Wix and Wrabness Primary School

WIX AND WRABNESS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 25 th – 26 th June 2001

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WIX AND WRABNESS PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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WIX AND WRABNESS 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. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Colchester Road Wix Manningtree Essex

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Jo Swaisland

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th – 9 th May 1997 Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 4

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Team members

21498 Fran Gillam Registered inspector 14141 Ernest Marshall Lay inspector 27276 Carole Jarvis Team inspector

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Team members

SCHOOL haus Ltd Suite 17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Wix and Wrabness Primary School is in the village of Wix, not far from the port of Harwich. It is part of the Harwich and Clacton Education Action Zone and this has benefited the school by providing training and resources in the teaching of reading and information and communication technology (ICT). Wix and Wrabness is smaller than most other primary schools and all pupils attend full time. Most pupils come from Wix and the neighbouring villages. In total there are 110 pupils on roll, organised into four classes, each class having mixed age ranges. Seventeen children are in the reception year. The children’s attainment when they start at four years is higher than in most schools. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals, five per cent, is below average. There are no pupils from ethnic minorities or from homes where English is not the first language. Ten per cent of pupils have special needs, which is below the national

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

average; one per cent has a statement of special educational need, which is broadly in line with the national average. Since the last inspection there has been a number of staff changes. The headteacher was appointed in April 2000. The acting deputy headteacher will take up her appointment as deputy in September 2001. The school has entered into a Public Private Partnership scheme; building work to extend the number of classrooms and improve facilities is due to start in the spring term 2002.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. Pupils try hard and produce good work because teaching challenges them to do their best. From the time they start school, the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. This contributes to very high test results and the good progress made by all pupils between the ages of four and eleven years. The headteacher, staff and governors understand what the school needs to do to improve even further because they have a good view of how well pupils are doing. Priorities for development are firmly based upon maintaining the high standards and improving the quality of education. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and numeracy; they achieve well because the teaching of the basic skills is effective. • Pupils use literacy skills well in other subjects, particularly in history and geography. • School is exciting; pupils enjoy their work, tackle activities with enthusiasm and concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and hardworking atmosphere in the school. • The opportunities for pupils to learn about their own and other cultures is very good. • There is an excellent range of opportunities for children to extend their learning outside their normal lessons, and the involvement of parents and members of the local community supports the work of the school effectively.

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What could be improved

• The arrangements for the specialist teaching are not supporting the learning of children in the Foundation Stage 1 well enough.

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What could be improved

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

There has been good improvement since the last inspection in May 1997. The school has taken effective action to bring about change and to maintain high standards. The school development plan is now a useful tool in driving improvement. It is understood by staff and governors and provides a common set of goals for the school to achieve. Training for teaching and the improved resources for ICT have raised standards. Pupils have greater confidence in using ICT, and teaching effectively exploits the use of ICT to support work in other subjects. The school looks carefully at assessment and test results to track pupils’ progress better and match their needs more closely. The National Curriculum is taught more effectively, although this is less successful for the youngest children in the Foundation Stage. There is better teaching in religious

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 Foundation Stage – the stage of learning for children aged from three years up until they join Year 1 and begin the National Curriculum. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 7 education and pupils receive a much broader range of information about different faiths; this ensures that pupils’ achievement is now satisfactory.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Standards, in the present Year 6, are well above the national average by the age of eleven years in English and mathematics. When results in last year's tests are compared to schools of a similar background, they were well above average in English and in the highest five per cent nationally in mathematics and science. There are small numbers of pupils in year groups. One or two pupils doing really well or not as well in the tests have a significant impact upon standards. Nevertheless, the school's results continue to improve in line with the national trend and, importantly, in all year groups the pupils’ work shows that they achieve well in their time in school. Literacy and numeracy skills develop well. Children in the Foundation Stage come to school with well-developed personal skills; they talk clearly and many know individual letter sounds and words. By the time children start Year 1, standards are high in communication, language and literacy,

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Key

personal, social and emotional development and mathematical development, and their achievement is good. In knowledge and understanding of the world, children's achievement is not as rapid because there is not enough emphasis placed upon teaching the curriculum for the Foundation Stage. By the age of seven years, standards are above average in writing and mathematics. Older pupils in the juniors use their literacy skills effectively in other subjects; for example, they research information for history and geography and write lively accounts of the lives of famous people or special events. The school has set realistic and challenging targets for the future, firmly based upon what they know pupils can attain.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good; pupils sustain concentration and tackle their work with enthusiasm.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good; pupils work and play together effectively.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good; there is a high level of support for each other. Pupils recognise the achievement of others and enjoy celebrating each other’s success.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good; the attendance rate is very high and pupils enjoy coming to school.

