Ravenstone Primary School

RAVENSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mr Christopher Gray

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RAVENSTONE PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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RAVENSTONE 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. Ravenstone Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ravenstone Street Balham London Postcode: SW12 9SS

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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: Ms Carina Georgiades

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 24 - 27 February 1997 Ravenstone Primary School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Christopher Gray Registered inspector Information technology What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Husain Akhtar Lay inspector English as an additional language How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values & personal development How well does the school cares for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Abul Maula Team inspector English Assessment Art Financial efficiency

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

John Stevens Team inspector Mathematics How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Music Staffing, accommodation & resources Design and technology

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Ken Hobday Team inspector Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Geography Physical education Special educational needs

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Morag Thorpe Team inspector Under fives Provision for pupils’ personal development History Religious education Equal opportunities Ravenstone Primary School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 - 10

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11 - 14

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ravenstone Primary School is situated in Balham in the London Borough of Wandsworth. The school is for children aged three to eleven, and has 390 full-time pupils from Reception to Year 6 (206 boys and 184 girls) plus 43 children who attend the nursery, 19 of them part-time. Children’s attainment on entry is well below the national average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils come from a wide variety of backgrounds but, overall, their socio-economic background is below national averages. Approximately 34 per cent of pupils are entitled to receive a free school meal, which is above average for infant and junior schools. 56 per cent of pupils come from families of ethnic minorities, which is very high compared with most schools. There are 85 pupils whose first language is not English; as a percentage (20 per cent), this is much higher than found in most schools. Nineteen pupils are at an early stage of English language acquisition. There are 126 pupils on the special needs register; at approximately 30 per cent of the school’s roll, this is well above the national average. Three pupils have statements of special educational need, and, in percentage terms (0.7 per cent), this is broadly average. Mobility is relatively high.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Ravenstone Primary is a good school which is popular with parents. Pupils work hard and have good attitudes to their work. The standards they achieve when they leave the school are broadly in line with national averages in English, mathematics and science and higher than the averages for similar schools. Given children’s low attainment when they enter the school, this means that pupils are making good progress. The overall quality of teaching is good. The school is very well led by the headteacher and senior staff and the governors are very effectively involved. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils’ attainment at the ends of both key stages compares well with that of pupils in similar schools. • Pupils’ behaviour and relationships are very good; they have good attitudes to school. • The quality of leadership is very good and governors are very effectively involved in the school. • The overall quality of teaching is good. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Provision for pupils’ personal development is very good. • The school provides good care and welfare for its pupils. • The school has good links with parents. • The school has made very good progress since the last inspection.

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What could be improved

• The good systems for monitoring teaching and pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics need to be extended to other subjects. • The school’s provision for higher attaining pupils is good but it is not consistent across all subjects and classes. • The quality of support given by staff to pupils for whom English is an additional language is good, but it needs to be more focused on those with the greatest need. • Insufficient provision is made for the teaching of geography. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1997. The key issues concerned improving pupils’ behaviour and self-esteem. Excellent progress has been made on this issue - pupils’ behaviour is very good and they are clearly proud of their school and their work. Good progress has been made on the issue of improving teaching, with the result that the percentage of unsatisfactory teaching is Ravenstone Primary School - 8 now insignificant. The management and efficiency of the school have been improved and there are now good procedures for registration and monitoring attendance and punctuality. In addition, the school has improved its provision for pupils’ personal development, which is now very good overall. Standards of pupils’ attainment have continued to rise over the last three years and the school is well placed to meet its targets. Overall, the progress made since the last inspection has been very good.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The table indicates that, in the 1999 National Curriculum tests, pupils’ attainment was below the national average in English, well below in mathematics and broadly in line in science. Compared with those of similar schools, results were well above average in English and science and average in mathematics. These comparisons show that the school is achieving good standards in English and science and satisfactory standards in mathematics. A comparison with national trends shows that the school’s overall results are improving at a similar rate. Pupils’ results in 1999 did not meet the school’s targets because they were over ambitious. The present targets are still more challenging but the school expects to come much nearer to them. The inspections findings corroborate this view. Standards in the current Year 6 are higher than the 1999 results suggest and are now broadly average in English, mathematics and science. Improvements in the teaching of English and

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Key

mathematics are the main reasons for this. In other subjects, attainment is above expectations in art at both key stages and in music at Key Stage 2. Attainment in information technology is average in Key Stage 1 but below average at the end of Key Stage 2. However, the new computer equipment and teachers’ raised expertise are improving standards.

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Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy school and participate with enthusiasm in all that the school provides. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils’ behaviour is an important factor in the school’s happy and secure atmosphere and in the improvements which have been made in all areas. Personal development and relationships Good overall. Pupils enjoy very good relationships with each other and with staff. All groups of pupils work and play together very well. They show respect for the feelings and opinions of others. Attendance Attendance has significantly improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory.

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

Ravenstone Primary School - 9 Lessons seen overall Good 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

The quality of teaching in the school overall is good. It is at least satisfactory in 99 per cent of lessons and unsatisfactory in just one per cent. Teaching is good or better 67 per cent of lessons and very good or better in 19 per cent. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils and they manage their behaviour very well. Pupils respond by working hard and, together, pupils and teachers create a good classroom ethos. Literacy and numeracy are taught well and good use is being made of the information technology suite. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and pupils for whom English is an additional language is also good. The spread of pupils’ differing abilities is well catered for in most English and mathematics lessons by the use of different tasks to match their varied learning needs. This approach is not used widely in other subjects.

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Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Broad and balanced; literacy and numeracy strategies have been effectively introduced; provision for under fives is very good. There is not enough time spent on geography. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good; available funds are carefully spent and good support is given.

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Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Specialist teachers generally provide good support but their work is sometimes limited because they do not always focus on those pupils with the greatest need.

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Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. Parents praise the way in which the school helps their children to become mature and responsible. Of particular note is the way in which the oldest pupils act as mentors, promoting good behaviour on the way into school and ensuring that younger pupils are content. How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a caring and secure community. Staff know pupils well and individual pupils are well supported by the very good relationships that exist between them and staff.

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Comment

The school provides a very good range of well-supported extra-curricular activities and has a good partnership with parents.

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Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The school is very well led by the headteacher and senior management team. A good level of delegation ensures the smooth running of the school.

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Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are fully involved in the forward planning and monitoring of the school’s work, and they discharge their duties very well. Ravenstone Primary School - 10 The school’s evaluation of its performance One of the strengths of the school is the constant development and evaluation. Each pupil’s progress in English and mathematics is closely monitored. Senior staff review teaching and planning regularly, though not yet in all subjects. The strategic use of resources Staffing, resources and accommodation are mostly used efficiently. Overall, the school applies best value principles wisely to the acquisition and use of its resources.

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Comment

The school has a good number of appropriately qualified teachers and support staff. The accommodation and range of learning resources are satisfactory.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and make good progress. • The school has a good, multi-ethnic atmosphere. • Behaviour in the school is good; the school is helping children to become mature and responsible. • The school is well led and managed; teaching is good and children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • Most parents would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The way the school develops their children’s creativity in music, dance, art and sport. • Nearly a quarter of respondents believed that amounts of homework were not appropriate, though this encompassed opinions at both ends - too much and too little. • Some parents would like more information on the progress their children make. • A small number of parents feel that higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors endorse parents’ positive views about the school. They found that the amount of homework set is satisfactory and that the range of information given to parents is also satisfactory. At the parents’ meeting, it became clear that what some parents are unhappy about is not the information itself, but the timings of parents’ meetings. Inspectors found that provision for higher attaining pupils is good in English and mathematics, but that it is not consistent in other subjects. Ravenstone Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Pupils’ results in the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were below the national average at the expected level (Level 2 and above) in reading and writing. In mathematics, results were close to the national average and in the teacher assessments for science, results were well below the national average. At the higher level (Level 3), results were better: they were average in reading, well above average in writing and mathematics and above average in science. Looking at the average points score (where pupils’ attainment at all levels is taken into account), results in reading and writing were average and those in mathematics were well above average.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Compared with the results of similar schools, results on the average points score were well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. This shows that the standards pupils are achieving in Key Stage 1 are good. Provisional results for the 2000 National Curriculum tests are at a similar level.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ results at the expected level (Level 4 and above) in the 1999 National Curriculum tests were well below the national average in English and mathematics. In science, results were below average at this level. As at Key Stage 1, results at the higher level (Level 5) were better. The percentage of pupils reaching Level 5 in English and science was above average and in mathematics it was below. The average points score shows that results in English were below average, those in mathematics, well below average and those in science, broadly in line with the average. One factor affecting attainment in Key Stage 2 is pupils’ mobility. A significant number of pupils leave or join, for a variety of factors, in their later years; for example, only 40 per cent of the pupils who took the 1999 National Curriculum tests had started the school in Reception.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Compared with similar schools’ results, the average points scores were well above average in English and science and average in mathematics. This shows that the standards Key Stage 2 pupils are achieving in English and science are good. They were not as good in mathematics in 1999; this was because the school had concentrated less on the teaching of mathematics than on the other subjects in previous years. The introduction of the national Numeracy Strategy has improved this, as is discussed below.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The overall trend in Key Stage 1 results is upwards in reading, writing and mathematics, though there was a dip in 1998 - a result of that year’s cohort containing more pupils with special educational needs than is the norm in the school.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. At Key Stage 2, results fell sharply from 1996 to 1997 in all subjects. The latter was the year of the last inspection and the results were very different from what inspectors found three months earlier. Since 1997, results have risen slowly in English and mathematics and markedly in science. Booster classes were held before the 1999 tests for pupils who needed extra help and the more marked improvement in science than in the other two subjects is attributed to the success of the science class and the fact that it was held immediately prior to the test. The school has put the mathematics booster class in this position this year. The overall trend across all three subjects is broadly in line with the national trend across the last four years. Teacher assessments for 2000 show a marked improvement in all three subjects, which is corroborated by the inspection’s findings, as discussed below.

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The school’s results and achievements

Ravenstone Primary School - 12 The school’s targets

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The school’s results and achievements

7. The school has introduced a detailed system of analysis and target for each pupil. This is a major factor in the improved standards at Key Stage 2 which this inspection reports. Each year, class teachers make predictions on how every pupil will achieve in the National Curriculum tests at the end of the key stage. This is based on testing at the end of the previous year and current performance. The headteacher reviews these targets to ensure that they pose sufficient challenge. Where they do not, he asks the teacher to review them and to give him a termly report on the progress of all such children. As well as these targets, all pupils agree with their teachers three specific aims - one for English, one for mathematics and a third more general goal. These are communicated to parents and form a clear focus for each term.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Targets are set as required by law for National Curriculum Key Stage 2 tests. Those for 1999 were over-ambitious and were missed by quite a margin. This was because the process was new and teachers at that time had had insufficient experience of analysing performance, as is shown by a comparison of teachers’ assessments with National Curriculum test results in past years. The targets for 2000 are the result of a much more detailed process and the school is confident of coming at least close to them.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. The school analyses results by pupils’ sex; there are no significant differences between the performance of boys and girls at either key stage. The local education authority produces an analysis of results by ethnic background, which shows that there are no significant differences in the performance of racial groups.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. Children enter the nursery with attainment which is well below average, especially in language skills, mathematics and personal development. Children make good progress and, by the time they are five, their attainment overall is below average. In language and literacy and in mathematics, children’s attainment has risen but is still well below average. In all other areas of early years’ learning, it is above average.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. Standards of work seen in Key Stage 1 are similar to the results of last year’s National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments. Attainment in mathematics is above the national average and in English and science it is broadly in line. At Key Stage 2, standards in English and mathematics are higher than the 1999 tests suggest and are now average. Attainment in science is similar, at the average level. This shows that pupils are achieving at a good rate: they enter the school with attainment which is well below average and leave with attainment broadly in line with the average. The school is not content to leave it there, however, and is confident that its thorough methods will raise standards to above average levels.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. In English, pupils' attainment in speaking and listening is broadly average. Key Stage 1 pupils listen carefully and answer appropriately. The majority of Key Stage 2 pupils demonstrate fairly well developed listening skills, but many do not readily take part in discussion. Generally, pupils do not project their voices well when speaking to a large audience. Reading standards match those expected nationally for pupils of similar ages. There is a clear love of books throughout the school. Key Stage 2 pupils read independently but some do not demonstrate well-developed skimming and scanning skills. Opportunities for pupils to develop their library and research skills are limited. Standards of writing are broadly average, though spelling is a problem for many pupils. The school's focus on shared, guided and extended writing has started to pay dividends. Pupils choose and vary their vocabulary to convey

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The school’s results and achievements

meaning clearly in a range of forms and for a variety of audiences.

