primary School - 20 26. The curriculum overall and its delivery has been systematically and comprehensively overhauled in the past year, partially through the appointment of a new senior management team and several new teachers, and also through current demands that required an alternative approach from that offered previously. In place of mixed- age classes there are now single year groups with a co-ordinated whole-school approach to teaching from the Foundation Stage to Year 6. The school development plan charts this progress with clarity and at the time of the inspection, the changes

p.19

PUPILS?

are still being implemented. There is not yet a governors’ approved policy in place that underpins these developments. Although governors met fairly recently to consider the School Strategic Curriculum Plan, there is no ratified document that can be seen clearly in the school prospectus. Sex education is taught through science and personal, social and health education (PSHE). Parents are informed of their right to withdraw their children from the PSHE aspect. Drugs awareness is also addressed through the PSHE programme.

p.20

PUPILS?

27. The overall progress of change is good. One of the fundamental issues being tackled within the school is that of presenting more challenge to pupils. This is being addressed by reviewing the planning in each subject to ensure expectations are firmly based on pupils’ prior attainment and addresses the needs of the range of ability in each class. This is particularly important as the range of ability in year groups can vary significantly from one year to the next. Subjects also tend to be taught discretely and this restricts opportunities for subjects that have similar skills to support each other in their consolidation and application.

p.20

PUPILS?

28. There is a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities for pupils in Years 1 to 6. They occur after school or at lunchtime and include football, netball, tennis, basketball, craft club, choir and country dancing.

p.20

PUPILS?

29. Generally, pupils have good access to all parts of the curriculum. All pupils are included and nobody excluded from participating in subjects through, for example, gender or ability. Only one aspect of this causes some degree of difficulty and that is when pupils are withdrawn from some lessons in order to study an instrument or read. In some cases this has a negative effect on the subject being missed. The school has recognised that it needs to review its procedures.

p.20

PUPILS?

30. The school has made a sound start on developing its programme of provision for the gifted and talented pupils in the school. Although in its early stages, some pupils have been identified with certain skills and this is perhaps best demonstrated by the additional teachers brought into the school to help the most able in Years 5 and 6 on their mathematics and English work.

p.20

PUPILS?

31. The school has a homework policy and this covers the years from one to six. The way in which the pupils have homework given to them is inconsistent and the system needs further refinement. From a scrutiny of pupils’ books, it can be seen that homework is not sufficiently regular for it to make positive impact on the pupils or to help their learning skills and processes overall.

p.20

PUPILS?

32. The school has a good range of links with the local community. Pupils’ visits from reception onwards cover the local and wider community; Year 6 pupils have a residential visit.

p.20

PUPILS?

33. Reception and Year 1 visit the local castle and farm and all pupils have close connections through the curriculum with the church. A wide range of links with the community - the Bonfire Boys Charity, Titchfield Passion Play, the Mayor, the Wild Titchfield Primary School - 21 Life Centre, and help with the school garden by the Women’s Institute - all contribute significantly to the richness of the school curriculum and to the personal development of pupils. Good links with secondary schools assist in the transfer for Year 6 to the next stage of education. The school also benefits from the work by the headteacher and others in the cluster group of schools.

p.20

PUPILS?

34. Provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good. Children in the Foundation Stage have good opportunities to learn about festivals and celebrations such as Christmas, Easter and Divali. Daily assemblies have a clear religious content: concern for others and the environment are dominant themes. In a whole school assembly, for example, pupils were welcomed back from their activity week and talked about facing challenges and being anxious. They were encouraged to contribute to the discussion ‘every challenge starts with a single step’. Pupils offered examples of ‘little shoot then big tree’, ‘single drop of water, glass of water’. Pupils’ spiritual awareness is also fostered successfully in religious education lessons. In the wider curriculum, pupils gain a sense of awe and wonder in aspects of science when taking part in investigations, and in mathematics when

p.21

PUPILS?

exploring large numbers and number patterns. Pupils draw inspiration from listening to music and looking at the work of great artists.

p.21

PUPILS?

35. Moral and social development is promoted well. Children in the Foundation Stage are given good opportunities to work independently and in small and large groups. They are well motivated to learn and are provided with positive encouragement that enhances their self-esteem. These foundations are developed well throughout the rest of the school. Adults provide good role models that encourage good relationships in the school community and respect for the local environment. Pupils have a well-developed sense of what is right and wrong and respect the school and its property. When working with the computers and library books, pupils exemplify this in the care taken. Opportunities to study environmental issues in geography and science and in the creation of the early years’ garden promote a sense of care and understanding of the need for conservation. Praise and encouragement are used effectively to regulate pupils to take on responsibilities around the school, for

p.21

PUPILS?

example, when they help with the organisation of assemblies, collect dinner numbers and registers.

p.21

PUPILS?

36. Pupils’ cultural development has improved since the last inspection. The school values the cultures and traditions of the pupils’ families, for example, in learning about the way of life of the traveller children and about life in India. Festivals and traditions associated with Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Judaism as well as Christianity are studied and promote pupils’ respect for other cultures well. Lessons in history develop pupils’ understanding of how their own culture has developed and how ancient civilisations such as that of the Romans functioned. The study of different cultures in geography extends their understanding of world cultures and different ways of life in the modern world.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school cares very well for the health, safety, welfare and guidance of all pupils. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection where this aspect was satisfactory. Appropriate emphasis is given by teachers and staff to provide an establishment where pupils’ personal and academic development is a priority and is supported by a healthy and safe environment. Titchfield Primary School - 22 38. Pastoral care is provided by the class teachers and supported by the headteacher and the administrative officers. Pupils are well known to all staff; as individuals they are confident they will be given help and support if they need it.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Procedures for monitoring and promoting behaviour are good. The school’s code of behaviour is understood and is used consistently by teachers. As a result, pupils are well behaved and this helps create an environment in which lessons can progress without interruption. The school has suitable procedures in place to eliminate bullying and other forms of oppressive behaviour. Parents say any such incidents are few but they are confident any problems will be dealt with swiftly and sensitively. 40. Procedures for monitoring attendance are very good. Registers are checked regularly and the system is well run and maintained. Considerable time is given to ensure pupils who do not arrive at school are safe and accounted for. If parents do not inform the school before 10 am, the absence is checked upon by a telephone call and a home visit if needed. The school records show there has been an improvement in unauthorised absence since introducing the same-day call home.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Punctuality is checked regularly, procedures are good and any pupil needing support has this provided by the education welfare officers and the school.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Child protection procedures are very good. There is a clear policy that is well known to the staff. The designated officer has very good working relationships with all relevant support agencies and overall this provides very good protection for all pupils.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Health and safety provision is very good and is monitored by the headteacher for the governing body. The school’s policy is comprehensive and provides a good basis for consistent safety provision across the school. Risk assessment is up to date and all equipment is well maintained with recorded checks. During the inspection no new health and safety concerns were noted to be a danger to other pupils. The very good daily site care and monitoring of health and safety by the caretaker make a significant contribution to the safe and well cared for environment.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. There are clear notices to support procedures for fire evacuation; fire drills are taken regularly and logged. First aid provision is very good; training is up to date, current first aid certificates are held by a designated officer and all learning support assistants. Pupils understand who will help them and how this will happen. All serious accidents and head injuries are reported to parents and recorded. The medical room is well placed in the main office which ensures pupils are constantly watched and monitored by an adult if needing care.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school promotes healthy and safe living through a programme for personal, social and health education, and across the curriculum. The school has good relationships with a range of outside agencies and works successfully with them to secure pupils’ welfare.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. As at the last inspection, the quality of assessment remains satisfactory. However, since the appointment of the headteacher and other senior members of staff over the last year to 15 months, procedures have improved. The school’s procedures for monitoring and assessing pupils’ academic progress in English and mathematics are now comprehensive. However, the procedures in science and the remaining subjects are not as well developed. While foundation subjects record pupils’ progress, the records are not used sufficiently to plan future work for individuals or Titchfield Primary School - 23 groups of pupils. This is recognised by the school and is part of the school improvement plan.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. When pupils enter the school in the Foundation Stage the school analyses the baseline assessment carefully to identify the needs of pupils. The school uses statutory tests at the end of the infants and juniors and a range of tests for all other years to assess and record pupils’ progress in English and mathematics. Pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science are carefully tracked. It is now in a position to use these results to adjust the curriculum to meet more accurately the needs of the pupils, and to plan individual targets against which subsequent progress can be compared.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The organisation and the quality of the records collected and organised by the special educational needs co-ordinator, including the register of special educational needs, are good. Individual education plans compiled by the co-ordinator in consultation with the class teachers and support staff are reviewed regularly and learning targets modified accordingly. The overall quality of the individual education plans is good. They are detailed, clear and give precise, attainable learning targets.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents’ views of the school are good. Since the new headteacher took up post, parents are confident the school continues to be well led and that teaching is good; they say the school feels dynamic at the present time. They are pleased with the improvements in the fabric of the school building in the last two years. Whilst staff changes last year were unsettling children, pupils are now happy and keen to come to school. Parents feel there has been an improvement in behaviour and attitudes at break and lunchtime since the new playground equipment arrived. Pupils are well cared for and are given many opportunities to develop independence and confidence. The inspection findings totally substantiate parents’ views.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. There has been an improvement in communication between home and school since the last inspection. There is now very good information provided through a range of methods including the school prospectus, newsletters, termly parents’ evenings, end of year reports, regular letters, daily contact with staff and pupils’ reading and spelling books. All prospective parents receive very good information prior to the pupils’ entry; this contributes to the successful induction to the reception class helping both children and parents settle quickly into the school community. The governors’ annual report to parents gives good information and meets legal requirements. The school prospectus is well presented with necessary and useful information for parents and pupils; this too complies with legal requirements.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parental involvement in the school makes a good impact on the standards achieved and also supports home-school learning; this is an improvement since the last inspection. At the beginning of each year any parents willing to help are invited to put their name on a list of skills. There is a good number working in the school at the present time. Parental attendance at meetings is high and all parents sign and comply with the Home-School Agreement. A number of parents either run or support staff with after-school clubs.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. FOTS (Friends of Titchfield School) has been revived and is now an effective and hard-working group of parents. The joint work on family learning to produce story sacks for all, but particularly for traveller parents, will allow all parents to support their Titchfield Primary School - 24 child’s learning at home. A wide range of successful fundraising and social events are arranged by FOTS and also a disco and barbeque for Year 6 leavers.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. Early contact is made with all parents of special educational needs pupils as soon as concerns are noted. Parents are involved in all stages of support and invited to attend reviews and to support pupils with the work that is sent home. In the majority of cases this support is forthcoming. Titchfield Primary School - 25