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Aspect Comment

The school council plays an important part in making decisions. The council's classmates select the pupils and the school council represents their views well, for example, in the suggestions for improving the accommodation and the outside play facilities. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 8

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

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

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

A total of nine lessons were seen. Of this small sample, 56 per cent were good, 33 per cent satisfactory and 11 per cent unsatisfactory. Much of the good teaching was in literacy and numeracy lessons. By comparison the weaker aspects of teaching, including the unsatisfactory lesson, were related to the specialist teaching for the children in the Foundation Stage.

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

From age four through to age eleven, the teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy are effective because staff explain and discuss work clearly. Teaching often links discussions to pupils’ own experiences and this strengthens understanding. For example, by getting the younger children to think about how they would feel if their mummy went missing, the children were able to feel pity for the characters in a story and guess what they thought might happen next. This encourages children to talk and develop their ideas, extending learning well. Throughout the school, teaching is effective at drawing out pupils’ ideas and engaging them in talk. By expecting a high level of response from the pupils, teaching gets them fully involved in what is going on in the lesson. Pupils concentrate well and produce good work because teaching challenges them. The pupils are eager to find out information for themselves, and because teaching

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

provides clear guidance on how to use, for example, the contents and index pages they quickly gather facts and use these well to support their work. Similarly in numeracy, teaching gives pupils the chance to try out what they know about numbers to solve problems; the pupils enjoy being challenged, work hard as a result and extend learning well. Teaching focuses support for individuals well because teachers have a good understanding of what pupils can do and what they need to learn next. They use the expertise of teaching assistants and adult helpers effectively; these adults are clear about what they are expected to do and so pupils have effective individual or small group help.

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

At present the arrangements for specialist teaching does not give enough importance to how young children learn because the teachers involved in these sessions do not have a good understanding of the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage. Much of what is planned for children during the afternoon sessions refers to the work for pupils in Year 1. Whilst children clearly enjoy the activities there are not enough opportunities for them to select the equipment they would use, for example, to make a model of a room. Adults generally decide the materials and tools to be used, reducing the chances for the children to learn by trying out different ways of solving problems for themselves.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good; activities are exciting and relevant to the age and interests of the pupils, although the curriculum for the Foundation Stage does not reflect strongly enough in the specialist teaching sessions. Statutory requirements are met for the National Curriculum and religious education.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good; effective support is given to pupils with special educational needs. Staff know these pupils well and activities build in small steps of success which builds pupils’ self-esteem and confidence successfully.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school has no pupils from homes where English is not the first language spoken.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good; staff provide very good examples for the pupils to follow, there is a strong sense of community fostered by the close links that staff generate between classes and with the local community.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for Good; the school keeps a good record of how well pupils are doing over Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 9 its pupils time through the analysis of their work and test results. The range of clubs run outside normal lessons, along with drama productions and visits to places of interests, are excellent. These activities support pupils’ learning well because they broaden their experiences and give the opportunity for them to further develop the skills, knowledge and understanding gained in lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good; the staff work effectively together and with a common purpose because the recently appointed headteacher has quickly fostered team spirit and a strong commitment from staff.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good; the governing body understands the school’s needs because they know what has been achieved and what needs to be done to improve further.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good; staff analyse assessment and test results, and strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ work. This gives them a good view of what needs to be improved.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good; the school spends wisely, based upon the targets in the school development plan.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a large surplus in the budget, a considerable amount of which is earmarked as the contribution to the new buildings’ project. Careful consideration has been given to ensure the teaching and learning facilities in the future are of high quality. In other aspects of its work the school has good arrangements for seeking best value for money.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The standards the school attains and the progress their children make. • Teaching is good and the school expects their children to work hard and do their best. • Children’s behaviour in school. • The way the school is led and managed. • The amount of work their children do at home. • The information about how well their children are getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views. The work pupils are expected to do at home is of good quality and extends learning. However, in the older classes the amount of homework and the frequency with which it was sent home was irregular in the spring term. This was at a time when new appointments were being made to the staff. In the summer term the setting of homework has been more consistent but the school needs now to ensure that it continues to fulfil its homework policy, which has been shared with the parents. Parents meet with teachers three times a year, which is reasonable. Parents have the chance to talk about their children's progress. The quality of this year’s reports is better than in previous years; parents will be given a better understanding of how well their children are doing, with clear targets for improvement. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 10