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The school’s results and achievements

13. In mathematics, by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a good understanding of number and most use this to add and subtract two digit numbers accurately. Higher attaining pupils are beginning to add and subtract with three digit numbers. Most pupils use everyday language to describe two- and three-dimensional shapes. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have extended their understanding of place value and use it effectively to help solve calculations. Most know

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The school’s results and achievements

the multiplication tables to twelve. The majority can draw block graphs from information. The Ravenstone Primary School - 13 more able pupils are beginning to investigate probability. Through the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, pupils are developing their skills in mental mathematics.

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The school’s results and achievements

14. In science, Key Stage 1 pupils are progressing well in acquiring scientific vocabulary and understanding, but few pupils are drawing suitable conclusions from their experimental work. In Years 3 and 4, pupils develop their scientific knowledge well. Progress is slightly slower in Years 5 and 6. This is because the time allowed for the subject is too low and lessons concentrate more on knowledge than on practical investigative tasks. Most investigations are planned as a class which does not enable pupils to design and carry out their own experiments independently.

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The school’s results and achievements

15. Standards in information technology are in line with expectations by the end of Key Stage 1 but below by the end of Key Stage 2. The reasons for this are mainly historical, in that the school has only recently acquired up-to-date equipment. This and teachers’ ability to use it well are raising standards across the school, and attainment in all year groups apart from Year 6 is in line with what is expected. In religious education, pupils achieve what is expected in the agreed syllabus at both key stages.

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The school’s results and achievements

16. In the other subjects of the curriculum, pupils’ attainment in art at both key stages and in music at Key Stage 2 is above national expectations. High standards are achieved in dance across the school. Attainment elsewhere at both key stages is in line with what is expected, though no judgement could be made in geography and aspects of physical education at Key Stage 2 because of lack of evidence.

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The school’s results and achievements

17. Pupils with special educational needs learn well and make good progress because of the good level and quality of support they receive. The school provides for a broad range of special needs, supporting pupils not only in needs relating to literacy and numeracy, but also in those relating to motor skills or speech and communication. This enables a wide range of pupils to make substantial gains in learning.

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The school’s results and achievements

18. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall. The number of specialist staff available is not high. Assessment on entry to the school identifies closely the specific English language skills pupils need and staff focus much of their time on the 19 pupils at an early stage of English language acquisition. There is frequent assessment and monitoring of skills and progress, leading to appropriate tasks and materials being planned to help pupils to accomplish the lesson activities. Where the support is sharply focused on those who need it most, it is effective and the pupils make good progress.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils enjoy school and participate with enthusiasm in all that the school provides. Their good attitudes to the school, greatly influenced by the positive ethos and very good relationships in the school, contribute positively to the quality of education. Pupils’ behaviour is very good. The majority of parents feel that their children like coming to school. Most pupils attend the school regularly and promptly. All these are remarkable improvements since the previous inspection where behaviour and attendance were key issues.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Children under five and Reception children are eager to explore new tasks and treat resources sensibly. They have a well-established sense of routine, for example tidying up after activities. They talk about what they draw or make. They learn to share equipment and to work together, as during an activity where Reception children were playing as pirates in exploring life on an imaginary island. They make good progress in personal development, confidently changing and attending to personal hygiene.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Pupils are developing good work habits, and are enthusiastic about lessons. They listen to their teachers’ instructions carefully, are eager to answer questions and work hard. In an excellent

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Year 4 science lesson, for example, pupils listened carefully to the teacher’s recap of the work of the previous week. When she asked them to explain to their neighbour certain facets of their work, such as air resistance, they did so sensibly, knowledgeably and briefly. Ravenstone Primary School - 14 22. Pupils show good interest in school life by participating in the school council and extra- curricular activities, where take-up of the activities is good, and in raising money for charitable causes. They take responsibility by helping in assemblies, taking registers to the office and mentoring younger pupils. Pupils who speak English as an additional language work equally hard, respond very well to the support that they receive and take responsibility for their own learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to their work. Other pupils respect their difficulties and give them assistance when appropriate. The school has had considerable success in working with pupils identified as having emotional or behavioural difficulties. Although there are occasional lapses, these pupils are well integrated into the life of the school, are exhibiting increasing control over their own behaviour and often contribute in a positive way to the life of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

24. The standard of behaviour is generally very good in lessons. Pupils know what is expected of them and the occasional lapse of order can be silenced by most teachers with a glance. Behaviour is very good outside lessons. Pupils are helpful, courteous and respectful. They move around the school in an orderly and quiet manner - for example, when moving to the hall for assembly or going out to the swimming pool. They enjoy very good relationships with each other and with staff. Pupils’ personal development is good. All groups of pupils work and play together very well. They show respect for each other, including the feelings and opinions of others; for example, they listen courteously to others during class assemblies and circle time (when pupils sit together in a circle in order to listen to each person expressing his or her views in turn). No oppressive behaviour was seen during the inspection. Pupils treat the school's

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

property with good care. Exclusions are no longer a feature of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

25. Attendance has significantly improved since the last inspection and is now satisfactory, being close to the national average. Absences are mainly owing to illnesses or in a small number of cases, to family holidays during the term time. Punctuality has also improved and most pupils arrive on time in the morning - some pupils arrive late but this does not delay the start of the day.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The quality of teaching in the school overall is good. It is at least satisfactory in 99 per cent of lessons and unsatisfactory in just one per cent. Teaching is good or better in 67 per cent of lessons and very good or better in 19 per cent. It is of a consistently good quality across the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. One of the most successful features of the teaching is the way all teachers manage their pupils. This is one of the principal factors in the considerable improvements made in the school since the last inspection. Teachers have high expectations of how pupils will behave - they expect no misbehaviour and, because relationships in the school are very good, very little misbehaviour occurs. Pupils realise that the learning of the whole class depends on the part played by each individual. This is a key ingredient in pupils’ good learning. An example of skilful management of pupils and their good response was seen in a Year 6 information technology lesson. The new computer network is having a few teething problems and machines do not always behave as expected. The pupils were learning to create a procedure to draw shapes, using a program called Logo . The teacher had prepared the lesson well, but

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the routine she was teaching would not work. Teacher and pupils then discussed calmly what to do: should they give up or persevere? They decided to keep trying and eventually managed to find a way round the problem, so that appropriate progress was made by all pupils. Ravenstone Primary School - 15 28. Another important feature of the school’s success is the teaching of English and mathematics, which is good at both key stages. The school’s system of target setting for each pupil was discussed above, in the section on standards (paragraph 7). This enables teachers to match work to each pupil’s stage of learning. In a well planned English lesson for Year 1, the pupils were learning about significant ideas in stories. This led on to activities on sequencing. The teacher had four groups. The least able were working with a classroom assistant on identifying vowel sounds. The teacher worked with the next group on guided writing, choosing important

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

ideas from a story recently read. The next group were assembling a collection of sentences on strips of paper, setting them in order. The most able were also doing this, but with sentences which were much harder. They were able to read words like ‘scampered’ and ‘whispered’ and arrange the sentences in order. The pupils’ own sense of the importance of learning meant that those working independently got on with their work without interrupting the adults and each group made good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. A similar approach to meeting individual needs is used in mathematics, and there are examples of how effective this is in the mathematics section (paragraphs 118-126). Setting is working well in Year 6. A weakness in the teaching of literacy and numeracy is that this approach is not used consistently in all English lessons. Sometimes, the same task is used and higher attaining pupils are expected to achieve more by their own efforts. A further weakness in English is the lack of a whole-school approach to the development of speaking and listening which has an adverse impact on pupils’ development of these skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. The principal weakness in teaching is that the matching of work to prior learning is not much used outside English and mathematics. There are some examples; for instance, a Year 1 science lesson on the different types of musical instrument, where higher attaining pupils were led to make good progress in English, mathematics and science by a well planned activity. But generally, in most lessons that are not English or mathematics, pupils are given the same task, irrespective of ability or prior learning. This is most noticeable in science.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Teaching in science is generally good at both key stages, but the main weakness is the lack of provision of work at higher levels for more able pupils. This is a contributory factor in the lower number of Level 5s expected in this year’s National Curriculum test at Key Stage 2. Also, especially in Years 5 and 6, teaching focuses too much on the knowledge part of the subject at the expense of investigative skills. There is insufficient emphasis on the need for close, careful observation and on recording what pupils actually see.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Opportunities where higher attaining pupils would have made more progress were also observed in information technology. The teaching in this subject is good at Key Stage 1, where more use is made of tasks of graded difficulty. At Key Stage 2, there is greater use of the same task for all pupils, and teaching here is satisfactory. Another factor at this key stage is the newness of the information technology suite. Though teachers have received good training in its use, there has not been enough time to complete this yet or for teachers to become fully conversant with the software now available.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. Teaching of the under fives is good overall, though it varies from very good to unsatisfactory. It is consistently good in the Nursery but generally satisfactory in the Reception classes. Strengths are in the teachers’ knowledge and understanding, relationships with children, effective use of support staff and all available resources. The unsatisfactory aspects are insufficiently high expectations for some higher attaining children in Reception.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

34. The tasks that teachers provide for pupils with special educational needs are usually appropriate. In some areas of the curriculum, however, there is little adaptation of the tasks or the method of recording for these pupils. As a result, they fail to complete work and occasionally lose confidence. Where pupils are withdrawn from the classroom, the separate lessons provided for them are of good quality although sometimes of insufficient duration.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

35. Teaching is also good at both key stages in art, history, religious education, music and physical education. Teaching in design and technology and geography is satisfactory at both key stages. In music and physical education, the work of specialist staff - the music teacher and the sports coach - is of great value and contributes greatly to the standards achieved. 36. Another special feature of this school is the teaching of dance. This is taught to all pupils from Reception to Year 6, and was highly praised by parents in the response to the questionnaires Ravenstone Primary School - 16 and at the parents’ meeting. The standard of teaching here is very good and the subject makes an important contribution not only to pupils’ cultural development but also to their personal development. Children lose any inhibitions early on and are able to express themselves freely in this important art form. They learn to work together with a partner or in

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

groups and develop a good ability to refine and improve their work. A performance by the dance club of a prize-winning routine was of exceptional quality and was the product of much hard work on the part of the pupils, the dance tutor and the deputy head.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

37. The support given by the ethnic minorities’ achievement staff is good when working with individual or small groups of targeted pupils. However, the staff are not always used most effectively; for example, the support is less productive where they work with mixed groups of pupils for whom English is an additional language and pupils with special educational needs, or are inactive in parts of lessons, such as the teacher’s introduction.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

38. An important factor in pupils’ learning is their own knowledge of their progress. Teachers use introductory and final sessions well, emphasising what they want the pupils to learn and considering with them at the end of the lesson how far they were successful. Occasionally, introductory sessions are too long and sometimes too short.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

39. Teachers’ use of marking is another contributor to pupils’ learning. However, this varies from teacher to teacher; some use the opportunity for comments on how to improve but others make more general comments. Good use of assessment is being made during guided reading and writing sessions, but this approach is not often used elsewhere.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

40. Homework is set regularly and contributes to pupils’ learning of key skills. The amount is generally satisfactory, though not all parents agree with this. Several parents would appreciate a clearer statement of what is expected.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

41. Pupils experience a very broad curriculum. The provision for under fives is very good and is well planned, following national guidance. The curriculum at key stages 1 and 2 includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, which is taught as prescribed in the local authority’s agreed syllabus. Although the overall balance between individual subjects is good, there are some weaknesses. All statutory requirements are met.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

42. The school gives suitable prominence to the teaching of literacy and numeracy, devoting about half of each day to these subjects in every age group. The daily literacy hour is supplemented by extra time on reading and extended writing. Opportunities are taken to use reading and writing skills in many other subjects of the curriculum, such as science and history. However, less attention is devoted to speaking and listening skills. The use of drama to promote those skills and to enrich the work in other curriculum areas is under-developed. The more recent introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has enabled the school to improve its provision in mathematics since the last inspection. The well-planned and structured lessons are beginning to have an impact on the standards in mathematics.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

43. There is a strong commitment to providing an education of high quality that also enriches pupils through its breadth. The emphasis given to English and mathematics has left less time for other subjects. Where there is close attention to the progressive development of skills, knowledge and understanding, combined with a good use of the time available, the quality of provision remains high. In information technology, opportunities are taken to use skills across a range of curriculum areas. However, insufficient attention is devoted to the controlling and modelling elements of the National Curriculum programme of study. A particular feature of the school is the high quality provision in dance, music and physical education provided by specialist part-time teachers. Pupils enjoy weekly lessons that considerably enrich the experience of all pupils and promote the confidence and self-esteem of those pupils who find

p.16

TO PUPILS?