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The quality of the leadership and management of the headteacher and key staff is good and that of the headteacher very good. It was a strength at the last inspection. However, since last inspection the vast majority of staff have been replaced, including the headteacher, so direct comparisons are not reliable. The school has made good progress in addressing the issues identified in the previous report, for example, raising standards in mathematics at Key Stage 1, providing sufficient time for teaching design and technology, music and religious education at Key Stage 1 and the introduction of performance management procedures. Other improvements since the last inspection include provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, attendance, parents’ views of the school, monitoring of performance, use of funding and the monitoring of teaching. The school improvement plan is a working document. It very clearly links the priority for the school to raise standards

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

through the use of assessment to improve the effectiveness of the recently implemented curriculum.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership for teachers and all those connected with the school. The positive and optimistic ethos of the school, which is reflected in its aims and objectives, is implemented through the effective way the school is managed and the enthusiasm and dedication of all staff. This is a major strength of the school and gives teachers and pupils’ confidence in their ability to succeed. There are very clear systems in place to enable the headteacher and other key staff to evaluate teaching and the progress the school is making towards the targets it sets for itself and for individual pupils to achieve. This is a developing area and the school has identified opportunities for subject managers to review pupils’ work and to observe the teaching of their subject. The relative performance of individual pupils and of groups of pupils (such as boys and girls, pupils with

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

special educational needs and travellers) is carefully noted in order to identify the support necessary to help overcome any difficulties.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The senior management team is strong and works effectively to meet the school’s wholly appropriate aims so that a very positive and inclusive ethos pervades the school where all are equally valued, including travellers. This has a positive impact on pupils, attitudes and behaviour and results in pupils working hard and largely wanting to succeed. The school is very committed to developing good relationships not only between staff and pupils, and between pupils but also with parents and the wider community.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The English and mathematics subject managers have had opportunities to look at how the teachers teach and pupils learn. This is less true in other subjects. However, a clear cycle of evaluation is in place to ensure all subject managers have the opportunity to review their subject. This and the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have a significant impact on raising standards in these subjects. The special educational needs co-ordinator is very experienced, enthusiastic and most diligent in her co-ordinating role and this has a very significant effect on the very good achievement of pupils with special educational needs.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The headteacher has improved the emphasis given to support of pupils with special educational needs and traveller children and the school is already well ahead with the implementation of the new Code of Practice.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is managed well. The co- ordinator’s good knowledge and understanding provide very good support for Titchfield Primary School - 26 colleagues through her conscientious and efficient approach. Her experience and liaison with outside agencies are very effective. Consequently pupils make good progress. A new and better-equipped special educational needs room was being finished during the inspection. Resources are satisfactory but do not as yet include access to information and communication technology to help pupils access the curriculum. It is planned that the new base will have a computer.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The school functions smoothly and day-to-day administration is very effective and welcoming. There is a shared commitment to raising standards through improved teaching, and support and development of the individual child. This is demonstrated through the developing assessment procedures, provision for special educational needs and very good provision for child protection and monitoring and promoting good behaviour.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Teachers joining the staff are very well supported so that newly qualified teachers and those taking up appointments from elsewhere are well aware of how the school expects them to teach and manage their pupils. As a result, they are able to settle into the school routines quickly and make a significant contribution to the progress pupils make. To assist in this process, the headteacher and other key staff such as the deputy headteacher and subject managers visit classes regularly to look at the way teachers teach and pupils learn. This school is very well placed to be a very effective provider for initial teacher training.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. At the last inspection, appraisal procedures were unsatisfactory. Appraisal has now been replaced by significantly enhanced performance management system and procedures are now good. All teaching staff now have their teaching evaluated termly. Through subsequent interviews, targets to improve teaching are identified and these are set with reference to the priorities in the school improvement plan. These procedures have only been in place since the appointment of the new headteacher, so have yet to have a major impact.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The governing body is soundly led and fulfils its responsibilities. The chair and other members of the governing body are regular visitors to the school and are well informed. The governing body’s strong committee structure ensures that initiatives are carefully thought out and followed up. Members of the governing body review the progress against individual priorities in the school improvement plan, for example, to improve the toilet facilities in the school, develop a very stimulating play area for Foundation Stage children, and review finance to maintain one teacher to each year of education in the school. They understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school. For example, they identify strengths such as the intimate atmosphere in the school where all pupils are known, the management of the school which has significantly improved since the appointment of the new headteacher and where

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

there are now clear priorities well supported by the school budget. They are also aware of the school’s need to maintain viable numbers and with the long-term end of having a waiting list. They want to raise standards and understand the need to develop teachers’ mathematical expertise to achieve this. They are not so aware of the strategies required to get from where they are to where they want to be.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The school’s budget is managed well by the headteacher and overseen by the governors’ finance committee. Special grants and other income are managed effectively, and the principles of best value are applied. This is clearly seen in the investment in training of teaching staff over the last year to raise standards in English. Titchfield Primary School - 27 64. The accommodation is modern and of good quality with spacious teaching areas. It is used well and is a stimulating environment for learning. The outside areas are extensive, with improvements made to the play areas. The grounds are further enhanced by the development of a large environmental park, which is evolving into a wonderful resource for the school and community alike. A hard-working site manager and his team keeps the school spotlessly clean.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The school is well staffed with sufficient experienced and qualified teachers, who work as a positive team with the support assistants, to meet the needs of pupils. There is a good induction programme for newly qualified teachers and those new to the school, including supply staff, who receive booklets about the procedures in operation in each class. The professional development of all staff is a significant feature of the school and has a high priority. The performance management policy is of good quality and adapted to the needs of the school.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The role of the subject managers is good overall, but there is no co-ordinator for mathematics. Currently, the headteacher oversees the subject. However, the school has appointed a subject manager from within the current staff from September.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. Learning resources for English, art and music are good but pupils underuse the library for independent research. There are satisfactory resources in all other subjects.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. Pupils enter the school with levels of attainment which on the whole are average. Standards vary from year to year from well above average to below average, depending on the number of pupils with special educational needs and how long they have been in the school. Standards are at least satisfactory and pupils make good progress. Taking into account the overall quality of teaching, the very positive way the school is managed, the good progress pupils make, the high quality of care and the above average income the school receives, it provides sound value for money. This is similar to the last inspection.