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

numeracy; they achieve well because the teaching of the basic skills is effective.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

1. Children in the Foundation Stage make a good start in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development because teaching uses effective ways of helping the children to learn key words and mathematical symbols through repetition and practice. Particularly effective is the Early Reading Research (ERR) system that the school has adopted following training funded by the Harwich and Clacton Education Action Zone. The fast pace in the ERR sessions excites the children and the high level of praise and success, as a result of the repetition of key words, encourages the children to try hard. This in turn maintains a quick work rate and a high level of accuracy in the number of words recognised. The effect of this work shows when children read aloud. For example, they confidently and without prompting join with the teacher reading the story of the ‘Owl Babies’. They recognise key words and

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

older children make a good guess at unfamiliar words, firstly from their understanding of the text and secondly by knowing the sound the first letter of the word makes. The children learn quickly and understand the message the story is giving. The older children link what they are hearing with their own experiences; they express this by saying, “I would be unhappy if I lost my mummy” and suggest what they think the baby owls should do. This confidence and the eagerness of the children to learn new words, to talk about what they think and to read aloud, lead to good gains in their skills of reading and their knowledge of the meaning of words.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

2. Throughout the infant and juniors, pupils continue to meet challenges that excite and inspire them, because teaching chooses activities that make pupils think and express their views. In numeracy, teaching recognises the need for pupils to learn number facts and provides time for repetition and practice; this leads to pupils having rapid recall of these facts and helps them to solve problems quickly. It also leads to good work rates and the pupils producing accurate work across a wide range of mathematics. It builds pupils’ confidence; they try things out for themselves and because they receive well-focused praise when they succeed, or carefully framed questions to help them think more deeply, they often find an accurate answer to the question asked. Teaching asks questions in lessons that make pupils think hard and justify their answers. Therefore, by Year 6 pupils not only describe the properties, for

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

example, of acute and obtuse angles but respond to questions such as “What is 180 degrees?” with a variety of sensible ideas and correct examples. Staff working with pupils have a good knowledge of how to teach numeracy; they consistently use the correct mathematical terms, fostering good habits in the pupils, and work matches the differing ages and levels of attainment in the classes. Pupils who need extra help with numeracy work for short periods using a computer program to improve their mathematical skills. This is effective because it allows the pupils to see how well they are doing; it adapts to suit the strengths and weaknesses in their responses and provides a view of how well the pupils are getting on. Teaching uses this information to provide further help in class.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

3. In literacy, pupils cover a good range of reading and writing activities. These develop in pupils the skills of interpreting text and gathering information from different sources, and provide good chances for pupils to express their thoughts and feelings in writing, for example, through poetry and accounts of events in their own or other’s lives. Pupils show interest in what they are doing and make suggestions in the security of knowing staff will welcome their views. This is evident from the very youngest children through to Year 6 and pupils confidently engage in talk and put forward their ideas. This has a significant impact upon how well the pupils learn in lessons. Teaching exploits the pupils' ability to share their ideas and thoughts, and usefully build upon the suggestions put forward, so, for example in Years 5 and 6, pupils discuss the parallels in the two stories, ‘Tom’s Midnight Garden’ and ‘The Ghost of Thomas Kempe’,