44. The school is aware of the requirement to teach the full programme of study in all subjects when the revision to the National Curriculum takes effect from September 2000. However, the Ravenstone Primary School - 17 current provision for geography is inadequate because too little time is devoted to the subject.

p.16

TO PUPILS?

45. The school is making good use of national guidance documents to ensure an appropriate programme is in place. The lack of agreed policies and schemes of work in many subjects was noted in the last inspection report. The school has made good progress in providing suitable guidance to enable teachers to plan appropriate work.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

46. The very good range of extra-curricular activities significantly increases the breadth of the school’s curriculum. The school is able to provide these activities because many parents and governors, as well as school staff, are eager to contribute their time and expertise. The school, in turn, welcomes, encourages and values such contributions. Sports clubs are run by school staff and the part-time sports coach and include athletics, swimming, football, netball and multi-sport. They are having a good impact on reversing the decline in provision for major team games noted at the time of the last inspection. Music is well represented in two choirs, two recorder groups, an orchestra and a drumming group, all run by the music specialist. Other clubs include art (so oversubscribed that pupils change each half term), chess, dance, construction, Oware (an African board game), drama and French for Year 6. For most of the

p.17

TO PUPILS?

year the school has also run a homework club for Year 6 pupils, attended by the majority of pupils in the age-group, which has boosted their standards of attainment and helped to prepare them for the demands of the next stage of education. The school recognises that parents have varying views on how much homework should be set more generally throughout the school. It makes appropriate provision, increasing the amount steadily as pupils become older. Consistency in provision is not always fully assured, however.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

47. The school has an excellent philosophy concerning equality of opportunity for all pupils and celebrates the differences in cultures and religions which are regarded as assets to the school. All pupils feel highly valued and this is the feature which has the greatest significance in terms of equality of opportunity. This has a very good effect on pupils’ progress and attitudes to learning.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

48. All extra-curricular activities are open equally to boys and girls, although most, understandably, are for pupils in Key Stage 2 only. Restricting the space in which pupils can play football and arranging for pupils to take turns to play has increased the opportunities for all pupils to use the limited playground area.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

49. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are given good support on an individual basis by the ethnic minorities’ achievement staff. However, the number of staff is small and, because they sometimes work with other pupils or are involved in organising whole-school cultural and extra-curricular activities, their expertise is spread too thinly. Considering the level of needs - for example in the early years or those of pupils for whom English is an additional language who may be fluent in the English language but are weak in subject language - the present deployment of these teachers is at odds with the supportive ethos of the school.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

50. Pupils with special educational needs are enabled to progress as well as others through the extensive support which is provided. Unfortunately, this occasionally results in their missing parts of the curriculum. Whenever possible, care is taken to withdraw pupils at times when the same subject is being taught. However, teachers are not always sufficiently aware of the need to delay their input until these pupils return to the classroom. Pupils with high ability are given good opportunities to increase their levels of achievement, but practice is not consistent in all subject areas. In mathematics, for example, pupils in the same class work at different levels but in science all pupils tend to undertake the same task although sometimes recording their results in different ways.

p.17

TO PUPILS?

51. The curriculum provides well for pupils with special educational needs. Class teachers write the individual education plans for these pupils with assistance from the special educational needs co-ordinator where appropriate. Sensible and achievable targets are formulated, covering a wide range of needs. The full-time special educational needs co-ordinator and the learning support assistants work hard to meet as many of these needs as possible. Most of their time is focused on supporting pupils with lower levels of literacy and numeracy. Support levels for these subjects are good and as a consequence most pupils make good progress in learning. There is less support for these pupils in other lessons, such as history or religious Ravenstone Primary School - 18 education, where they also need to use their literacy skills. The school addresses a wide range of other needs, mostly very effectively. Pupils with under-developed motor skills meet with a

p.17

TO PUPILS?

learning support assistant or the special educational needs co-ordinator, often daily, for practice in these skills. Sometimes, in a valiant attempt to maximise the use of time, these sessions are too short. Those with emotional or behavioural difficulties are helped to develop socially in the ‘circle time’ which appears on the timetable of every class.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

52. The school succeeds very well in meeting its mission statement “To provide individual pupils with the opportunity to develop fully their intellectual, social, moral, cultural and physical awareness within a caring and secure environment.” There has been a significant improvement compared to the previous inspection in the overall provision, especially for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development. This also reflects the praise given by parents concerning the way in which the school helps their children to become mature and responsible and provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

53. The provision for the spiritual development of pupils is satisfactory. Strengths are in the study of literature, music, art and world faiths where pupils learn about the spiritual dimensions of life. Good examples of this are seen in religious education when pupils consider areas which are special to them and in many lessons where the emotional impacts on actions are considered. One outstanding example of this is the study of human rights and the quality of art and description. Pupils worship together in a variety of settings. They experience a range of approaches led with sincerity and understanding. However, the quality of time for reflection varies from very well considered opportunities, where pupils are given time to consider issues concerning conservation and environmental matters, to the unsatisfactory features where the time is too short and insufficiently focused. Insufficient use is made of music to promote

p.18

TO PUPILS?

reflection or a spiritual dimension to the collective worship. However, in one art lesson observed, music was used to very good effect in creating an atmosphere for reflection which in turn enhanced the quality of work. Pupils are valued as equals and are encouraged to develop their confidence and self-esteem.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

54. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. Pupils are encouraged to raise issues and circle time is important in the debating of moral aspects. The excellent progress made in promoting good behaviour forms the basis for the school’s marked improvement. An excellent aspect of this is the positive and active involvement of pupils and lunchtime supervisors in lunchtime arrangements. The majority of lunchtime supervisors are also learning support assistants with the advantage that pupils know them in more than one aspect of school life. Adults are very good role models. The school has an extremely well developed system of rewards and sanctions which are very well understood by all pupils. There is a well- considered and rigorously followed system for giving praise and also for sanctions. There is a house system which is sensitively used to develop collaborative and mutual support. Pupils

p.18

TO PUPILS?

are given many opportunities to develop and discuss moral issues. Many incidents are effectively used in school to help pupils to distinguish between right and wrong, and to reflect on their previous behaviour and how it might improve.

p.18

TO PUPILS?

55. The school gives many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility, show initiative and understand the school as a community and this provision for their social development is very good. This is reflected in the quality of relationships and the range of responsibilities given to pupils. Recent initiatives have included the formation of a school council where two pupils from each class are involved in discussing issues pertinent to the school and to them. Pupils on the council had previously raised concerns about the difficulty in managing a large group in terms of discussion and the visit of the local Member of Parliament who suggested the appointment of a speaker, was used to good effect. This was reflected in the school council observed during the inspection where the speaker was extremely articulate, ensuring that all pupils kept to the agenda and agreeing decisions at the end. The fact that this now takes place

p.18

TO PUPILS?

without the headteacher for the majority of time reflects a very high level of maturity. Some pupils in Year 6 are mentors and they take their responsibilities very seriously and are in turn respected by pupils in the school. There is a wide range of fund-raising, much of it inspired by pupils. Parents, grandparents and people from the wider community are used effectively. The very good provision for personal and social development in the Nursery and Reception classes is further enhanced throughout all aspects of school. The school’s policies on health, drug awareness and sex education are another element of its very good provision for social development. Ravenstone Primary School - 19 56. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. The school fosters pupils’ cultural development to a high level by encouraging their own interests and achievements and also by broadening their experiences and knowledge of cultures and customs, especially in religious

p.18

TO PUPILS?

education and history. Pupils acquire a good insight into ancient civilisations, respecting cultures and customs and appreciating that many ideas which we incorporate into our lifestyle today reflect those civilisations. There is a wide range of enriching visits which enhance cultural development - for example the Tate Gallery and the Museum of the Moving Image - and visits to other museums. Music and dance have very high profiles both within the school and the community. The school participates in the Wandsworth Music Festival and an Indian dance group has performed at the London Contemporary Dance School.

p.19

TO PUPILS?

57. Pupils benefit from very productive links with the community. Regular visits and visitors enrich pupils’ learning experiences and support their welfare. There are many visits to places of interest, including residential trips. A police officer and a road safety officer frequently visit the school and talk to pupils about their safety. Representatives of a number of welfare agencies visit the school regularly. Pupils’ work is displayed at local public places. There are satisfactory links with the receiving secondary schools. Relevant information is passed on as pupils transfer to these schools. Close and constructive links with initial teacher training institutions enable the school to attract students who support in classrooms. The school contributes well towards the training of these students.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

58. As at the time of the previous inspection, the school is a caring and secure community. Staff know pupils well and individual pupils are well supported by the very good relationships that exist between them and staff. This has a positive effect on pupils' learning.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

59. The school has policies and procedures to enable pupils to take advantage of educational opportunities and to promote their well-being. Pupils new to the school are successfully helped to settle in quickly. Procedures for pupils’ transfer to secondary schools are effective and include familiarisation visits. Year 6 pupils enjoy frequent talks by the headteacher about secondary education. The first-aid arrangements are effective and trained first-aiders warmly attend to pupils requiring treatment or medication. Lunchtime procedures are good. Lunchtime supervisors are committed and have initiated several lunchtime activities, which engage pupils well and have helped in obtaining good behaviour at lunchtime. Pupils get appropriate guidance like sex education and drug awareness through the curriculum, particularly the circle time, and on matters related to their health and safety. Pupils’ welfare

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and education are well supported by visiting specialists. Procedures for child protection and for health and safety are good. There is a minor health and safety concern in that the classroom doors open outwards into corridors.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

60. The school has very good and effective procedures to monitor and support pupils’ personal development. The Friday special assembly, where good individual or whole-class performance is acknowledged, promotes pupils’ personal development and raises their self- esteem. The measures to ensure high standards of behaviour by pupils are very good. Good behaviour and success are well rewarded. The headteacher firmly monitors and deals with any incidents of negative behaviour, which are now rare. No oppressive behaviour was seen and none was reported to inspectors during the inspection. Ravenstone Primary School - 20 61. Procedures for monitoring and promoting pupils’ attendance are satisfactory. Individual pupils, whose attendance is causing concern, are targeted and monitored but there is no same-day contact with parents in following up absences. Registers are taken promptly and marked appropriately at the start of both morning and afternoon sessions. Pupils take registers to the

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

office. Lateness to the school is monitored through a late-sheet system. Punctuality has improved. Recording and reporting requirements are met.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

62. Monitoring of pupils’ academic progress is satisfactory. The school has started work on tracking pupils’ progress and setting targets for improvement; the system is working well and is developing.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

63. A good range of strategies is used to identify pupils who have special educational needs. The results of statutory and other testing are scrutinised to identify pupils with lower attainment. Class teachers identify pupils whose rates of progress cause them concern. The criteria for including these pupils on the special needs register are insufficiently precise, however. Assessment of pupils with language needs is good.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

64. The care and support for pupils with emotional or behavioural difficulties are very good. The school rightly prides itself on accepting pupils excluded permanently from other schools and whose presence soon becomes unnoticed. Throughout lunchtime, the special educational needs co-ordinator is available in her classroom to supervise pupils unable, for whatever reason, to cope with the rigours of the playground and also to receive any pupils whose behaviour becomes unacceptable. There is very good liaison between her and the lunchtime supervisory staff, most of whom are also employed as learning support assistants and so know the pupils very well. The special educational needs co-ordinator’s role is sufficiently comprehensive to encompass such tasks as monitoring the attendance and punctuality of those on the special needs register. She establishes quickly a rapport with each individual pupil, each of whom responds well to her calm and friendly manner.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

65. The school has worked hard in its approach to monitoring pupils' academic performance leading to a great deal of improvement since the previous inspection. The headteacher and senior management are involved in monitoring, work sampling and target setting. Tracking of individual pupils is being piloted. An assessment co-ordinator has been appointed and has already prepared guidance for assessment, recording and reporting. Formal assessment procedures include the use of testing on entry to the school and a range of other standardised tests in addition to National Curriculum tests. The only exception is Year 1 where currently no formal assessment is used.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

66. All of this confirms an effective system of monitoring and assessment which is primarily concerned with literacy and numeracy. Formal assessment or monitoring procedures are not yet in place for science, religious education, information technology or any non-core subject. There is little evidence to suggest that assessment is much used in planning in these subjects. There is no up-to-date whole school assessment policy.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

67. Parents have positive views of the school, support its work and have a good influence on their children’s learning. Parents are pleased with the quality of teaching and what is expected of their children, and they value the standards achieved by pupils. Inspection findings support their positive feelings. Some parents are less happy with homework, information about how their children are getting on and the range of extra-curricular activities offered. Inspectors found that the homework is satisfactory and provision for extra activities is very good. Information provided for parents by the school is satisfactory. The school prospectus and the annual governors’ report are a good introduction to the life of the school and include all the required information. The end of year progress reports inform parents about what their children can do and what they need to do to improve in most subjects, but in others, they