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

69. The school has made good improvement since the last inspection. In order to continue that improvement and build on this good work, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) Raise standards in mathematics, science and English at Key Stage 2 by: § reviewing planning to ensure there are very clear and challenging expectations for all groups of pupils; § making more effective use of assessment data to identify areas for improvement in English, mathematics and science; § analysing in depth the test results of pupils at age seven so that there are clear expectations for individual pupils as they progress through Key Stage 2; § ensuring that lessons have enough pace and challenge to maintain the interest and involvement of all pupils; § planning opportunities into other parts of the curriculum so the learned skills, particularly those in English and mathematics, can be applied in a range of situations; Titchfield Primary School - 28 § giving pupils more opportunities to plan their own investigations in science so they can consolidate their knowledge, understanding and skills. (paragraphs 22, 27, 45, 54, 56, 88, 89, 96, 99, 100, 105, 107, 108, 109, 110,

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Raise standards in information and communication technology at both key stages by: § implementing the school’s action plan for improving information and communication technology; § planning into the curriculum of other subjects frequent opportunities to apply the knowledge, understanding and skills learnt in information and communication technology lessons. (paragraphs 22, 27, 58, 103, 108, 125, 136, 138, 142)

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Review the curriculum to make more effective and imaginative use of curriculum time by developing a more integrated curriculum so that subjects with similar skills support each other to consolidate and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills learnt. (paragraphs 26, 27, 29, 45, 54, 89, 90, 91, 103, 105, 108, 114, 118, 130)

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Ensure assessment procedures inform the planning of a wider range of subjects so that pupils have work well matched to their age and ability by: § implementing the school improvement plan to continue to develop effective and efficient assessment procedures in science and non-core subjects; § using the information gained from assessment to ensure that lesson planning contains a sufficient range of challenging expectations. (paragraphs 22, 27, 45, 54, 59, 100, 110, 137, 144)

p.28

Minor issues that the school needs to consider:

70. Review the procedures for the removal of pupils from lessons for support to ensure time is used effectively by: • reviewing the effectiveness of withdrawing pupils; • reviewing the level and effectiveness of support given in the classroom; • clearly timetabling when pupils are withdrawn and by whom and for what; • ensuring that the support given is effective and making best use of the resources available. (paragraphs 29, 88, 91) Titchfield Primary School - 29

p.28

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 25

p.29

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.29

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. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than two percentage points.

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR - Y6

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 158

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 13

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR - Y6

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 50

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 21

p.29

Attendance

School data 3.9 School data 1.4 Titchfield Primary School - 30 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Titchfield Primary School - 31

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 11 18 29

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 16

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 83 (93) 90 (90) 93 (97)

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 13 18

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 86 (93) 79 (97) 100 (97)

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 98 (88) 89 (88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 12 10 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls -- -- --

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 86 (55) 77 (82) 100 (73)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls -- -- --

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 68 (67) 77 (68) 95 (76)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Where the number of boys or girls who took the test is ten or fewer, totals are not shown separately. Titchfield Primary School - 32

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.75

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR –Y6 Total expenditure 416,974

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 2,326

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 117 Balance brought forward from previous year 9,134

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 10,001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff n/a

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week n/a

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 8

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 8

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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 Titchfield Primary School - 33 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Titchfield Primary School - 34

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Questionnaire return rate 36.7 Number of questionnaires sent out 158 Number of questionnaires returned 58

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 45 45 10 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 24 71 2 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 36 24 3 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 43 10 5 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 66 29 3 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 47 52 0 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 53 36 9 2 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 50 41 3 2 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 38 47 10 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 43 41 5 7 3 Titchfield Primary School - 35

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. At the time of the last inspection this aspect of the school was inspected according to the areas of learning for children under five. The provision was described as sound and children made satisfactory progress in all the areas of learning, apart from creative development which was judged as good. In September 2000, the Foundation Stage of children’s learning was introduced and in this inspection provision for children in the reception class was inspected according to the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals for the Foundation Stage.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

72. Children start school in the autumn term following their fourth birthday. Initially they attend on a part-time basis but the majority attend on a full-time basis by the first half term. The school adopts a flexible approach to meet the needs of very young children who may need longer to settle in. However, in practice, children rarely need this. The procedures for introducing children to school are excellent. In the summer term before they start school, children attend one afternoon a week for five weeks to spend time in the class, meeting the teacher and learning support assistant. Whilst they are there, the school provides a series of workshops for parents on the Foundation Stage curriculum. One of the sessions takes place at a local library and focuses on “reading together”. The school provides a very helpful and informative information pack for parents. This includes a checklist of useful skills to help

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

children settle and become independent, the school’s handwriting scheme and guidance about writing numbers. Parents are provided with tracing paper to help their children make a start at writing letters and numbers. The pack for parents also contains helpful information about the home/school agreement, a booklet from the DfES on starting school, baseline assessment arrangements and school routines. There is also a delightful booklet written by pupils in Years 1 and 2 about their experiences of school. This is updated each year. Parents are also provided with a booklet “All about me” to complete with their children before they start school. The teacher visits children at home before they start school and the booklet forms a focus for discussion. These procedures enable the school to build very warm and positive relationships with parents and ensure that children are very well supported when they start school. The reception class teacher was instrumental in restarting

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

the local pre-school group and has very positive relationships with them.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

73. When children join the school, their skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing are below average. Their early mathematical skills and their personal, social and emotional development are also a little below nationally expected levels, as is their knowledge and understanding of the world. However, most children in the present reception class have not had pre-school experience, as there have been changes in local provision. During their time in the reception class, children make good progress in all the areas of learning and by the time they are ready to begin Year 1, the majority are attaining the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals in each area with a significant proportion of children exceeding them.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

74. Teaching in the reception class is very good overall and on occasion it is excellent. The teacher has a very good understanding of the learning needs of young children and plans an excellent range of learning opportunities. In this, a skilled learning support assistant very well supports her. They work very well as a team and provide a rich learning environment which addresses all the areas of learning. A significant feature of the provision for children in the Foundation Stage is that children find Titchfield Primary School - 36 learning fun; they are enthusiastic and very well motivated and do not realise that they are working very hard and learning well. The very high quality provision of learning through structured play is a strength of the school. The school has recently developed a secure outdoor learning environment for the Foundation Stage. This was very well used during the inspection. Children used the “pet shop” to develop

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

their mathematical skills. They enjoyed the garden area for their milk and snack session. The teacher and learning support assistant make very good observations of the children and know them well.

p.36

Personal, social and emotional development

75. The majority of children enter the reception class with below average skills in personal, social and emotional development. Children feel happy and secure and enjoy coming to school. They are familiar with class routines and settle well to all their activities. Children enjoy a visit from the learning support assistant’s two guinea pigs. They sit very still, and show concern for the small animals. They understand that they need to wash their hands after handling the animals. In their milk and snack session, children enjoy sitting in the garden area which is full of vegetables and flowers that they have helped to plant. They are sensible in giving out drinks and fruit and enjoy the social occasion. They are developing good relationships with adults and play well together. In shared activities they are learning to take turns and share toys. Children are developing very good attitudes to school