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 11 clearly. They recognise that, “Tom goes back in time but James doesn’t because the ghost of Thomas Kempe appears now”, showing a good understanding of the text and the settings of the story. Subsequently, they discuss how they will frame their own ghostly stories, showing a good understanding of how to plan what will happen and where, and who will be involved. They recognise that the style of writing has a significant impact upon how the story develops, for example, using short punchy sentences to add drama and building suspense so that the reader does not know until almost the end what is going to happen. This is because teaching makes useful reminders. Often teaching sets limits within which the work should be completed; this encourages a quick pace to the lessons and means pupils increase their understanding at a good rate and they achieve well. For example, in a lesson in the Years 1,2

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

and 3 class, pupils are given a set time to find facts out about different animals. The pupils use their knowledge of alphabetical order and their ability to skim text quickly and sensibly to gather facts and pick out key points which they later discuss with the class.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

4. Pupils’ good achievement over time in literacy and numeracy reflects the strengths in teaching and the pupils’ own thirst for knowledge. Both of these ensure that learning is good and that attainment is well above average by the age of eleven years.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

Pupils use literacy skills well in other subjects, particularly in history and geography.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

5. Pupils use their reading and writing skills well in other subjects. Teaching gives a strong emphasis to linking aspects of reading to what pupils need to know or understand in other subjects, for example, finding information and identifying the characteristics of different animals. It also successfully promotes the use of writing skills to express their thoughts and ideas in a range of subjects, but most effectively so in history and geography. This links very closely to the quality of the teaching in these two subjects over the last year. The introduction of an arrangement where staff with a particular expertise teach across the whole school (specialist teaching) has been effective but mostly for those pupils in Years 1 to 6. This is because the work planned relates well to the National Curriculum and the local authority’s guidance for teaching religious education.

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

6. The quality of work in pupils’ history and geography books shows a high level of planning and presentation. At the beginning, teaching sets out clearly what the pupils are expected to find out and know by the end of the project. This is a strong feature in all the subjects taught under the specialist teaching arrangements. It provides pupils with a clear idea of what is expected and gives them goals to achieve. This captures the pupils’ interest from the outset, and expects them to be independent and think and learn for themselves. The pupils enjoy this challenge and this reflects in the high quality work they produce. It is evident that pupils increase their historical and geographical understanding, developing a good idea of how people lived in the past and how people in other countries live now. Pupils are able to empathise with them and recognise that people from different times and backgrounds had or

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From the age of four to the age of eleven years pupils make good gains in literacy and

have very different challenges to face than people in this country. Independent skills of gathering information develop well and older pupils use a variety of sources, such as ICT encyclopaedia programs and books, and by interviewing individuals. They do this well and select key points to include in their work, illustrating their work to add interest and using photographs and pictures downloaded from the Internet to strengthen their writing. Pupils of all ages take a pride in this work and care and attention is given to setting out the information clearly. Teaching evaluates the work as it progresses and in history and geography provides clear information about how well the pupil has done and how they can improve, for example, “I like the examples you provide but try to use your own words when writing up the information”. This is good; it establishes positive relationships with the pupils and the assessments help pupils to overcome difficulties or try harder in the future.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

7. The children in the Foundation Stage and pupils in all other year groups enjoy school because there are exciting events and activities on offer and lessons usually stimulate the pupils’ interest. The pupils are eager to learn and their enthusiasm in lessons is evident in their lively talk and the way they concentrate on what they are doing. Even when some find the work rather challenging they persevere and make every effort to overcome their difficulties.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

8. The children in the reception year are bubbly and like nothing better than to talk about what they are doing and what they like best. Younger children work well with each other and some are just beginning to sort out differences of opinion through talking; however, girls do find this method of negotiation easier. Some older children work independently, and both boys and girls share ideas well and sustain interest in what they are doing. Children behave very well, and along with their natural curiosity, this makes the classroom a happy place to be.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

9. Throughout the rest of the school, pupils build effectively upon the positive attitudes developed in the Foundation Stage. Pupils in the younger classes listen well and this shows in the way they quickly settle to their work. It also reflects in the manner in which they explain what they are doing and answer questions. Both boys and girls offer their ideas willingly; teaching effectively chooses texts that capture both boys’ and girls’ imaginations and this sustains interest. Older pupils co-operate well and check what they are doing to avoid errors, for example when measuring angles accurately. Their level of talk is very good and they confidently discuss what they are doing. Both boys and girls are eager to take part in lessons and this was evident by the number of keen volunteers to read aloud from the story of ‘The Ghost of Thomas Kempe’ and take part in the school’s production of ‘Grease’. The pupils’