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

contain mainly an indication of what the children have covered - notably in information technology. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept well informed about their children’s progress and are appropriately involved in the reviews. 68. Parents are valued and their opinions are sought through questionnaires. The school has a welcoming approach and there is good interaction between the staff and parents at the Ravenstone Primary School - 21 beginning and end of each day. This helps teachers and parents to inform and get informed about any concerns regarding pupils’ development. Parents are very interested in the education of their children. Their involvement in the learning of their children at the school is good. The parents’ association is well supported and organises fund-raising events for improving school resources. On the day after the inspection finished, the school held its

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

summer fair and raised over four-and-a-half thousand pounds. Many parents regularly work as voluntary helpers in the school - for instance, in improving the environment and helping to produce the school brochure. Parents support the extra-curricular and social activities organised by the school well, such as the popular art club. Their attendance at consultation meetings is good. Many parents support their children with their reading work at home. The school successfully relies upon the co-operation of parents to maintain high expectations of both behaviour and work, and the home-school agreement is useful in this.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The last report was critical in some areas of leadership and management. Since then a new headteacher has been appointed. He, together with the deputy head, early years co-ordinator and chair of governors, provides very good leadership. The headteacher has well founded priorities for the school’s development and has established effective working relationships with the governing body, the staff and parents. He has a clear educational vision for the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The senior management team ably assists the headteacher in providing a clear educational direction to the school. The very effective deputy head supports the headteacher and leads staff in various areas of the curriculum. One of the strengths of the school is the constant development and evaluation. This year, the senior management team has been monitoring and evaluating classroom work and environment on a fortnightly basis. The focus was originally on literacy and it is now on numeracy. Both teams, one led by the headteacher and the other by the deputy headteacher, look at all the work. Feedback is made to staff which they find useful. The next monitoring is undertaken by the other team, who take as their starting point the feedback given on the previous visit. Monitoring teaching and learning in other subjects is an area for development.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. A good level of delegation ensures the smooth running of the school. Senior staff and curriculum co-ordinators report to the headteacher half-termly on English, mathematics and science and termly on other subjects on the progress in these subjects. This is collated and fed into the school development plan. The headteacher and deputy head meet with the non teaching staff on a half termly basis. This well-directed team work ensures that the school’s intentions are carried out efficiently and has a beneficial effect on pupils’ attainment.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. All the staff have a strong commitment to improve. Last year, tests supplied by a national organisation were introduced into the school, the results of which enable teachers to focus on individual pupils. Good use is made of assessments taken at the time children enter the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. The governing body is very effective in fulfilling its responsibilities. It is well led by the chair of governors who is also a member of all the committees - curriculum, premises, finance and personnel. All governors are members of at least one committee. There have been a number of changes on the governing body recently. Some governors have been given areas of responsibility in subjects - English, mathematics, science, special needs and information technology. The headteacher and teachers use the governors as managers. One of the recent innovations which work well is the appointment of ‘governor of the month’. It is that governor’s duty to visit the school and go into classes and assembly. At governors’ meetings, the governor explains what he or she has done; this is ensuring that governors have a first- hand view of the school’s performance. The chair sees her role as an unthreatening link

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

between governors and headteacher. She is very supportive and shares ideas with the headteacher.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

74. The school has made very good progress since the last inspection due to the leadership of the headteacher, governors and senior management team. The school development plan is now produced involving all members of the school community. It is a working document and develops accordingly. Literacy and numeracy have been targeted and information technology Ravenstone Primary School - 22 is next. The budget is now linked clearly to priorities in the development plan. Pupils’ behaviour has improved enormously. In addition, the school has improved its provision for pupils’ personal development, which is now very good overall. Standards of pupils’ attainment have continued to rise over the last three years.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

75. The headteacher started professional development reviews in January 2000. It was a mixture of appraisal and discussion with clear targets set. It is currently on hold. There is a good induction scheme for staff with an induction co-ordinator who acts as a mentor for the new member of staff. There are successful strategies for reducing staff absences.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

76. The school has made satisfactory progress in financial management since the previous inspection. Effective actions have resolved the financial situation, and spending is kept within the planned expenditure which is linked to the school's development planning. The governors’ finance committee monitors expenditure in order that specific grants are used for their purposes and best value is achieved in respect of resourcing. For example, the committee is currently assessing the quality of services provided by the local education authority trading accounts. Best value principles are applied in the school’s management and use of resources. Currently, the headteacher is looking closely at the cleaning contract. Parents with expertise volunteered to produce a school brochure at considerably lower cost than a publisher.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

77. The school's voluntary fund has been 'inspected', and most of the recommendations of the recent audit have been implemented. The current separation of administrative and financial duties between the secretary and part-time finance officer has proved to be ineffective in that it involves the headteacher in spending too much time in liaising between the two postholders. This issue was highlighted by the auditors and the school has rightly identified the re- structuring of the roles as a priority.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

78. The carry forward figure on the budget is a little higher than the recommended proportion of income. This is because a considerable reserve was built up a number of years ago, which governors are committed to reducing gradually; for example, the budget set for the current financial year aims to reduce the figure by over £20,000.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

79. Good use is made of information technology. The computer suite is well used by pupils; much of teachers’ planning is word processed, as are end-of-year reports to parents. The school office makes good use of computers and the tracking of pupils’ performance is soon to be transferred to appropriate software.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

80. The school has a good number of appropriately qualified teachers and support staff to match the demands of the curriculum. A feature of the school is the extra tuition provided in dance, sport and music. The good standards achieved show that this is money well spent.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

81. Arrangements for co-ordinating the work with pupils with special educational needs are good. The finance for special educational needs is used well and all statutory requirements are fully met. The co-ordinator has no class teaching commitment and so is able to devote her time to supporting pupils in literacy and numeracy, helping pupils with particular needs such as poorly developed motor skills, assessing individuals and meeting with parents. In an attempt to meet as many as possible of these needs, her expertise is sometimes spread too thinly, with sessions which are too short. The special needs register is well kept and includes a large amount of useful information. The new draft policy is well written and complies fully with current legislation. The support given by the ethnic minorities’ achievement staff is good but it is not best used because it is spread too thinly, as is discussed elsewhere.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

82. There is adequate accommodation for the number of pupils on the roll. Classrooms are of sufficient size and appropriately furnished. There is a rolling programme for decoration and there are plans to develop the nursery. There are also plans to replace the boilers. The high quality displays of pupils’ work make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning and help to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere within the school. However, the school has no access to a field for games and sports. 83. Pupils benefit from an adequate range of resources in most subjects. In recent years more money has been spent on literacy, mathematics and information technology. In particular, there are good resources in English, art, music, special needs and religious education. Resources are well maintained and easily accessible. Ravenstone Primary School - 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

84. To improve further the standards of work and the quality of education provided, the governing body, headteacher and staff should:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* † Broaden the scope of self-evaluation in subjects other than English and mathematics by regularly: • reviewing planning; • monitoring the quality of teaching; • evaluating the standards of pupils’ attainment. (70-73)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

* Ensure that higher attaining pupils are provided with work which meets their needs in all subjects and all classes, by: • developing whole-school methods for recording pupils’ attainment; • using this information in planning what pupils need to learn next. (20-30; 50; 137; 170)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Focus the work of ethnic minorities’ achievement staff more exclusively on those pupils identified as having the greatest need. (37, 49) • † Increase the amount of time available for the teaching of geography. (152-157) • Improve planning to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. (111)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

† denotes an issue already highlighted as a priority in the school’s development plan (Numbers in brackets indicate a reference to the main paragraphs where the weaknesses are discussed.) Ravenstone Primary School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 31

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

3 16 48 33 1 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 34 390

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 143 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6 126

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 85

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 53

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 24

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ravenstone Primary School - 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 27 29 56

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 23 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 22 25

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 80 (77) 80 (78) 89 (84) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (85)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 24 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 25 21

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 80 (75) 88 (87) 80 (79) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 32 20 52

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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 17 17 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 8 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 58 (65) 48 (50) 71 (59) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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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 16 18 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 10 11 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 50 (71) 56 (76) 73 (65) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Ravenstone Primary School - 26

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 56 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 27 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 19 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 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) 25 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 16.96

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 973,204

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 12 Expenditure per pupil 2,178

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 244 Balance brought forward from previous year 79,463

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 95,890

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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) 1.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.89

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 61

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 10.75 FTE means full-time equivalent. Ravenstone Primary School - 27

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 52 37 6 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 43 1 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 34 18 5 10

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 34 19 5 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 69 24 5 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 61 29 5 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 51 33 8 4 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 69 22 2 0 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 32 5 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 46 32 12 2 8

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Other issues raised by parents

About 20 per cent of respondents commented on additional matters. More than half of these wrote in praise of the headteacher, his staff and the good, multi-ethnic atmosphere in the school. Many parents are also pleased about the way the school develops their children’s creativity in music, drama, art and sport. A small number of parents feel that higher attaining pupils are not always sufficiently challenged. One respondent does not appreciate the involvement of non-Christian children in celebrating Christian festivals; another regrets the lack of separate changing facilities for boys and girls in physical education. Ravenstone Primary School - 28

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

85. The quality of provision for children in the Early Years is very good and this is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The children who are in the present Nursery classes transfer to the Reception classes at the end of one year. However, the school admits children into the Reception classes from other forms of nursery provision. The induction process is carefully managed and supported by a well-graduated attendance system at the beginning of the Nursery year. All parents and children have opportunities to visit the school and receive detailed information about it before the autumn term. These arrangements help children to settle into school well.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

86. The very high quality of leadership and management is reflected in all aspects of planning, assessment and monitoring. There has been monitoring of teaching and the co-ordinator has a high level of understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in most aspects of the provision. Resources and accommodation are good, well used and contribute towards the progress. The curricular planning in the Early Years reflects the philosophy that effective learning cannot take place until children’s personal and social development is secure.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

87. On entry to the Nursery classes the levels of attainment for the large majority of pupils are very low and by the time they are five, their levels of attainment are well below the national average in language and literacy and mathematics but above in all other areas of learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

88. Entry assessments of the children in the present Nursery classes show that they have very low levels of attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and personal and social skills. During the two years in the Nursery and Reception classes, children make good progress in language and literacy and mathematics, and very good progress in all other areas of learning, especially personal and social development. Because of the high quality of provision for personal and social development, which includes consistent praise for success and appropriate reminders about unsatisfactory behaviour, children make very good progress in this area of learning. The wide range of opportunities for children to work in different groups, make choices, know when to sit quietly and listen attentively, are further examples of teachers’ positive development of their attitudes. Children identified as having special education needs are well supported and

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

make good progress. The needs of higher attaining children are well met in the majority of cases but in one class these children were not sufficiently well challenged in mathematics, reading or physical education. Children identified as having English as an additional language make good progress when they are supported by appropriate staff and in the majority of the areas of learning. However, there are insufficient opportunities for this level of support and this is reflected in the standards achieved in the assessment undertaken on entry.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

89. Teaching is good in all areas of the under fives’ curriculum, but it varies from very good to unsatisfactory and, while it is good overall, it is consistently good in the Nursery but generally satisfactory in the Reception classes. Strengths are in the teachers’ knowledge and understanding, relationships with children, effective use of support staff and all available resources. The unsatisfactory aspects are insufficiently high expectations for some higher attaining children. The curriculum is rich and relevant, and maintains children’s interests and this helps them to make good progress. Planning is very effectively related to the national targets with many interesting and imaginative learning activities provided to help children learn. A high level of priority is given to personal and social education and there are good opportunities for children to find out about the world around them and to enhance their creative

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

skills. Opportunities for outdoor play are very good. Both the Reception classes and the Nursery classes have their own secure areas. In the Nursery, the curriculum is as easily accessible to those who choose outdoor activities as to those who choose to stay indoors. However, though there is a safety surface for the entire Reception outdoor area, in the Nursery area, it is only underneath the large equipment and results in a few mishaps. Ravenstone Primary School - 29 90. Results of the initial tests carried out in the Reception classes early in the year show that there are significantly more children with low scores in language and literacy and mathematics than nationally and in the local education authority.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

91. Assessment procedures are detailed, relevant and frequent and are used to record children’s weekly progress and to influence planning. This is a particular strength in the Nursery.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

92. By the age of five, children’s attainment in personal and social skills is above the expected standards. Children in the Nursery, having taken some time to settle in, soon begin to relate well to both adults and each other, and have made very good progress by the end of the first term, one example being their willingness and enthusiasm to participate in the Christmas performance. They know the daily routines, readily help to tidy up and at story time take turns in speaking, enjoy group participation and respect the rights of other children. They are keen to join in action rhymes and songs and the repetitive aspect of stories. In both the Nursery and Reception classes, adults show care and consideration for the needs of individuals and are very good role models. This helps children to develop confidence in exploring and discussing and build effectively on their prior learning. On the few occasions where children have not