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Personal, social and emotional development

and enjoy their learning. They are developing good levels of concentration and try hard with their activities. Children are curious and keen to try out new activities. They talk happily to school staff and visitors about what they are doing. The teacher and learning support assistant provide a very good range of activities to support children’s personal, social and emotional development. By the time they are ready to start Year 1, the majority of children are likely to meet the Early Learning Goals for personal, social and emotional development and some children will exceed them.

p.36

Communication, language and literacy

76. When they start school a significant proportion of children have below average skills in communication, language and literacy. They listen well to their teacher and other adults. However, their speaking skills are not as well developed. Several children are shy about talking to visitors and do not speak confidently to the whole class. Children enjoy listening to stories and sharing books. Children listen well and are making good progress in their knowledge of phonics. They can explain that they use a range of strategies to read new words. For example, they can sound out the words, blend the sounds, use the picture clues or miss a word and read on to check for meaning. Children know that in English words are read from left to right and they are able to order muddled words correctly to form sentences. The majority of children recognise their name cards and those of their classmates. Children’s

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Communication, language and literacy

writing shows that they know print goes from left to right. The majority can write their names independently and in their independent writing most of them write recognisable letters. In the imaginative play area, children write in the appointments book for the vet’s surgery and then write prescriptions for sick pets. By the time they begin Year 1, the majority of children are likely to attain the Early Learning Goals for communication, language and literacy and a significant number are likely to exceed them. Titchfield Primary School - 37

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Mathematical development

77. Children make good progress in their mathematical development. They can count to five and most can count reliably beyond this. They can order numbers correctly from one to nine, and recognise numerals to 20. When playing in the pet shop they can give the right amount of change from ten pence. Higher attaining children can give change from 20 pence. Children enjoy the challenge of counting on to find addition and subtraction sums to 20, for example, 20-12=8. Children can order numbers, changing the date on the calendar. They can say which is one more or less than a given number. When looking at the date, a higher attaining child was able to say that 24 is two lots of ten and four more. They enjoy singing number rhymes and singing games. They are able to name regular shapes such as triangles, squares and circles and also name solid shapes such as cylinder, cube and spheres. When programming the Roamer they make good guesses at where

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Mathematical development

the Roamer will be after moving a given number of spaces. Children are making good progress in their mathematical development and some are already attaining the Early Learning Goals for mathematical development. The majority are likely to attain them by the end of the reception year.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

78. A small number of children start school with a good basic general knowledge but the majority of children have limited experience and understanding in this area. Very few of the children in the current reception class have had pre-school experience. There has been a gap in provision between the retirement of the previous pre-school leader and the opening of the new pre-school in the community centre. The teacher makes very good provision for this area of learning using an imaginative range of teaching strategies. Children have been learning to program a Roamer toy to move backwards and forwards. The teacher transformed the Roamer into a mouse and devised a game requiring the children to program it to find different “bird’s eye view” pictures. When illustrating the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar, children were enthralled to see the Roamer emerging from a chrysalis as a butterfly.

p.37

Knowledge and understanding of the world

79. Children are making good progress in early geographical skills. They are learning the terms left and right and use these to program the Roamer. The teacher has taken a series of photographs of familiar objects in the classroom from a bird’s eye view. Children are able to recognise these and understand that objects look different when seen from above. When they program the Roamer, children know that they need to clear the memory before putting in a new instruction. They can remember the sequence of clearing the memory, pressing the direction arrow and then entering the required number.

p.37

Knowledge and understanding of the world

80. Children show an interest in how things work and are questioning and curious. They enjoy using construction toys to build different models. By the time they are ready to start Year 1, the majority of children are meeting the Early Learning Goals and a small number are likely to exceed them.

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Physical development

81. The school has recently completed provision of a secure outdoor area for the reception class and this now forms a very effective learning environment. It is well used for a good range of activities. Whilst there is not a lot of room for wheeled toys, the children use them well. They manoeuvre safely around obstacles, showing a good awareness of other children. Children control their movements well and move Titchfield Primary School - 38 with agility. They enjoy outdoor activities and work with energy and enthusiasm. In the classroom, children use pencils, brushes, scissors and other tools with increasing confidence and skill. By the end of the reception year the majority of children will meet or exceed the Early Learning Goals for physical development.

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Creative development

82. Children make good progress in this area of learning and are likely to attain or exceed the expected levels by the time they start in Year 1. Children greatly enjoy the teacher’s imaginative use of puppets to share the learning intentions for lessons and respond very well to “Walt” the tiger puppet who tells them what they are going to learn. They also enjoy learning about the bird’s eye view of “Florence” the flamingo puppet, and pitting their wits against “Geraldine” the giraffe puppet in a phonics game. In the imaginative play area of a vet’s surgery they enjoy making up stories about their sick pets and writing prescriptions for medicines. Children enjoy making pictures in paint and collage. They have opportunities to draw and explore a range of materials. Children enjoy singing and know a number of songs and rhymes by heart which they sing enthusiastically. They often choose to listen to tapes in the

p.38

Creative development

music corner. By the time they start in Year 1 the majority of children will meet or exceed the Early Learning Goals for creative development.

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ENGLISH

83. In 2001 tests for pupils aged seven, standards in reading were average when compared with standards attained by pupils nationally, and below average when compared with standards attained by pupils in similar schools. Standards in writing for seven year olds were below average when compared with national standards and below average when compared to pupils in similar schools. However, early indications from the tests in 2002 suggest a significant improvement in both these areas of learning.

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ENGLISH

84. Results in the 2001 national tests for pupils aged 11 were above the national average and well above average when compared to results attained by pupils in similar schools. The school’s results in English over the past four years have varied considerably but this is a common feature of schools with small cohorts and does not give a true picture of the school’s achievements. The results for this year are likely to be below average. These results are affected by the fact that half the class have special educational needs and a higher than average proportion of pupils leave or join the school at other than the usual times and have had a very varied range of experiences.

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ENGLISH

85. Averaged over the last three years, infant boys have attained higher standards in reading and writing than girls, and junior boys have attained higher standards in English. However, care must be taken in interpreting these results as numbers are small, they vary year on year, the school has a large number of special educational needs pupils and a significant number do not spend the whole of their primary education in the school. The school is aware of the differences and is monitoring pupils’ progress, teaching and learning to ensure any differences are not significant.

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ENGLISH

86. When pupils start in Year 1, their attainment in speaking and listening is average. In lessons and in assemblies, pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other. In lessons, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to discuss their work in pairs which helps to develop their speaking skills. In a Year 6 lesson, pupils speak animatedly about their experiences at the recent visit to a water activities centre. Titchfield Primary School - 39 However, in most lessons pupils are not confident in speaking to the class. They do not use a good range of vocabulary and their sentence construction is average.

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ENGLISH

87. Pupils in Key Stage 1 attain average standards in reading and are developing a secure knowledge of letter sounds. They use this to build up words when reading aloud. They adopt a good range of strategies for tackling unfamiliar words, such as sounding out the letters, looking at the pictures to check for meaning and using the context of the story. In Year 1, pupils are beginning to use expression when reading aloud. Pupils in Year 2 show good understanding of the features of non-fiction texts. They can explain that these books are likely to have contents pages, labelled diagrams and glossaries. They join confidently in reading a book about “What babies used to wear”. Pupils take books home regularly to read with an adult.

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ENGLISH

88. Pupils in Key Stage 2 attain average standards in reading. They are confident in reading aloud and the more able are fluent readers. However, as at the time of the last inspection, pupils do not talk about a wide range of books. Their preferences are for a small number of popular children’s authors. Whilst these are appropriate choices, pupils are not being made aware of the rich range of literature available to them and are not being helped to develop the competence that would enable them to attain the higher levels in reading. The school has recognised this and improving standards in reading is a priority in the school improvement plan. In Years 4 and 5, again the higher attaining pupils attain satisfactory standards. They enjoy complex texts such as the “Diary of Anne Frank”. They read confidently and with good expression and understanding. However, average attaining pupils are hesitant in

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ENGLISH

their reading. They do not read for meaning or correct their mistakes, which holds back their progress. Pupils are confident users of dictionaries and reference books. Many of them use the Internet and CD-ROM to find information for their topics.