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

thirst for knowledge and the way they concentrate and work hard make lessons run smoothly, aid learning and contribute well to the high standards they attain.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

10. Out on the playground pupils play together very well. They have very good relationships with each other and with the staff. They willingly play together and older pupils watch out for those younger than themselves. Older pupils get involved in helping younger children to play together and will offer advice and support, for example, an older boy was patient as he helped a younger child to improve his skills in throwing a basketball. The very good behaviour on the playground is also evident in lessons and around the school. Pupils are trustworthy and work independently of adult support, for example, in the ICT suite when practising mathematical skills. This reflects the maturity that many pupils show in and around the school when they move from classrooms to the hall or out onto the playground.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

11. The school council plays an active part in the decision making in the school and represents its classmates well. The council gives pupils insight into how decisions have to be based upon a clear idea of what needs to be achieved and should reflect what is best for the majority of pupils. They recognise that their views or ideas might not be acted upon but expect the reason to be fair and justified. They are an active group; they help to establish rules that ensure good behaviour, and have been involved in the appointments of new staff, and in making suggestions to the architect about the planned improvements to the school buildings.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

The opportunities for pupils to learn about their own and other cultures is very good.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

12. At the time of the last inspection the school did not do enough to raise pupils’ multicultural awareness; this has been greatly improved and the pupils now have a rich and varied diet that covers their own and other cultures very well. The school achieves this by developing pupils’ cultural awareness in subjects such as art, history, geography, English, music and religious education. The celebration of pupils’ work in these subjects, in displays on classroom walls Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 13 and corridors, gives a high profile to the lives, beliefs and customs of cultures here in Britain and further afield. 13. Bright displays show examples of the artwork of Africa, and this was brought to life by an African artist who visited the school. The pupils learn the techniques used and try out the method for themselves, as well as finding out about the stories and customs they relate to. During the visit to the model African village they confirm the things they have read about and

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

ask questions to gain further understanding. The visit brings the topic on Africa to life and stimulates their interest. This spills over into writing activities where they write African rap poems. This not only provides a chance to use what they have learned about poetry in literacy lessons, but also gives them the chance to use new words and write for a special purpose. Music lessons introduce the sounds of Africa and the musical instruments unique to the culture.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

14. Other work pupils do in history gives them an understanding of how people lived in the past. Learning about Ancient Greece and Egypt helps them to understand how cultures develop and change. In religious education, they study different faiths. They recognise the similarities between some of the major faiths and have a clear understanding of special events. When pupils in Years 1 and 2 were learning about Christian rituals, a mock wedding was arranged. Soon all the school became involved; older pupils designed wedding invitations and the Order of Service sheets using ICT skills, and younger pupils played the parts of the bride and groom, ushers and the chauffeur. This experience gave pupils a clear idea of the importance of the marriage ceremony to Christians. The staff made good use of the mock wedding to develop pupils’ ideas, to use their skills learned in other subjects such as ICT and literacy, and

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

to bring the whole school together to work towards a common goal.

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concentrate hard. Their very good behaviour contributes effectively to the happy and

15. From these varied and exciting experiences pupils learn a great deal and develop a better understanding about how other people live and the importance of their beliefs. This fosters tolerance and an acceptance of others who are different from themselves.

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their normal lessons, and the involvement of parents and members of the local community

supports the work of the school effectively.

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their normal lessons, and the involvement of parents and members of the local community

16. The school offers the pupils an excellent range of activities outside their normal lessons and this is much appreciated by the children and their parents. A number of parents and members of the local community help out, not only during school time by hearing children read and working with small groups, but also in organising and running some of these activities such as the wildlife, rounders and computer clubs. These activities, as well as the lace-making group and recorder club, enhance what the pupils are learning in school and broadens their knowledge and understanding across a range of subjects. For example, recent work in geography has been brought to life because pupils had the chance to visit a model of a working African village. The information they had been given by teachers, read in books and gained from looking at photographs was put into context when they met the villagers. Pupils took the opportunity to put their questions to them and see for themselves how different the

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their normal lessons, and the involvement of parents and members of the local community

villagers' lives are from their own. This experience had a significant impact upon the pupils’ geographical knowledge of other countries and other people’s way of life, reflecting in the high quality work and the above average standards attained.