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

behaved according to the required standards, adults take time to discuss how their behaviour may affect others, the consequences of their actions and how they can improve. These high expectations contribute well to the overall good behaviour. Children make good progress from requiring high levels of adult support in the Nursery to working well independently in the Reception classes. However, in one Reception class where children were not given sufficiently challenging work, there were pockets of unruly behaviour which were not effectively managed.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

93. The large majority of children enter the Nursery with language skills that are very low in comparison with the expected levels. By the time they are five, the attainment of many children has improved but it still remains well below the expected standards for children of this age, especially in reading and writing. Children’s standards of speaking have increased and this reflects the success of regular structured talk in all activities and the teachers’ insistence that children make more detailed responses.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

94. In the Nursery good opportunities are provided for children to develop their speaking and listening skills through participation in stories and rhymes. Children are happy to join in and are developing their understanding of rhymes and stories. In other activities, children know the vocabulary related to physical education activities, and a small group of children spoke animatedly about the farm visit. However, most children do not have a wide range of vocabulary and frequently give one-word answers unless asked for more detail. There are many opportunities for group activities and role play - this term’s focus being on space exploration. In the Nursery, children are given an appropriate range of opportunities for early writing by making marks and for early reading by focusing on sounds. This results in the majority of pupils knowing the initial sounds for the key objects in the stories. The majority of

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

children distinguish between picture and print and the frequent small-group story activities enhance their enjoyment of stories and their ability to discuss their favourite stories.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

95. In the Reception classes, appropriate emphasis is given to the teaching of literacy skills. Lessons are planned following Literacy Strategy guidelines. There is an appropriate emphasis on learning about the letters of the alphabet and the sounds that they make. A small percentage of children are at the stage of planning their own writing, while the majority of children are still learning to form letters correctly. Higher attaining children read accurately and fluently and one child shows a very high level of interest in reading and attends the local library. However, the majority of children need a great deal of support in reading short sentences, though they recognise frequently used words. Ravenstone Primary School - 30 Mathematics

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

96. By the age of five, attainment is well below the national standards for children of this age. However, children are learning at an appropriate rate and are making up for their very low levels of attainment on entry to the Nursery. In the Nursery, children have regular opportunities to develop their counting skills and the wide range of apparatus used and number rhymes enhance their understanding of numbers to ten. Children’s learning is reinforced as they participate in a wide range of practical activities. This is reflected in their understanding of the concepts of ‘full’, ‘empty’ and ‘half full’, and ‘more than’ or ‘less than’.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

97. Many opportunities are provided for children to learn numbers through games, songs, stories and physical activities. Most children understand ‘big’, ‘small’, ’taller’, shorter’ and ‘longer’ and develop these concepts through observing the size, shape and colour of objects, especially the growth of seeds. Children are developing their spatial awareness through floor-play activities and physical activities. Their mathematical knowledge is reinforced by regular opportunities for counting and comparing length, shape and weight.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

98. In the Reception classes, there is a wide range of ability, from a small group of higher attaining children who are confident in understanding numbers over 200 and who can count in tens, to the majority who are learning numbers to 10 and are insecure in addition and subtraction to 10. Children recognise repeating patterns and recognise some two-dimensional shapes such as circles, squares and rectangles, and three-dimensional shapes such as cubes and cylinders. The quality of teaching in one class is very good and this is reflected in challenging activities and a high level of new learning. In the other class, however, the teaching observed was unsatisfactory in one lesson because the activities chosen and the pace of learning did not focus on the skills of the higher attaining children and the activities for the lower attaining children did not increase their mathematical understanding.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

Knowledge and Understanding of the World

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

99. By the time they are five, children’s attainment is above the standards expected. In the Nursery classes, children’s knowledge and understanding are developed through a wide range of visits, the most recent one having been to a farm. Children know the names of the farm animals, and designed and made a wide range of homes for them, which showed neat finishing and careful painting and joining. Children are aware that objects are made of different materials and explain these differences during water play; they understand the difference between floating and sinking. In this half-term’s topic on ‘Up and Down’, children classify objects according to those up in the air or above ground with those below ground level. The story featuring a blue balloon was used as a good stimulus activity and children understood that balloons are one of the objects which can float in the air.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

100. In the Reception classes, children have grown plants from seeds. They identify the root, stem, leaves and flowers of plants, record their growth and know the conditions needed for growing. They identify a wide range of objects which are living and those that have never lived and use a computer program to further their scientific understanding and their computer skills. Children develop their investigational skills well and the wide range of visits enhances their knowledge of the local and distant communities. On special days, particularly birthdays and celebrations from the wide range of cultures and religions in school, pupils increase their knowledge of different cultures by joining in celebrations.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

101. Although there are computers in both the Nursery and Reception, the children in the Reception classes make more regular use of computers and their work on the art program shows good mouse control.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

102. Children’s attainment exceeds the Desirable Learning Outcomes by the time they are five. In the Nursery, children have a wide range of experiences which develops their creative skills. Strengths are in the opportunities for painting and model making. They have many opportunities to explore and experiment with paint, pencils and a wide range of media. With an appropriate amount of adult support, they produce a wide range of observational and imaginative work. In collage work, they carefully select the colours and materials to achieve Ravenstone Primary School - 31 the desired effect.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

103. In the Reception classes, the quality of art, especially painting, is very good both in imaginative work and especially in painting in the style of famous artists. Following a visit to the Tate, as part of a year group focus on modern art, children’s paintings in the styles of Hockney and Turner are extremely realistic and show very highly developed skills in colour mixing and awareness of shape, line and texture.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

104. In both Nursery and Reception classes, children make good progress in music and by the age of five sing with accurate pitch and good feel for rhythm.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

105. Children make good progress in most aspects of physical development and this reflects good teaching. Strengths are in children’s hand and eye co-ordination, their development in handling scissors with increasing skill, and their use of brushes and pencils with increasing accuracy and creativity.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

106. Children in the Nursery know the difference between slow and fast movements, and stretches and curls and use the wide range of apparatus in the secure area with increasing levels of creativity and expertise. They curl, slide and balance well. They use the wheeled equipment with a high level of skill and change speed and direction well. The level of creative play enhanced by the carefully selected equipment is very good. Children develop a high level of accuracy in aiming, throwing and catching.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

107. In the Reception classes, although there is a wide range of apparatus available, one very good lesson was observed where children’s skills in using small apparatus were developed to a very high level. Their hand and eye co-ordination in throwing and catching beanbags was very good and this reflected well-focused teaching. A very mature element was their spatial awareness and their ability to move at speed, avoiding contact with others. They showed a very high level of agility in all movements - running, stepping and moving within a limited area and in stretches and curls during the warming-up and cooling-down activities. They understood the reason for these activities at levels well above the expectations for children of this age. However, this quality is inconsistent between the two classes and reflected the benefit of the school’s expenditure on a sports specialist.

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ENGLISH

108. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment in reading and writing at the expected level (Level 2 and above) was below the national average but above the average for similar schools. Attainment at the higher level (Level 3) was similar to the national average and well above average in comparison with similar schools. The present Year 2 are working at levels that match national expectations. Since 1996, the trend has been for standards to remain close to the national average. Over time pupils in Key Stage 1 are making good progress in view of their level of attainment on entry.

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ENGLISH

109. At the end of Key Stage 2, results at the expected level (Level 4 and above) in the 1999 National Curriculum tests were well below the national average but average for similar schools. Pupils' attainment at the higher level (Level 5) was above the national average and very high in comparison with similar schools. The present Year 6 are working at levels that are similar to national expectations. The trend since 1996 has been of standards remaining close to the national average. Pupils make good progress through Key Stage 2.

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110. The last inspection found standards to be average at both key stages. This situation has been maintained, though this masks the good progress made by the school in raising standards since 1997, when results at Key Stage 2 fell.

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111. Pupils' attainment in speaking and listening throughout the school matches that expected of pupils in these age groups nationally. Key Stage 1 pupils listen carefully and respond to questions appropriately. Higher attainers can sustain concentration well and express their point Ravenstone Primary School - 32 of view with increasing confidence. Lower attainers and those with special educational needs often need a lot of encouragement to participate in discussion. The majority of Key Stage 2 pupils demonstrate fairly well developed listening skills, but many do not readily engage in informed discussion. Generally, pupils do not project their voices well when speaking to a large audience. There is some video evidence of pupils making a good contribution to school productions but this does not reflect day-to-day practice.

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112. Reading standards match those expected nationally for pupils of similar ages. Higher attainers in Key Stage 1 show well developed reading skills. They have a good knowledge of letter sounds and read with accuracy and understanding. Some lower attainers often read texts with which they are already familiar, and with little accuracy, fluency, expression or understanding. They often use letter sounds quite successfully, but their range of strategies beyond this is not wide. There is a clear love of books throughout the key stage. Key Stage 2 pupils read independently, often making good predictions about the plot of a story, but some do not demonstrate well developed skimming and scanning skills, and they have difficulty with comprehension. Shared, guided and quiet reading sessions have a positive impact on reading standards and pupils read a good variety of texts including poetry, but the absence of a whole-

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school set time for quiet reading does not ensure consistency in this respect. Opportunities for pupils to develop their library and research skills are limited.

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113. Standards of writing broadly match those expected nationally for pupils of similar ages. Higher attainers in Key Stage 1 contribute to shared writing by sequencing events in, and suggesting ideas for, a story. They have started writing for different purposes, paying attention to punctuation. A few pupils cannot yet express themselves in simple sentences unaided. Pupils in Key Stage 2 use different kinds of writing such as instruction, description, narratives, play scripts and letters. Some poems written by pupils include effective and imaginative use of language. The school's focus on shared, guided and extended writing has started to pay dividends. Pupils choose and vary their vocabulary to convey meaning clearly in a range of forms including poems. Many pupils develop their ideas coherently, justifying their point view as part of their persuasive writing. This was observed in lessons where pupils challenged the

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view questioning the existence of aliens, for example. Older pupils write in role as was observed in a number of lessons when pupils wrote about conditions in the Crimea from the point of view of a nurse or a soldier. They use note-taking as a strategy for recording their ideas effectively to inform their writing. They are not, however, fully confident in writing in the voice or style of a text, as when they were asked to attempt Victorian English. Spelling is taught regularly, but difficulties in this respect persist for many pupils throughout the school.

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114. Pupils' literacy skills are used effectively across the curriculum. Learning of specialist vocabulary is integral to mathematics and science lessons. In geography, pupils describe weather conditions in different parts of the world. Some pupils' account of the Crimean War during a history lesson was effectively linked to their work in the literacy hour. In a religious education lesson, pupils role-played the story of the Buddha. The use of information technology within English, though not on a regular basis, is having a positive impact on pupils' literacy skills, particularly in drafting and editing.

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ENGLISH

115. Approximately one-fifth of the pupils speak English as an additional language. Three part time teachers actively support about one-third of these, mostly those at early stages of acquiring the English language. These teachers are well organised and generally provide good quality support to the pupils, mostly during the literacy lessons. Assessment on entry into the school identifies well the specific English language skills pupils need. There is frequent assessment and monitoring of skills and progress which enables appropriate tasks and materials to be planned to help pupils to make appropriate progress. Where the support is sharply focused on those who need it most, it is effective and the pupils make good progress.

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116. The quality of teaching is good in both key stages. Teachers' secure subject knowledge enables them to enhance pupils' response and participation in activities through effective questioning. Particularly high standards of teaching are characterised by the creation of a positive ethos. Pupils are made to feel part of a shared learning experience where everyone's contribution is valued. Teaching points are highlighted through effective intervention. On several occasions, careful explanation enabled pupils to understand concepts associated with the distinction between fact and opinion, metre or the rhyme scheme used in The Charge of the Light Brigade . Most lessons follow the structure recommended in the National Literacy Ravenstone Primary School - 33 Strategy, and this generally leads to a good pace and balance of activities. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, who are well managed. Where teaching is not so effective, the balance

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of time allowed for the teacher’s introduction and for the pupils’ activities is not carefully planned or maintained, and this has a negative effect on pupils' concentration and interest. Regular assessment and use of homework enable pupils to be aware of their progress, but planning for activities to match individual needs is not consistent in all classes.

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ENGLISH

117. The quality of learning generally reflects teaching and enhances pupils' participation in activities. Most pupils throughout school show very good attitudes to learning English. They listen to each other courteously, though not all participate in discussion. They collaborate well, when encouraged to do so. During written tasks, they concentrate well and try to work neatly and accurately. This enables pupils in Key Stage 1 to develop their literacy skills. Key Stage 2 pupils consolidate and extend their persuasive and empathetic writing skills, together with some conventions associated with formal styles. Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those having special educational needs develop appropriate skills with support. There is no significant gender difference in pupils' learning. Pupils are well behaved and enjoy good relationships with one another and adults.