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ENGLISH

89. Pupils aged seven attained below average standards in writing in the 2001 national tests. The school has worked hard to address standards in writing and work seen during the inspection shows improvement. Pupils in Year 2 now attain at least average standards in writing and the unvalidated results from the 2002 Key Stage 1 tests show significant improvement over those in 2001. Pupils’ books show a good range of work to develop pupils’ literacy skills. However, there is little evidence as yet that pupils transfer the skills to their independent writing. Pupils have not developed good strategies for spelling and their work is let down by this. They try hard to present their work neatly and are developing a clear style of joined handwriting. The more able pupils are beginning to use a good range of expressive vocabulary in their writing. They are learning some of the techniques of good writing,

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ENGLISH

such as alliteration, and try to write in different styles. They retell familiar stories such as Rumplestiltskin, and in their history lessons, write a range of recounts of historical events.

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ENGLISH

90. The current Year 6 has a very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs and, as a result, the overall attainment this year is likely to be lower than in 2001. However, there are some higher attaining pupils who are likely to achieve well. In Year 6, pupils speak enthusiastically of their recent week at a water activities centre. They work in groups to prepare a presentation on their week for the rest of the school. Pupils use drafting books, using alternate lines so that they can edit and improve their work. However, there is little evidence that these are used effectively. They use mapping techniques effectively to plan their stories. Most pupils take care over the presentation of their work and are developing a neat joined handwriting style. However, some of the work of the most able pupils is let down by a lack of care. Pupils cover the range of work expected by the National Literacy Strategy but

p.39

ENGLISH

Titchfield Primary School - 40 are not always given sufficient opportunities to practise the skills they learn in their independent writing.

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ENGLISH

91. During the inspection, the teaching of English was good overall although one unsatisfactory lesson was observed. Teachers are secure in their understanding of the basic skills of literacy and teach them well. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented effectively. Teachers explain the work well to pupils. This helps them to understand the tasks and make progress. The most successful lessons are well paced and enable pupils to achieve well. Where teaching is less successful is when pupils’ behaviour is not managed effectively. This slows the pace of the lesson, which means that pupils achieve little and do not make gains in their knowledge and understanding. There are times when pupils are withdrawn from lessons for individual reading practice. This is not always appropriate. Whilst some pupils have individual reading practice as a target in their individual education plans, this is not always done at the most appropriate time and pupils often miss work in

p.40

ENGLISH

subjects such as history, music or religious education. In some classes the guided reading sessions are used to hear pupils read rather than to teach specific reading skills. The use of homework is inconsistent.

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ENGLISH

92. In the best lessons, teachers plan their work well, building on pupils’ previous knowledge and understanding. They ensure that pupils are clear about the learning intentions and regularly refer to these during the lesson. At the end of lessons they review learning well, often asking pupils if they think they have achieved what they set out to do. They set group and individual learning targets for pupils and review these regularly. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by the effective learning support assistants. This enables them to take a full part in lessons and make good progress in relation to the targets set for them. There is good provision to support travellers. Their skills are assessed immediately on entry to the school and appropriate support given. Teachers use time and resources well. They engage pupils’ interest by presenting the work in a lively manner. This motivates

p.40

ENGLISH

pupils and encourages them to work hard. As a result, they achieve well.

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ENGLISH

93. Management of English is effective. The subject leader is relatively new to the role. She has established an action plan which builds well on that of the previous subject leader. She is developing a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses in the subject. She is aware that standards in reading are not high enough and this is a priority in the next phase of the school improvement plan. She has begun to monitor colleagues’ planning and is working with a consultant from the local education authority to develop her role.

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ENGLISH

94. The previous inspection report described standards in English as being average for both seven and 11 year olds. The school’s results have shown considerable variation over the past four years. This is because a high proportion of pupils have joined or left the school at other than the normal times and also because the proportion of pupils with special educational needs varies from year to year. The school has worked hard to address weaknesses in English and has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

95. During the inspection, pupils’ attainment in mathematics was above average at Key Stage 1 and below average at Key Stage 2. On entry to the school, children are broadly average and make good progress to be higher than average by the end of Key Stage 1. The 2001 results show good progress at Key Stage 2, with pupils well Titchfield Primary School - 41 above the national average by the end of the key stage. However, although pupils in the current Year 6 make sound progress, overall standards are below national expectations because half the Year 6 class have special educational needs and only 12 of the 20 pupils have been in the school for the whole of their junior education. 96. There are noticeable differences in attainment between boys and girls, averaged over the past three years, where infant and junior girls are achieving less well than boys. However, care must be taken in interpreting these results as numbers are

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MATHEMATICS

small, they vary year on year, the school have a large number of special educational needs pupils and a significant number do not spend the whole of their primary education in the school. The school have recognised this and are addressing it through termly monitoring of all teachers. The results for pupils over the past four years show significant fluctuations in tests at the end of Years 2 and 6. The last inspection showed that pupils were below average at the end of Year 2 and were similar at the end of Year 6. The relatively recent changes in approach to teaching mathematics through the National Numeracy Strategy and the adoption of a nationally approved scheme of work is helping to provide clearer steps for all abilities and age groups. Although these developments are helping to improve standards overall, the methods of assessment of mathematics in general are not yet rigorous enough to raise standards to expected levels.

p.41

MATHEMATICS

97. Many pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 understand place value to 1000, find the half of given numbers, round to the nearest ten and identify multiples of ten. They use information and communication technology to create graphs of their favourite drinks and tackle problems related to money.

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MATHEMATICS

98. By the end of Key Stage 2, higher attaining pupils compare mixed fractions by converting to the same denominator and are confident to find the square root of numbers. They can add decimals with two decimal places and use mathematical vocabulary, such as parallel, to describe shapes. However, a significant number of pupils find these tasks difficult and are not able to apply their knowledge confidently to new situations.

p.41

MATHEMATICS

99. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall with a range from very good to satisfactory; none were judged to be unsatisfactory. Teachers show good subject knowledge, and relationships are good, allowing teachers to manage pupils in a pleasant and happy working environment. This is demonstrated clearly in the effective use of the National Numeracy Strategy where pupils receive a carefully structured session of mental and written mathematics each day. This was seen in a very good Year 1 lesson where there was good pupil behaviour, excellent pace and high quality teaching that gave a well-structured lesson. A range of teaching styles was observed and learning was most effective when the lessons were well planned and had lively introductions to enthuse the pupils. In the better lessons, teachers explain clearly what the lessons are to be about, keep the lessons moving at a good pace and make sure that most children are suitably challenged. In a Year 3 lesson,

p.41

MATHEMATICS

pupils were effectively challenged by well-directed questions that promoted good learning and progress. The responses from the pupils were invariably thoughtful and positive.

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MATHEMATICS

100. Pupils in each year are set into ability groups. There is a considerable range of ability within each class and the teachers are aware of these differing abilities. Teachers often present the pupils in their class with similarly-based tasks that are structured so that challenge is increased for increasing ability. This arrangement is successful to the extent that most pupils, including those with special educational Titchfield Primary School - 42 needs, make satisfactory or good progress. However, in nearly all classes, even in those where teaching was judged to be good, the teachers could have done more to challenge the more able in the class. The cumulative effect of this is that by the time they come to the end of Year 6 the most able pupils’ attainment is average overall, but there are many who are not achieving their full potential and this is having a negative effect on the school’s overall results. The use of homework is inconsistent.

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MATHEMATICS

101. Pupils’ behaviour in class is good overall and whilst many show an enthusiasm to learn, all teachers have to possess good behavioural management skills to keep less motivated pupils on track.

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MATHEMATICS

102. Difficulties in staffing over the past year have led the headteacher to fill the role of subject manager. This has been successful as an interim measure and a subject co-ordinator has been appointed from the coming September. During the past year there has been considerable development in the subject. The following developments have brought considerable positive impact:

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MATHEMATICS

• The refinement in the teaching of the National Numeracy Strategy. • The adoption of a nationally approved scheme of work throughout all years. • Increased use of assessment to identify the progress made by pupils. • Setting so that the range of ability is reduced in each class.