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their normal lessons, and the involvement of parents and members of the local community

17. Sporting activities, such as taking part in tournaments with other local schools, develop in pupils a good sense of fair play and a pride in their achievements. This strengthens pupils’ sense of community and of how to work together for a common goal, an attribute that stands out in much of what the pupils do. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 14

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The arrangements for the specialist teaching are not supporting the learning of children in

18. Whilst the specialist teaching is largely effective for pupils in Years 1 to 6, it is not meeting the needs of the children in the Foundation Stage. Although the school has discussed how to plan for this stage of learning, this has not had the desired effect of improving teaching and the quality of what the children are taught. There is an evident lack of confidence in teaching this age range, and within the staff there is little experience of teaching younger children. This reflects in the lessons that the specialist teaching covers in the areas of learning 2 such as children’s knowledge and understanding of the world. Activities are very adult led and so children have few opportunities to try out their ideas, choose equipment to make their ideas come to life and experiment with the materials best suited to join, for example, fabric or card, or indeed to make a model of their choice. Children do not learn enough from these lessons

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The arrangements for the specialist teaching are not supporting the learning of children in

because their natural inquisitiveness is not encouraged; they do not achieve as well they could.

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The arrangements for the specialist teaching are not supporting the learning of children in

19. Planning for the specialist teaching lessons too closely reflects the work expected for older pupils in Year 1 and does not place enough emphasis upon the steps children make in their learning through being able to look at, touch and talk about what they see, hear and feel. In addition, what is taught is not evaluated to check there is balance within and between the areas of learning. The teaching of children by subject rather than by the curriculum for the Foundation Stage does not ensure that sufficient importance is given to the steps children make before they attain the early learning goals. 3 Even though the school has extended the range of equipment for children to use outdoors, the planning for physical development does not set out clearly what the children of different ages should be developing nor does it exploit opportunities to practise, for example, counting skills.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

20. To improve pupils’ achievement and maintain the high standards the school attains the senior managers and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the learning of children in the Foundation Stage by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improving the knowledge and understanding of staff teaching the Foundation Stage during the specialist sessions and evaluate the quality of this teaching; • ensuring the arrangements for the specialist teaching and what is planned in these lessons reflect the curriculum for the Foundation Stage; • ensuring there is a correct balance of what is planned and taught across the areas of learning for the Foundation Stage and that it reflects the curriculum guidance for this stage of learning. * (Paragraphs 18 and 19).

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* The school has identified planning for the Foundation Stage in the school development plan.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2 There are six areas of learning for the Foundation Stage – personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and, creative development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3 Early learning goals form the final stepping stones and set out what children are expected to know by the end of the reception year before starting the National Curriculum in Year 1. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 0 56 33 11 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 110

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 5 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 16 The data relating to the results in the National Curriculum Test/Tasks at the end of Key Stage 1 have been omitted because less than ten pupils took the tests in 2000.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 6 9 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys * * * 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 93 (81) 93 (81) 100 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys * * * 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 93 (94) 93 (81) 100 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

* Because fewer than ten boys and ten girls took the National Tests/Tasks in 2000 the numbers attaining at level 4 and above have been omitted. However, the data for both boys and girls is included because more than ten pupils in total took the tests. This reporting is in line with guidance to governors from the Department for Education and Skills. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 17

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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 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) 4.7 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 273600

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3 Expenditure per pupil 2657

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 75 Balance brought forward from previous year 24289

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 42105

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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) 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Wix and Wrabness Primary School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 36 53 3 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 48 5 2 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 39 18 9 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 42 17 6 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 59 29 8 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 55 39 5 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 35 45 14 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 41 45 2 5 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 36 50 6 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 36 6 3 6

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