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ENGLISH

118. The English curriculum is broad and balanced. Cross-curricular and cultural links enable the subject to make a good contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral and social development. The planning process supporting the curriculum is effective, overall. Procedures for assessment, recording and reporting of pupils' attainment in most aspects of English are good. Assessment is used positively in identifying pupils who will most benefit from special literacy support. It is also used in target setting. There are no formal procedures for assessing pupils' progress in speaking and listening or for any aspect of English for Year 1 pupils. The National Literacy Strategy is well established. This reflects the good management of the subject which benefits from regular monitoring of its teaching and standards.

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MATHEMATICS

119. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds at Key Stage 1 in 1999, pupils’ performance was close to the national average and well above average in comparison with similar schools at Level 2 and above. The percentage of pupils reaching Level 3 or above was well above average compared nationally and with similar schools. Provisional results from the 2000 tests indicate a similar picture at both levels. In 1996 and 1997 the results were steady and slightly above the national average. The results dropped slightly below the average in 1998 but showed a significant rise in 1999.

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MATHEMATICS

120. The attainment of eleven year olds at Key Stage 2 of the 1999 National Curriculum tests was well below the national average at Level 4 and above and below average at Level 5. Compared with similar schools the percentage of pupils reaching Level 4 or above was below average but those reaching Level 5 or above was above average. Since 1996, when the results were above the national average, the trend over the last three years shows the results to be well below national average. However teacher assessments for 2000 indicate improved results at Level 4 and a similar picture at Level 5, and the inspection’s findings corroborate this.

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MATHEMATICS

121. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a good understanding of number and most are able to use this to add and subtract two digit numbers accurately. The more able pupils are beginning to add and subtract with three digit numbers. The majority are capable of halving and doubling. They know a number of multiplication tables including the twos, threes, fives and tens and many are capable of dividing by two and three. Simple sums of money are added accurately and pupils are beginning to measure lengths using standard units such as centimetres. The majority of pupils use everyday language to describe two- and three- dimensional shapes. They can draw lines of reflective symmetry on appropriate shapes. Most pupils know the correct time at the hour and half past the hour and the more able pupils can tell the time in minutes past the hour.

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MATHEMATICS

122. By the age of eleven, at the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have extended their understanding of place value and use it effectively to help solve calculations. Many know all their multiplication Ravenstone Primary School - 34 tables to twelve and are able to multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by ten and one hundred. They are able to reduce fractions, use a fraction of a whole number and find out percentages of whole numbers. They solve simple problems involving ratio and proportion. They competently solve problems involving measures of length, weight and capacity. They are able to find the perimeter and area of two-dimensional shapes. Higher attaining pupils find the volume of cuboids and know the properties of quadrilaterals. The majority can draw block graphs from information. They use a protractor to measure angles. Pupils are able to read and plot co-ordinates in all four quadrants. The more able pupils are beginning to investigate

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MATHEMATICS

probability. Through the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, all pupils in the school are developing relevant skills in mental mathematics.

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MATHEMATICS

123. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. In Key Stage 1, 40 per cent of lessons were very good with a further 40 per cent good and 20 per cent satisfactory. In the good and very good lessons there is a brisk pace. The teachers have good control of their classes. For instance in one lesson in Year 1 the teacher’s high expectations of behaviour meant that all pupils attended, they responded quickly to the numeracy questions and so achieved good learning. Teachers are also becoming increasingly skilled in using the final session of the lesson, to recap on the areas of learning and relate them to the original objectives. In Key Stage 2, 70 per cent of lessons seen were good and 30 per cent satisfactory. Good lessons are well planned and a variety of strategies is used to meet clear lesson objectives. The teacher is secure and confident, with the pupils making good use of mental calculations. In a Year 6

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MATHEMATICS

lesson, the rapid recall of number facts enhanced pupils’ participation and response. Pupils on the whole respond very well to the challenges and have a good attitude to work.

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MATHEMATICS

124. There is good provision, generally, for meeting individual needs; for instance in one lesson with Year 4 pupils on the relationship in multiplication squares, the lower ability were able to find the answer using a two by two square, the middle were using a three by three square and the top ability group a four by four square. In another lesson with Year 1 pupils on addition of more that two numbers, the lower ability group most successfully added 6, 8 and 5 whilst the top group were able to add three lots of 20. In Year 6, the two classes are set by ability and then grouped again in each class. A support teacher works with the second set in addition to the class teacher. During the week of the inspection, the two sets had been choosing appropriate operations and calculations to solve measurement word problems. Their real life task was to find the best value ingredients to make one hundred cakes at the school fair which

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MATHEMATICS

followed the inspection. The teachers had obtained a grocery list from the website of a well known supermarket. The pupils had to make all the ingredients to the same weight in grams before deciding which brand to buy. They were challenged to find the cheapest method. The top set were more successful in this and were able to share their conclusions in the plenary session. The same set earlier in the week had also been challenged to find out the best value of a shampoo from the same store. They knew how to work in millilitres and to round up to two decimal places. These investigative activities are purposeful; they set challenges and enable pupils to improve their work.

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MATHEMATICS

125. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator. Good communication within the school enables effective planning to be made in all year groups. The monitoring of lessons by the co- ordinator, who gives feedback to the staff, is also assisting the improvement in teaching and learning. There are assessment forms for each pupil which enable teachers to maintain detailed records. Homework is set and on a number of occasions this was done during the inspection week. For instance, Year 6 pupils had to find out the best value of products at home.

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MATHEMATICS

126. The school has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and teachers are more confident in subject. The co-ordinator, headteacher, a governor and the special needs co-ordinator have all attended a beneficial three-day course in numeracy. Pupils have access to the breadth of the National Curriculum in mathematics which is beginning to have a beneficial effect on results. The amount of work done in the past was insufficient. Under the National Numeracy Strategy, the teaching programme has increased considerably and is enabling the pupils, particularly at Key Stage 2, to improve their standards. The insufficient amount of work done in the past together with the fact that 26 per cent of pupils taking Key Stage 2 tests came into the school in Years 4 and 5, were significant facts in the 1999 Key Stage 2 results. Ravenstone Primary School - 35 127. The last report stated that the attainment in mathematics was average. The standards are

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MATHEMATICS

above average at Key Stage 1 and average at Key Stage 2. The school is now well placed to develop standards further. There are positive attitudes and commitment amongst staff to raising standards further with the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. The quality of teaching is good, with some very good teaching in each key stage, whereas the last report stated that this ranged from unsatisfactory to good. The policy of setting pupils in Year 6 means that that higher attaining pupils at Key Stage 2 are being challenged and the two teachers responsible for this top set have much higher expectations than reported previously.

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SCIENCE

128. In 1999, teacher assessments of the seven-year-old group of pupils showed that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 2 and above was well below the national average. The proportion reaching the higher Level 3 was well above average. Inspection findings show that attainment in the current Year 2 is similar to the national average. This is a similar picture to that at the last inspection except that in 1997, progress was judged to be unsatisfactory and is now satisfactory.

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SCIENCE

129. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests taken by 11-year-olds, about seven pupils in every ten reached the expected Level 4, a result which was below the national average. However, almost four in every ten reached the higher Level 5, well above the national average. These results compare very favourably with those of similar schools and represent a steady improvement since results at the time of the last inspection. There was no significant difference between the results of girls and boys. Inspection evidence indicates that the current Year 6 pupils are likely to have achieved results in line with the national expectations relating to the proportion of pupils achieving at least Level 4. However, there is likely to be a relatively smaller proportion who achieve Level 5 results than was the case in 1999. The reason for this is partly that a higher number of pupils have special educational needs, and partly that

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SCIENCE

insufficient work at the higher level has been undertaken to enable some pupils to achieve better results.

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SCIENCE

130. Pupils in Year 1 understand that musical instruments produce sound in differing ways. They sort the instruments and record their results, although some lower attaining pupils find this recording difficult. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils understand the importance of exercise in remaining healthy. They know some of the conditions that plants need to grow and understand how some materials can change, as for instance when ice cubes turn to water. Higher attaining pupils are beginning to know when a test is fair and make sensible predictions of the outcome of an investigation. Some of these pupils explain why a particular arrangement of batteries in an appliance will or will not enable it to work. As in Year 1, the generally lower levels of literacy in lower attaining pupils create problems when they record an investigation. Their scientific understanding is often more advanced than their skills in recording. Few pupils

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SCIENCE

are drawing suitable conclusions from their experimental work, however. All pupils are progressing well in acquiring scientific vocabulary as the teachers are constantly reinforcing new words.

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SCIENCE

131. In the first two years of Key Stage 2, pupils develop their scientific knowledge well. Most of the topics they study incorporate much experimental and practical work, which helps them to acquire scientific concepts more easily. In Year 3, pupils know how shadows are formed and understand words such as ‘opaque’ and ‘translucent’. Their ability to observe closely and record exactly what they see rather than what they expect to see is not yet well developed. For example, when examining shadows from an oblique light source, they draw the shadow unconnected to the object. When examining magnetic materials, pupils assume that a magnet attracts all metallic objects, including coins. In Year 4, pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes a fair test but have not yet fully appreciated the need for the test to be repeated several times. Most investigations are planned as a class. Although this involves all

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SCIENCE

pupils, it does not enable them to design and carry out their own experiments independently. Pupils in this year group know that plant and animal habitats contain inter-dependant species. They know the components of simple electrical circuits and how to record them. Their understanding of some elements of friction, such as air or water resistance, is good.

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SCIENCE

132. Progress is slightly slower in Years 5 and 6. This is because the time allocation allowed for the Ravenstone Primary School - 36 subject is too low and the programme of study emphasises scientific knowledge more strongly than practical investigative tasks. Occasionally, pupils carry out investigations but have insufficient time to record results and discuss conclusions. Nevertheless, the majority of pupils by the end of Key Stage 2 plan and record experiments successfully. Pupils understand food chains but their knowledge of parts of a plant is at an elementary level. They record electrical circuits using conventional symbols. They use their knowledge of solubility and filtration to explain how to separate a mixture of salt and sand, although some confuse ‘evaporate’ with ‘dissolve’. They have a good understanding of forces, including magnetism.

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SCIENCE

133. Pupils throughout the school have very good attitudes to their work in science. They behave sensibly and responsibly when carrying out practical activities. Groups of pupils co-operate well, occasionally collaborating to complete those parts of the task most suited to their individual abilities. Levels of politeness between pupils are high. Pupils display curiosity about scientific concepts and are very enthusiastic when they undertake practical tasks. Sometimes their eagerness to get started prevents them from listening carefully enough to the teacher’s instructions.

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SCIENCE

134. The overall quality of teaching is good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and three-quarters of all lessons are good, very good or even excellent. This high quality teaching is to be found in both key stages. The last inspection report noted that teachers’ knowledge of investigational methods was unsatisfactory. This weakness appears largely to have been eliminated. Teachers give pupils very clear instructions and ensure they know how to make their tests fair. However, there is insufficient emphasis on the need for close, careful observation and on recording what pupils actually see rather than what they expect to see. Teachers help their pupils to make appropriate predictions but do not always insist upon repetition to check results or on the careful analysis of these results before conclusions are drawn.

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SCIENCE

135. Teachers use good strategies to increase pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding in the subject. Whenever possible they incorporate practical work and this enables pupils to make rapid strides in learning new concepts. Good examples of this were two very successful lessons in Year 4 on air resistance. Pupils constructed parachutes varying in size and tested them ensuring other variables were kept constant. Both lessons were very well structured, with good links to previous learning on water resistance. Another well-structured lesson, on shadows, was observed in Year 3. This was characterised by some very good questioning, particularly during the plenary session following the practical activity. This was effective in extending pupils’ understanding, helping them to discover, for example, that a shadow is connected to its object, and in enlarging their scientific vocabulary.

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SCIENCE

136. Teachers are aware of the need to make the best possible use of the limited time available for the subject. The best lessons proceed at a good pace, yet allow sufficient time for discussion and experimentation. Teachers ensure time is not wasted on irrelevancies. In Year 2, for example, pupils drawing appliances to show how and where batteries are inserted were told that artistic excellence was not required in this piece of work and given reminders to maintain a rapid rate of working. This had a positive effect upon the amount of recording completed. Teachers’ very good management and control of their classes also contributes to an efficient use of time. Very little time is wasted in having to correct unsatisfactory behaviour, leaving maximum time for learning. Resources, including extra adults in the classroom, are used well. In one instance a student, as well as giving support flexibly where it was most needed, was

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SCIENCE

also briefed to assess and record the understanding of individual pupils.