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MATHEMATICS

103. The overall improvement in provision over the past year has led to increased progress being made by many pupils. The resources are good in both quality and quantity. The displays of mathematics work seen around the school are of uniform high standard, with one demonstrating the progress made by pupils from Year 1 to Year 6. Too little use is made of computers to further enhance learning, as was evident in the scrutiny of pupils’ work. There were very few instances of pupils using computers for mathematical purposes during the inspection. The school recognises this and has raised the issue as part of its development plan.

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SCIENCE

104. Pupils’ attainment in science is above average at Year 2 and below average at Year 6. On entry to the school, attainment is broadly average. Pupils make good progress to be higher than average by the end of the infants. Results in 2001 also show good progress in junior classes, with pupils well above the national average. However, pupils in the current Year 6 are below average. This is because half the current Year 6 have special educational needs and only 60 per cent of the pupils have been in the school for the whole of their junior education. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is good and travellers are well supported. Overall, pupils make good progress through the juniors. Averaged over the last three years, boys do better than girls. However, this varies from year to year. The school is aware of this and is monitoring the progress of boys and girls to ensure

p.42

SCIENCE

105. Improvement in science since the last inspection has been good, with a significant rise in standards in the aspects of science assessed by the 2001 national tests and in pupils’ progress. However, planning work to meet the wide range of ability in classes, although addressed through recent changes in the curriculum, needs continued attention.

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SCIENCE

106. By the age of seven, pupils recognise that plants need soil, water, light and oxygen from the air in order to grow, and compare this to animals that need food and Titchfield Primary School - 43 oxygen. They also recognise that humans need a range of foods and that sugar gives them energy. With the appropriate support they investigate how quickly ice melts in different situations and appreciate it can be refrozen. They are able to apply this principle to what would happen to butter and chocolate if these were melted and then cooled. They also know that in order for a bulb to light, the circuit needs to be made of materials that conduct electricity.

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SCIENCE

107. By the age of 11, pupils investigate the effect of temperature on the rate at which sugar cubes dissolve and understand that in order for the test to be fair, they would need to ensure they use the same size container for each test and stir the solution the same number of times. Pupils understand that in order for an object to float, the water must exert force upwards that is equal to the object pushing downward. They understand the positive effects of microbes on biodegradable products and their effect on decomposition in the environment. They are also aware that microbes are a major source of disease. However, pupils do not fully understand that plants make their own food through a process of photosynthesis, or the effect of resistance in a circuit. Neither are they able to plan and carry out independent investigations from questions they have raised for themselves.

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SCIENCE

108. Science supports numeracy through, for example, measuring the force of gravity on an object when it is in air and in water. However, the opportunities in science to apply and extend the skills learnt in numeracy are not sufficiently exploited. This is also true of information and communication technology. Opportunities to word process investigations, use spreadsheets to record and calculate results, and use “data logging” to record changes, for example, in the environment over time, are underused. Literacy skills, such as reported writing, are applied to science through the recording of investigations. Pupils enjoy the subject and are able to talk about what they have done with enthusiasm, for example, Year 2 explaining how they could reshape chocolate. However, they are not given sufficient opportunity to plan their own investigations, answering questions they have raised and then reviewing their

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SCIENCE

procedures to improve the reliability of their results.

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SCIENCE

109. The overall quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good. This is reflected in the good progress pupils make and this is an improvement since the last inspection. One unsatisfactory lesson was seen. Generally, teachers have sound knowledge and understanding and use this to plan appropriate work. The activities and strategies used are often good. For example, in Year 1 the teacher had invited a builder to talk to the pupils. This captured their imagination. As a result, pupils were able to give clear explanations to why specific materials are used in building a house. In Year 6, pupils investigated the variations in the size of leaves at top, middle and bottom of a shrub. Good use of the grounds and exploiting pupils’ questions enabled the teacher to challenge one group to also investigate whether the leaf size is affected by the direction (north, south, east or west) they face. When

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SCIENCE

teaching is effective pace is good, as in a Year 1 lesson when pupils were given the opportunity to answer and ask questions, discuss their ideas, listen to the teacher and the builder and given time to consider and consolidate what had been said. When teaching is less effective pace is often slow, which results in pupils not being challenged and consequently losing their attention, and not completing sufficient work at a high enough standard. Overall, teachers’ planning is effective but insufficient attention is given to ensuring lesson objectives have a range of expectations to meet the needs of all pupils in class.

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SCIENCE

110. The science curriculum has been identified as a focus in the school improvement plan. This is so the school can consolidate and improve on the necessary and Titchfield Primary School - 44 significant changes made in the curriculum in September 2001. Although there are adequate assessment procedures for identifying pupils’ progress, these are not used rigorously enough to ensure work is securely based on pupils’ prior attainment. The subject is well led by a new manager who has overseen the implementation of the new curriculum. She has monitored this well and clearly identified the improvements needed.

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ART AND DESIGN

111. Overall, pupils’ standards of attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with national expectations. All pupils make satisfactory progress. These findings are similar to those of the last inspection. Only one lesson was observed in art and design and, therefore, no overall judgement can be made of the quality of teaching in this subject. However, from a scrutiny of pupils’ work and teachers’ planning, and through discussions with them, satisfactory provision is made for art and design and pupils enjoy the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

112. Pupils in Year 1 experiment with colour and pattern in producing designs and illustrating butterflies. By the end of Year 2, pupils have used a variety of media when using their imaginations to produce drawings, paintings and collage, for example, wax resistance patterns to illustrate Victorian clothing and learning the technique of tie-dying. They explore line, colour, texture and tone in producing seascapes. The recent introduction of sketch books, which will follow the pupils through the school, illustrate frequent opportunities for them to complete observational drawings or to experiment with new techniques, such as using a variety of pencil patterns to produce shading.

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ART AND DESIGN

113. In Year 3, pupils continue to develop their skills in observational drawing. Recent work with weaving enables pupils to experiment with a wide range of threads and wool. It shows attention to detail and good presentation of the finished article. Recent work in Year 4 shows pupils choosing from a variety of papers and materials when completing collages of imaginary landscapes. They show good knowledge and understanding of combining different colours of tissue paper and using techniques, such as wetting and scrimping, to produce different effects. Pupils also have had opportunities to use Batik and clay. Their sketching skills are not as well advanced and too many feel the need to use rulers when they sketch their designs. By the end of Year 6, pupils demonstrate satisfactory skills in observational drawing, painting and using clay.

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ART AND DESIGN

114. The subject is satisfactorily managed. The subject manager monitors teachers’ planning and keeps an eye on pupils’ standards of attainment through monitoring work on display throughout the school. Pupils are encouraged to enter the Titchfield Art Show and the school had an “Arts Week” following the inspection which has a significant effect on developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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ART AND DESIGN

115. No monitoring of teaching and learning has taken place and this is a weakness. Resources for the subject are satisfactory. The use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning is satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. Owing to timetable restraints it was not possible to see a representative sample of lessons in design and technology during the inspection. An overall judgement Titchfield Primary School - 45 cannot therefore be made about the teaching and learning. Judgements on attainment are based on scrutiny of pupils’ work, scrutiny of a range of photographic and other evidence, discussions with staff and pupils and examination of teachers’ planning. By the ages of seven and 11, pupils attain standards similar or below that generally found for pupils of this age. This is similar to the standards found at the last inspection. Since the last inspection sufficient time is now given to the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. Pupils in the reception class were seen to have completed some good design work in their sketching of early ideas for their projects. These were clear and considered. In Year 2, pupils had completed a cross-curricular project for both art and design and technology where pupils had to design clothes in a Victorian style and then completed them using tie-dye methods of colouring. The results were at least satisfactory and some were good. Some Year 6 work is of good quality showing detailed designing and thoughtful consideration. In this project there was a useful link to literacy when there was considerable development of technological language. Many pupils within the school apply the basic principles of designing effectively to select appropriate materials and evaluate their finished products. Links with information and communication technology have been established and good work of both pupils and staff were seen on display. Overall levels of designing and making

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

throughout the school are generally satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

118. The curriculum is supported by a scheme of work derived from the nationally recommended scheme, which builds effectively on pupils’ prior knowledge, skills and understanding. Some elements of the subject are appropriately used to support learning in other subjects, such as information and communication technology and art. Although pupils are given adequate planned opportunities to design, key elements of their products and their evaluations are sometimes underdeveloped, especially with the oldest pupils. The subject policy statement needs some updating but is sound overall. The aims and objectives are stated clearly and the philosophy is good. Coverage of the expected curriculum in Years 3 to 6 appears to be a little thin but is satisfactory in the younger age group.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

119. The subject manager is a relatively recently appointed and is working well in order to improve the subject. She has undertaken a review of provision and resources and is aware that a more consistent approach to planning within each year group and a greater focus upon design would improve pupils’ learning. It is recognised already that systems and control within the subject need further development. The subject manager has realistic expectations for the development of the subject and of strategies to support teachers in their work across the school. Resources for the subject are generally of good quality and in reasonable supply. Much has been done during this past year to update tools and equipment.

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GEOGRAPHY

120. A restricted number of geography lessons were observed during the inspection. In consequence, it is not possible to give an overall judgement on the qualities of teaching and learning. A scrutiny of pupils’ work undertaken during the school year, in books and on display around the school, photographic evidence provided by the school and discussions with pupils show that pupils’ attainment in geography is as expected nationally by the age of 11, and that pupils make sound progress in geography as they move through the school. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Titchfield Primary School - 46 121. The displays of work showing facets of the subject are variable in quality. A good display drawing together science and geography in Year 1 had interesting plants, pupils’ drawings and writing. The level of work attached to this was good. In Year 3 there was a display featuring ‘Our local area’. This was of very good quality, using

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GEOGRAPHY

maps, photographs and computer-generated images. It was a good idea that was executed effectively; a point that was shown by the pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for it.

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GEOGRAPHY

122. Pupils in Year 6 can read and describe maps and their features well. They describe the differences between countries in Europe and the overall structure of the European Union. Pupils were hampered in this task as they had to rely on out of date materials from which to make their judgements. All pupils can describe how they would recognise towns and cities, rivers and oceans on maps. Average and higher attaining pupils describe the use of scale in portraying large areas accurately and can calculate distances between cities and their relative directions from each other.

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GEOGRAPHY

123. Pupils enjoy their work in geography. They concentrate hard and remain committed to their tasks. Overall attitudes and behaviour are good. They work well together in groups and in whole-class discussion, listen carefully to their teachers and to other pupils, and are confident in contributing their ideas and interpretations. They take care in recording their work and are keen to do well.

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GEOGRAPHY

124. Generally, pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. The overall level of attainment in Year 6 is average when compared nationally. Pupils with special educational needs make similar progress to the rest of the pupils as they are generally supported well by learning support assistants. There is a need to develop the enquiry skills of the pupils rather than relying excessively on materials given to them.

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GEOGRAPHY

125. Since the appointment of the subject manager there has been considerable developmental work completed. Staff new to the school have been supported by the introduction of an interim use of the nationally approved scheme of work prior to an adaptation being introduced specifically for the school. An action plan highlights these changes and the assessment points at various stages of the course. There are at present few information and communication technology resources for geography and in this subject the use of computers does not feature greatly. The pleasant school grounds will act as a focus for many activities within the subject including spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision and steps are currently being taken to develop this aspect.

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HISTORY

126. Pupils’ standards of attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are in line with national expectations. Evidence from an examination of school documentation, pupils’ work and discussions with them indicates that, overall, progress is satisfactory and standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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HISTORY

127. Pupils in Years 1 make satisfactory progress as they identify the similarities and differences between the rich and poor in Victorian times. They are aware of the plight of the poor and how they often lived in cramped conditions in one room. Pupils demonstrate good knowledge of some of the differences between then and now. For example, when shown an iron from Victorian times, one pupil said that these ‘hot’ irons were used in pairs so that one iron was heated on the range while the Titchfield Primary School - 47 other was being used. Pupils are enthusiastic about learning about the past. The good use teachers make of visits to places of historical interest, such as Manor Farm, and the opportunities pupils have to handle original artefacts help to encourage pupils’ good attitudes and this has a positive effect on their learning.

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HISTORY

128. By the end of Year 2, pupils show good knowledge of the difficulties of wash days in the past and how the advent of the washing machine has improved the lives of housekeepers. They sequence the laborious process that used to be used and talk about artefacts of the time, such as dolly pegs. Pupils learn about famous people, such as Guy Fawkes and Florence Nightingale, and how they affected the historical events of their day. Teachers’ frequent use of timelines ensures that pupils develop an understanding of the chronology of the past.

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HISTORY

129. Pupils in Year 3 show a sound understanding of the beliefs, customs, way of life and art of the Celts and Romans. Pupils in Year 4 find out about the Tudor times and how the actions of Henry VIII led to the formation of the Church of England. Through individual research they find out about Henry’s many wives. In their studies of Victorian town life, Year 5 pupils research the history of their local village and learn that buildings are a valuable source of information. Year 6 pupils study the civilisation of ancient Greece and demonstrate sound understanding of the differences between the city-states of Athens and Sparta. They understand the contributions made to life today by famous Greeks, such as Homer, Plato and Aristotle.

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HISTORY

130. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge about the periods of history that they teach. They make good use of first hand experiences to bring the subject alive for pupils, including the use of drama. Teachers’ planning is detailed and identifies the key elements of the National Curriculum in which they wish the pupils to make progress. In a good Year 1 lesson, the teacher effectively followed up a visit to Manor Farm where the pupils had learned about the way of life of the Victorians. She discussed with the pupils her own grandmother’s recollections of life in her childhood and used a range of artefacts to inform them of this period of history before involving them in a simple role play to consolidate their knowledge and understanding. This successfully motivated pupils to think for themselves and they enthusiastically produced their own

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HISTORY

mimes of the jobs they were doing. When the teacher touched them on the head they had to say what they were doing and what they were thinking. Pupils responded well and one said, for example, that they were tired of doing a repetitious sewing job and their eyes were sore because of the poor light in the room. This made a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision. Teachers make good use of pupils’ developing literacy skills. For example, Year 6 pupils researched information for themselves when writing about famous Greeks and Year 2 pupils wrote creative accounts of the actions of Guy Fawkes when learning about the origins of Bonfire Night.

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HISTORY

131. The subject co-ordinator is enthusiastic about history and has recently re-planned the cycle of topics covered now that there are single age group classes in the school. A good start has been made in establishing effective assessment procedures through the drawing up of key questions for pupils to answer at the end of a topic. The subject manager monitors teachers’ planning and offers informal support to teachers. She is given time to carry out her subject management responsibilities but has not monitored the teaching of her colleagues. Little evidence of the use of information and communication technology was seen when scrutinising pupils’ work. Resources for the subject are good and the school makes good use of Titchfield Primary School - 48 the resources available from the local history centre and county wardrobe to support pupils’ learning. Titchfield Primary School - 49

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

132. Pupils do not reach a satisfactory standard in information and communication technology and progress is unsatisfactory. This represents a decline since the last inspection when standards were in line. However, national expectations have risen significantly in the last five years. The school is addressing the issue with the very recent appointment of a new subject manager. Pupils with special educational need make good progress and have similar information and communication technology skills to other pupils.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

133. Pupils at seven years enjoy using a CD-ROM encyclopaedia to find out about ‘amazing animals’. They use their word-processing skills to support history and geography by writing stories about Guy Fawkes and Scott of the Antarctic. They enjoy using a simple graphics package to design a photo frame for design and technology, and can explain how to change the pen size, colours and the ‘spray can’ for effect. They plot simple graphs to find out what the favourite drink is in the class and can program a Roamer to move around a predetermined path. However, there is little interpretation of graphs, word processing lacks evidence of editing, there is limited use of fonts for effect or the combining of text and graphics. Too few pupils are secure at the standard expected.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