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SCIENCE

137. The most significant weakness in teaching, particularly in Key Stage 2, is in the match of tasks to the varying abilities of the pupils. Almost always all complete exactly the same task. Where there are differences, these usually relate only to the method of recording. Teachers do not begin from each pupil’s prior level of attainment, recorded after careful assessment, then set work to move each pupil on to the next stage in scientific understanding. As a result, tasks are too simple for some pupils and they lose interest. Investigative work is sometimes too prescriptive. Pupils rarely have the opportunity to plan, carry out and record experiments independently.

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SCIENCE

138. The subject co-ordinator has only recently assumed responsibility for science. She is aware of most of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject. She has insufficient time at present to monitor the learning by examining samples of pupils’ work on a regular basis. Teachers are Ravenstone Primary School - 37 using national guidance documents well to plan work for their classes. The school has achieved a very well balanced curriculum overall. However, there is no regular check that pupils’ skills are being developed progressively from year to year. There are adequate resources for the subject but they require some reorganisation to make them more accessible to teachers.

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ART

139. Standards of pupils' attainment are above national expectations throughout the school, showing considerable improvement since the previous inspection, particularly in Key Stage 2.

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ART

140. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils demonstrate well developed skills and techniques in collage making. The majority of pupils are aware of different types of fabric including their colour and texture. Their knowledge and understanding of mixing colours are well developed. They select and use appropriate colours, though it is mainly the more able pupils who have started to pay attention to detail in their drawing or painting.

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ART

141. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils show well developed observational skills in drawing plants. They experiment with pencils to develop appropriate techniques relating to line, tone and texture, particularly contrasting shades for the background of their drawing. Some younger pupils represent weather and land in art form, as was observed in a geography lesson focused on rivers, while others show fairly well developed knowledge and understanding of patterns. Many have started planning their patterns before using materials finally, giving an indication of the structure of their work. They create repeated patterns inspired by Indian art and fabric and show imaginative use of wide-ranging media, especially oil pastels. Older pupils review each other's work, when there are opportunities to do so, and consolidate their perception of shape and size - for example, the different parts of a banana plant viewed from different angles.

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ART

Pupils' concept of composition is not well developed.

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ART

142. The quality of teaching is good, particularly in Key Stage 2 - another area of improvement since the previous inspection. Careful explanation develops younger pupils' understanding of task, and their attention is drawn to the importance of planning their work. Occasionally, however, lack of balance between the time allowed for the teacher’s explanation and that allotted to the activity has a negative impact on the quality of learning. Often teachers' secure subject knowledge is reflected in planning and the use of resources. Sometimes the very imaginative use of resources, such as relaxing music, creates an excellent ethos, with a good effect on pupils' creativity. Similarly, regular discussion enhances pupils' ability to communicate their ideas. This reflects teachers' high expectations of pupils. Some examples of pupils being encouraged to appreciate each other's work were observed but this practice is

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ART

143. The quality of learning reflects the impact of teaching, showing improvement, once again, particularly in Key Stage 2. The majority of pupils in both key stages show high levels of concentration and build on their previous learning such as marbling or tie dying. They learn to draw and paint in the styles of famous artists like Monet. This enables them to consolidate their skills and techniques in the use of a variety of media. There no significant gender difference in pupils' learning in art lessons. Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those having special educational needs display the same enthusiasm for art activities as their peers and make good progress. Pupils are well behaved and often inspired by their teacher's interest in art.

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ART

144. The art curriculum is broad and balanced. It is enhanced by visits to art galleries and has strong links with other subjects. It makes a good contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and parents are rightly appreciative of the school’s work in this respect. More emphasis is now placed on textiles and three-dimensional work. This is reflected in the good quality of display of pupils' work around the school, which enhances the learning environment and has a considerable impact on pupils' attainment and progress.

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ART

145. The subject is well managed. The co-ordinators are very enthusiastic and have already started reviewing the policy and scheme of work in the light of national guidance. However, there is no portfolio of work to enable teachers to share ideas and promote effective practice, and Ravenstone Primary School - 38 formal assessment procedures are yet to develop. Monitoring of teaching has also not yet been scheduled.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

146. Standards continue to meet national expectations at both key stages, as at the time of the last inspection. Because of timetable restrictions, only one lesson was observed during the week of inspection. Judgements are based on that one observation, a scrutiny of work displayed in books and inside and outside classrooms, interviews with pupils and discussions with teachers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

147. At Key Stage 1, the majority of Year 1 pupils are able to give good reasons for washing fruit before eating and are able also to divide foods into healthy and unhealthy categories. Some good techniques were observed in moving-part books. In the designs, pupils are able to cut, top and fold. There were also some good designs of waterproof and non-waterproof articles. Year 2 has produced some very good wheeled vehicles which are all individually designed. They are made from paper and cardboard and they work. When they had finished designing and making, they had to evaluate their models – which parts pleased them and which did not. They were also asked how the models could be improved. Pupils were made to think about their designs. A spring, from folding cardboard, was also made by Year 2 pupils and evaluated.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

148. At Key Stage 2, pupils in Year 3 designed and made photograph frames. They chose their materials to enable the frames to be strong and stable. Their products were attractive and free standing. They also made evaluations at the conclusion of their work. Year 4 pupils have each designed the outside of nine mugs. A great deal of thought had gone into the plans which were all individually designed. The same year group designed and made a game of nerves for young children. They were colourful and attractive, made from coat-hangers with batteries and buzzers.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

149. The quality of teaching at both key stages is satisfactory. In the lesson observed, the teacher has good subject knowledge and explained the activity well to the pupils. Pupils had to design an emblem or motif for their school house and they were challenged into thinking about the importance of values such as loyalty and co-operation. The teacher, after a short time, enthused the pupils with numerous different shields and made suggestions to the class. In the plenary session, a few pupils were able to explain in front of the class why they had used certain values and symbols in the shields.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

150. In discussion with Year 6 pupils, it was clear that pupils are warned about health and safety issues, for instance when using a saw or a glue gun. They were able to explain how, in the previous year, they had made some Greek yoghurts and Tudor houses. They talked about how they designed the latter and made them from wood, cardboard and sand. They always plan their own work and choose their fabric and material. They have to think how to combine the material together and at the same time think about appearance. Year 6 pupils had not done any design technology in the year up to the inspection but plans show that a Victorian fairground will be used with electric motors. These have cross-curricular links with their history project on the Victorians. Ravenstone Primary School - 39 151. Management of the subject is satisfactory. A policy was drawn up by the co-ordinator this year. Each pupil evaluates the design but there is no formal assessment for each topic. It was

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

noted in the last report that the co-ordinator had no allocated time to monitor lessons and this is still the case.

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GEOGRAPHY

152. A total of only four geography lessons was observed during the inspection. Discussions were held with a group of Year 6 pupils and with the teacher who co-ordinates the subject. Teachers’ planning and work completed since September 1999 were examined. The evidence indicates that pupils attain appropriate standards by the end of Key Stage 1. It was not possible to judge the standards at the end of Key Stage 2 as no lessons were observed in Years 5 and 6. Very little written work in the subject had been completed by Year 5 pupils and none at all by Year 6 pupils. The last report made similar comments. It is evident that a very low proportion of curriculum time is devoted to geography in most year groups, with only Years 1 and 4 producing substantial written work.

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GEOGRAPHY

153. Pupils in Year 1 learn about homes in various parts of the world and draw a simple map of their route to school as a homework task. They contrast village and city environments. Year 2 pupils have walked around Balham to identify good and bad features of the local environment. They learn about the seaside, listing its features and showing an appropriate awareness of this contrasting locality.

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GEOGRAPHY

154. Year 3 pupils know many uses of rivers, particularly for leisure. Higher attaining pupils successfully locate the course of a river on a map. In Year 4, pupils have studied climates of the world, producing some pleasing written work. They contrast and compare schools in India with those in Britain, referring to evidence from photographs and making inferences from them. They are confident enough to challenge opinions when necessary. Higher attaining pupils identify similarities and differences between school timetables in the two countries. Work in Year 5 on the human and physical features of modern Greece demanded only a low level of geographical skill to complete.

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GEOGRAPHY

155. In the lessons observed, the quality of teaching and learning was satisfactory overall but with many good features. There were no unsatisfactory lessons. In the better lessons, teachers adopt a lively style and their positive attitude to the subject enthuses the pupils. They have good strategies to challenge stereotypical views. For example, in a lesson comparing life in India and Britain, the teacher made it clear that the presence of different socio-economic groups in India leads to great variations in homes and schools. In this successful lesson, resources were well organised and this enabled pupils to select from a range of evidence to make inferences. Time was well managed to give pupils the opportunity to attempt further tasks and discuss their findings. This enabled each pupil’s learning to be effectively extended. In all the lessons observed, teachers displayed effective strategies to manage their pupils,

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GEOGRAPHY

circulating around the classroom asking questions to check or extend pupils’ understanding. As a result, pupils remained well focused on their work. Sometimes too much time is spent on tasks with limited geographical content. The tasks provide practice in literacy skills but opportunities to extend skills such as the interpretation of maps are often missed.

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GEOGRAPHY

156. The amount of time spent on geography is too low to allow pupils to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. In particular, there is no progressive development of specific geographical skills so that, for example, pupils in Year 6 have little knowledge of Ordnance Survey maps and no skills in using grid references. Where there is attention to acquiring skills, as in comparing and contrasting localities, this is not carried out in a systematic and progressive way throughout the school. The current low status of the subject is illustrated by the regular withdrawal from lessons of pupils with special educational needs to receive additional help with their mathematics.

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GEOGRAPHY

157. Both the subject co-ordinator and the headteacher are aware of the requirement to teach the full programme of study from September 2000, when the revised National Curriculum is introduced. They are planning to ensure that this happens. The co-ordinator has suitable experience and expertise but her role in improving the subject has not been developed. She has not been given time to monitor planning, teaching or pupils’ work. Resources are Ravenstone Primary School - 40 generally adequate but there are insufficient up-to-date atlases and the library has too little information about the United Kingdom.

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HISTORY

158. During the inspection, it was not possible to see any history lessons. However, on the basis of other evidence such as pupils’ work, the many displays around the school, analysis of planning and discussions with pupils and the subject co-ordinator, it is possible to make judgements about the subject as a whole. By the time pupils reach the end of both key stages, they have been involved in a range of enriching and appropriate experiences. This results in their achieving levels of attainment expected of pupils of these age groups. As they move throughout the school pupils, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language, make good progress in all aspects of history. This good progress is an improvement from the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

159. During Key Stage 1, good progress is reflected in the pupils’ ability to sequence the important occasions in their lifetimes and compare and contrast their lifestyles, toys and methods of transport with those used during their grandparents’ lives and during the Victorian period. Pupils acquire basic concepts about the passing of time and the developments which have occurred. They understand how the lives of all people and the life-styles in Balham have changed during the last hundred years.

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HISTORY

160. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils’ good progress is further reflected in their knowledge and understanding about ancient civilisations and more detailed studies of events in British history. Particular strengths include the study of the Second World War, knowledge of the Suffragette movement and human rights. This study includes religious education and enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils use many photographs and reference books as sources of evidence and compare how men and women were employed during the war. They describe the traumas and the hardships of the war. They develop their study of transport from Key Stage 1 to include the study of space travel and the historical event of landing on the moon. One outstanding piece of research is a Year 5 study of newspapers. The well-prepared questions where pupils took the role of reporters enhanced their literacy

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HISTORY

161. Pupils’ attitudes are good. They show interest and enthusiasm in their work and this contributes to their level of understanding and acquisition of new learning.

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HISTORY

162. Teaching is good at both key stages. This is reflected in the interesting activities which have clear learning objectives and are well prepared. Lessons build systematically on previous knowledge and reflect long-term planning and this results in a high level of progression in skills, knowledge and understanding. Work is marked up-to-date. However, there are insufficient constructive comments which would help pupils to improve their work further. A good balance of activities is planned throughout all year groups and these enable pupils to become enquiring historians while at the same time developing literacy skills. Teachers give pupils insufficient opportunities for using information technology during history and this prevents their application of these skills in history. Good use is made of displays of pupils’ work and this helps to stimulate pupils’ interest in what they learn and pride in what they

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HISTORY

163. The subject is well managed. The co-ordinator has planned the curriculum well and identified the appropriate resources; this has a good effect on pupils’ progress. However, there is not enough focus on monitoring and evaluating pupils’ works, with the aim of further improving standards, or monitoring teaching, with the aim of improving teaching and pupils’ learning. Ravenstone Primary School - 41

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

164. Pupils’ attainment is in line with national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ attainment is below national expectations. However, this applies only to the current Year 6; the improved provision in the subject is raising attainment in all other year groups. In the case of the oldest pupils, the new equipment has not been in the school long enough for them to catch up what they had missed in previous years.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

165. All pupils in Year 2 know how to log onto a computer using their special name and password, which they know they must not divulge. They understand how to begin a program with a double click and they know how to locate files in directories. They save and print their work and higher attaining pupils know how to select one of two printers. At the end of each session, they log off, leaving the machine ready for the next user (unless the network’s teething problems interfere).