134. At 11 years, pupils use simple search routines on the Internet to find information to support a history topic on the Greeks. However, they cannot use “AND” and “OR” combinations to make their search more effective. They use spreadsheets to sum a tally to find out the class’s favourite crisps but are not familiar with how to use it to find a mean, mode or median of a set of data. They can write a simple program to control a car, for example, to turn its lights on and off, but cannot extend this to a conditional input when, for example, as a result of diminishing light levels a light is switched on. They are aware of simple computer applications such as getting money from banks and using the school’s library scanner to record the taking in and removing of books. They can also program an application to draw repeated squares to create interesting patterns. Pupils can word process their stories using correct

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

punctuation and layout but they cannot combine these with any sophistication into multimedia presentations.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

135. Pupils at both key stages enjoy the subject and show great enthusiasm when explaining what they can do. They particularly enjoy the use of CD-ROMs, programming patterns and using the Internet for research.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

136. No direct teaching of information and communication technology was seen. It is therefore not possible to comment on the overall standard of teaching. However, from the range of work in the different subjects identified above, teachers’ plans, and talking to pupils, the curriculum is addressed systematically. Because of recent staff changes, a significant number of teachers have not had the benefit of national training. This is organised for September this year. Pupils are insufficiently challenged or supported in applying the skills learnt in information and communication technology lessons to other subjects because of this lack of expertise.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

137. The school has addressed the very necessary reorganisation of the curriculum by adopting the nationally approved scheme of work and this has resulted in full coverage of the National Curriculum. Although assessment procedures have been put in place they have yet to have sufficient impact on reviewing the curriculum and Titchfield Primary School - 50 planning work which includes a range of expectations which are challenging and firmly based on pupils’ prior attainment. 138. The subject is well led by the recently appointed subject manager. She has already identified the needs of the subject and these are included in the school improvement plan.

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MUSIC

139. In the previous inspection, standards in music were described as sound for pupils aged seven and 11. In the present inspection, timetabling arrangements meant that it was only possible to observe a small number of music lessons. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning, the school scheme of work and discussions with pupils show that music is taught systematically through the school.

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MUSIC

140. No music lessons were observed in Years 1 and 2. However, pupils sing tunefully in assemblies and they enjoy exploring different sounds and listening to music. Pupils in Year 3 work on combining different musical elements to create their own short pieces. They are developing good rhythmic skills and sing well together. They concentrate well and are very good at keeping a steady beat. They enjoy using different percussion instruments to explore a range of sounds and compose their own short pieces based on Saint-Saens’ “Carnival of the animals”.

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MUSIC

141. In Year 6, pupils are familiar with standard musical notation. They can name crochets and quavers and are able to clap four beats in different rhythms. Pupils sing a well-known song in two parts though their tuning is variable at times. When they sing each part individually they do it with confidence. Their skills in part singing are below average for their age.

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MUSIC

142. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Class teachers teach music. Since the last inspection, teachers are becoming more confident. The school receives very good support from the local education authority and teachers describe the courses they attend as inspirational. Teachers return from courses enthused and growing in confidence. Teachers’ subject knowledge is sufficient to teach basic musical skills. However, some teachers do not have sufficient confidence or subject knowledge to challenge and extend pupils’ creative abilities. During the inspection there was no evidence of older pupils being taught to create or improvise music and evaluate their performance. The school has a computer program for music but at present this is not used extensively and pupils’ competence in using music technology is in need of development.

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MUSIC

143. The school has a choir and has recently purchased a set of recorders and a club is to start next term. There are opportunities for pupils to have instrumental lessons in brass or stringed instruments. The school has recently applied for woodwind tuition. They hope to start an ensemble once woodwind tuition is established. Pupils take part in local singing festivals and the brass group have recently won a young musicians award from the local rotary club.

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MUSIC

144. Management of music is effective. The subject leader has a good action plan, with a clear view of what needs to be done in order to raise standards in music. There is no system of assessing or recording pupils’ progress in music through the school and this is recognised as an area for development. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. Titchfield Primary School - 51

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

145. Standards in physical education are average by the time pupils reach ages seven and 11. The picture was much the same at the last inspection. A new subject manager, appointed last September, now monitors planning through the introduction of a new scheme of work. To date she has had little opportunity to observe lessons and evaluate teaching in the subject. However, opportunities to evaluate teaching throughout the school have been identified in the school development plan from September 2002. During the inspection, teaching was sound overall. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection, with good range of resources available for all pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

146. Pupils in Year 2 hop, skip and jump enthusiastically when warming up and enjoy the physical activity. They behave well which enables effective teaching when developing their tennis skills. They practice balancing a tennis ball on a racket and then progress to doing this whilst walking. These pupils also develop control through bouncing the ball with a racket. The most able managed 15 before loosing it. By the end of Year 6, pupils have made sound progress. They are also well behaved. When practising rounders skills the more able pupils bowl consistently well keeping the ball between shoulder and waist. Lower achieving pupils are significantly less consistent and miss hitting the ball far more times than hitting it. However, all have very good attitudes. They all practise systematically and are tolerant of errors and pleased when others achieve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

147. Teaching is satisfactory overall with good teaching at both key stages. A significant feature of all lessons, particularly the good ones, is the good management, and consequently the good attitudes and behaviour of the pupils. This enables lessons to proceed with pace, and, combined with the pupils’ independence and responsibility, ensures all are fully involved, taking turns and respecting each other’s achievements. For example, the very good attitudes in the Year 1 class ensured pupils were active for the majority of the lesson, worked independently and in pairs, developing skill and collaborative working. This was also evident in a Year 6 lesson when pupils practised their rounders skills in two groups. Their responsible behaviour ensured all got their turn even when not directly supervised by the teacher. These positive attitudes also enable the teachers to challenge pupils effectively and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

modify the lesson when pupils find the activity difficult. For example, in the Year 6 lesson pupils found the initial activity of bowling over the full distance difficult which meant they were not very accurate. The teacher recognised this and changed the activity to just bowling and catching in pairs. Gradually increasing the distance to the full length ensured effective learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

148. As part of physical education lessons, pupils in Year 4 learn to swim at the local pool and the majority are able to swim 25 metres by the end of the year. They also take part in orienteering on a residential week. There is a sound range of extra-curricular activities including football, basketball, netball, country dancing and netball. There are opportunities for pupils to be coached by a professional football coach. During lunch time there is Kwik cricket and the school hopes to develop tag rugby. Boys and girls take part in all activities. The well-attended clubs have had a tremendous effect on developing good sporting attitudes. This is reflected in the good attitudes and behaviour seen in lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Titchfield Primary School - 52 149. During the last inspection the time allocated for religious education for pupils in Years 1 and 2 was insufficient to allow the subject to be taught in enough depth. However, pupils’ attainment was judged as satisfactory for pupils aged seven and 11.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

150. At the ages of seven and 11, pupils’ attainment is in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. In Year 1, pupils enjoy listening to stories from different religious traditions about the creation of the world. They are interested in the stories and think about how the characters in the stories might have felt. They ask interesting questions such as “Is the story true?”. The teacher responds sensitively to this by saying that people believe different things. When discussing a Chinese creation story, one pupil suggested that this might have been true in China but that God could have made the rest of the world. Pupils are beginning to appreciate that people hold different beliefs about the creation of the world. Pupils in Year 2 enjoyed a visit from the vicar of the local church. They talked about places that are special to them and are beginning to understand the importance of the church as a Christian

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

151. A small number of pupils know a range of Bible stories but a significant proportion are unable to contribute to discussions. Pupils are interested in religious topics and ask interesting questions such as, “How was God born?”. One pupil suggested that “Maybe there’s no such thing as God”. The vicar, who said that some people do indeed believe that there is not, handled this sensitively. The school makes good use of visitors to develop pupils’ understanding of world faiths. Year 5 pupils enjoyed a visit from a visitor who talked to them about Islam. In Year 6, pupils showed good understanding of different rites of passage in the Christian and Jewish faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

152. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, though in one lesson it was good. Lessons are planned according to the locally agreed syllabus and pupils are encouraged to consider what a personal faith means to members of believing communities. Teachers are becoming more confident in teaching religious education. The subject leader is knowledgeable, enthusiastic and very effective. She provides very good support to colleagues and feels that their confidence in teaching religious education is steadily improving. She has a good view of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject. The school has made sound progress in religious education since the last inspection.

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