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

166. Pupils across Key Stage 1 use computers in many areas of the curriculum. Year 2 pupils use word processing software to write poems or to record their findings in science. They use a graphics program to produce pictures, though a minority of them have not yet developed enough mouse control to be able to draw a delicate outline. Year 1 pupils also use graphics to produce simple representations of a farmyard. They use the mouse to affix labels to the correct parts of a plant or the human body and they have made graphs of various types of transport in geography.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

167. Year 6 pupils are currently learning how to write a series of instructions to program the computer to draw shapes, using software called Logo . They know how to make individual moves, such as draw or turn, but they have not had sufficient practice to be able to construct a series of commands to produce a desired shape. They have used word processing, but have not had the chance to combine text and graphics for a specific audience. The school’s software for control and modelling is too limited for them to have reached the expected standard.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

168. Younger pupils in the key stage now have the opportunities to build up their skills which were not available to the present Year 6 pupils when they were younger, because the school did not possess the necessary equipment. Year 3 pupils write letters to their teacher in a variety of fonts. They learn editing skills in order to replace the word nice with more interesting adjectives. They learn how to import pictures into their text. Year 4 and Year 5 pupils learn various stages in the editing process, such as the use of the spell-checker. They use cut and paste tools to re-order work on Buddhism and they produce graphs on the distribution of vowels in their names. Pupils are also learning how to use the internet to search for information.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

169. Pupils enjoy using the new equipment and they have good attitudes to learning. In most lessons, pupils have one computer between two, and they share the facilities fairly and without fuss. They show respect for the sensitive and valuable machinery, even when it behaves unexpectedly.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

170. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall; it is good in Key Stage 1 and satisfactory in Key Stage 2. What makes it better in Key Stage 1 is the more frequent use of the matching of tasks to pupils’ prior attainment. Here, pupils are paired according to their ability, and graded tasks are provided. The pupils are told which file they are to work on. Teachers are familiar with the capabilities and pitfalls of the software. Good support is given by specialist staff to pupils for whom English is an additional language. There was no unsatisfactory teaching, but the satisfactory lessons at both key stages sometimes did not provide enough challenge for higher attaining pupils, or the tasks provided for lower attaining pupils were too difficult to read. On other occasions, the teacher’s demonstration did not make it sufficiently clear how to use a tool, or the teacher did not anticipate how the software would respond. The use of a remote

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

tutor (where all the machines can be controlled by the teacher via the network for the purposes of demonstration) would be of benefit here.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

171. The subject is well managed by the co-ordinators and support teacher. They have sensibly divided their responsibilities into training of the staff and oversight of the curriculum and equipment. The computer suite is only a few months old yet all staff display confidence and Ravenstone Primary School - 42 enjoyment in using it. This is the result of much time and effort on the part of the co- ordinators. A temporary scheme of work was produced to cover the rest of this school year and it is planned to complete it in time for September. There is currently no system of assessment - which makes it difficult to match tasks to pupils’ needs - and the action plan shows that work on this is to be done alongside the scheme of work.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

172. Monitoring of the quality of teaching and the standards of pupils’ work has not yet been undertaken formally - this is a focus for the whole school in next year’s school development plan, and arrangements are already in hand.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

173. At the time of the last inspection, it was reported that standards were average but that the equipment was not used efficiently. All classes now use the computer suite regularly and well, though the length of afternoon sessions is not always enough for Key Stage 2 lessons. In terms of standards, expectations in this subject have become more rigorous since the last inspection; the new equipment is able to provide for these demands.

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MUSIC

174. The last report stated that music was a strength of the school; this continues to be the case. Standards in music are in line with national expectations at Key Stage 1 and above at Key Stage 2.

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MUSIC

175. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are able to identify instruments such as a saxophone which was playing on a CD when Year 2 entered the music room for a lesson. They also know the meaning of words like ‘quartet’ and ‘quintet’. They are made aware of instruments from other countries, as when pictures of quartets from India and Hungary were shown to the pupils. Pupils played a four beat rhythm in quartets. After a little uncertainty at first, they improved and were able to perform the rhythm well. In a lesson seen with Year 1 pupils, the very high level of personal singing skills of the teacher ensured that the activities matched the pupils’ abilities and that pupils understood her expectations. Pupils are involved collectively and individually which improves pupils’ confidence in response and accuracy in pitch and rhythm. The dynamic approach and on-going challenge results in very creative skills, maintaining a

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MUSIC

very high level of interest and concentration. Even pupils who have difficulty in singing are encouraged successfully to participate and respond. The majority are able to sing with accurate pitch and a good feel for rhythm.

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MUSIC

176. By the time pupils reach the end of Key Stage 2, attainment is good. Year 6 pupils are working above national expectations in performing. The teacher explained the four ingredients for Reggae music namely melody, riff, broken chords and rhythm. The pupils were active in making music and different pupils were brought in at different times. Two pupils played melody and by the end of the lesson, the pupils were making a very good rhythmic sound. Similarly in a lesson with Year 5 pupils, the focus was on steel pan music. They improvised a broken chord accompaniment to a song. They accompanied the song with broken chords (pitched percussion) and rhythm (unpitched percussion). They sang with accurate pitch.

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MUSIC

177. The school is fortunate in having a part-time qualified specialist teacher in music who teaches the subject throughout the school. The teaching at both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is at least good and sometimes very good and this has an impact on the learning. A file is kept on every child. The pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are never less than good which helps in the understanding and enjoyment of music. The school is well resourced. It has some pitched and unpitched percussion including twenty ethnic instruments, numerous recorders, a drum kit, xylophone, five keyboards and mini steel drums.

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MUSIC

178. The music teacher organises a number of extra-curricular activities. There are two recorder groups, two choirs and an orchestra/music club. Some of these activities were observed during the inspection. The pupils enjoyed making music, were keen and enthusiastic in the choir, with twenty seven pupils and senior recorder group with ten pupils. The lunch time orchestra with ten pupils on seven different instruments were practising for the school fair at the end of the week. In a music assembly with all Key Stage 2 pupils, a number of songs from “Oliver” were practised. These songs will be performed to the Black Elderly Project in Tooting later in the term. The choir sang melodically and the rest of the school were in tune, sang with Ravenstone Primary School - 43 gusto but did not shout. The choir also sings at the Wandsworth music concert every year and at Balham Tube Station at Christmas. There is also a musical production on a Christmas

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

179. During the inspection, lessons in gymnastics, dance, athletics and swimming were observed. Standards of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 are as expected for pupils of this age except in dance, where they are higher. This is the same as at the time of the last inspection. Few lessons were observed in the Year 5 and 6 classes so that it is possible to judge standards only in swimming, in which they are as expected.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

180. Pupils in Year 1 show a good sense of space, using the area of the hall well. They produce interesting and varied tall and wide shapes but have not progressed to joining these into more fluent sequences of movements. In dance lessons in Year 2, progress is considerable. Pupils dance confidently with a partner, linking well the movements they have learnt. They interpret the music creatively.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

181. By Year 4, pupils create their own dance inspired by a limerick and by Indian dance patterns, linking well with their work in geography. They refine their performance through practice after evaluating in a group discussion what they have done. Their ability to do this is rather variable, with some groups over-emphasising discussion instead of practice. However, all pupils make at least satisfactory progress and many introduce sophisticated sequences of movements. In athletics, these pupils know a number of techniques to improve their running ability. In Year 5, most pupils know and execute with growing confidence an extensive range of movements associated with 1950s dance. Most Year 6 pupils are capable swimmers and the majority meet the national expectations in this area.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

182. Teaching of physical education is good overall. It is always at least satisfactory and three- quarters of the lessons are good or very good. The specialist dance teacher or sports coach taught many of the lessons observed. These lessons were consistently of a high standard. At the last inspection, there were instances of weak subject knowledge in some aspects of the subject. These weaknesses appear to have been eliminated although a few teachers still lack confidence. Lessons are well planned to begin with a warm-up, enabling pupils to undertake some vigorous activity. In a few lessons in Key Stage 1, there is insufficient activity to render pupils breathless at any stage of the lesson or to increase the heart rate significantly. Pupils sometimes remain inactive for unacceptably long periods whilst waiting their turn. Some lessons in this key stage are too long and the pace of learning is too slow.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

183. Teachers encourage pupils to perform to the best of their ability and steadily to improve their performance. They are sensitive to the needs of the less confident or less competent pupils. They are aware of safety considerations, ensuring that all pupils respond promptly to their instructions. They ensure a high standard of behaviour in all lessons. All these features were evident in a Year 4 athletics lesson in which the teacher gave very clear and precise instructions on techniques to improve sprinting, and in a Year 2 dance lesson in which movements were taught systematically, using pupils to demonstrate. In these good and very good lessons, all pupils are keen to participate, are infected by the teacher’s enthusiasm and enjoy the lesson.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

184. It is normal practice for the class teacher to be present when the dance teacher or sports coach teaches the class. Sometimes there is little for them to do, although occasionally they assess the attainment of individual pupils. It is intended that they should gradually take a more active role, in partnership with the sports coach. She will seek to raise competence in any areas of weakness.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

185. There are good opportunities for pupils to increase their skills in extra-curricular clubs and activities. These vary according to the time of year but include football, netball, multi-sports, swimming, volleyball and dance. All pupils in Years 4 to 6, regardless of sex or ability, are able to join, with the exception of the Dance Club. The latter provides the opportunity for higher ability pupils to enter and gain successes in local and national competitions. Provision is also enriched by good relationships with prominent local football and cricket clubs, which Ravenstone Primary School - 44 provide additional specialist coaching.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

186. There is good subject leadership in physical education. The co-ordinator, with the assistance of the sports coach, has produced a policy and scheme of work, based on new national guidance documents, which give very good guidance to all teachers. He has raised the profile of the subject in the school and reversed the decline in provision for team sports noted at the last inspection. Record-keeping systems are being developed, with pupils in athletics lessons, for example, beginning to record their own improvements in performance. Although no grassed area is available for games lessons, other facilities and equipment are adequate. The close proximity of the swimming baths is used to good advantage.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

187. By the end of each key stage, pupils’ attainment in religious education is in line with the requirements of the local agreed syllabus and reflects the detailed guidance of the scheme of work. Work to raise the status of this subject has been successful. The good progress throughout both key stages reflects an improvement since the time of the previous inspection, when it was found to be inconsistent.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

188. Pupils’ good progress throughout Key Stage 1 is reflected in their increased knowledge of Christianity, including visits to a local church. Pupils extend their understanding of Christian ceremonies, beliefs and practices to the study of Judaism and how people express their beliefs, and also to Hindu celebrations including the festival of Divali and the story of Rama and Sita. Pupils learn about the main features of churches and their significance for worship.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

189. Throughout Key Stage 2, pupils extend their knowledge of Christianity to include the important signs and symbols and why the Bible is important to Christians. They compare the practices of Christianity with other religions and make detailed comparisons with the rules of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Moral and social issues of all religions and living in a society are explored very fully and pupils consider the effects of their actions and behaviour on others. Another strength of pupils’ attainment and progress is their growing understanding of famous religious people in the past. One very good lesson on Buddhism observed during the inspection week was a role play activity concerning Siddhartha’s reactions when his cousin attempted to kill a swan and the concern shown in his caring for it and the consequent discussion which followed about the “rights” of all creatures. This activity had a significant

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

impact on the understanding of all pupils in the class about Buddhist beliefs and issues concerning respect for all creatures. Pupils in this Year 4 class expressed their feelings well and used the knowledge acquired to make well-structured reasoned arguments.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

190. Pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is an additional language, make good progress in all aspects, particularly in their growing awareness of the spiritual dimension of life and sensitivity to the needs of others. In the lesson observed, which was very good, pupils made significant gains because of challenging activities and good organisation. A scrutiny of pupils’ past work shows that moral and social values are taught in lessons and enhance pupils’ understanding of the school’s code of behaviour.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

191. The quality of teaching is good overall, particular strengths being teachers’ knowledge and understanding, thorough planning with clearly identified objectives and the use of challenging questions. Activities are well matched to the objectives planned and prior attainment of all pupils. The available resources are well used and enhanced by a wide range of visits to other places of worship and visitors from a wide range of religions.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

192. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Strengths include detailed objectives relevant to the pupils in school, the curriculum and monitoring of planning. This ensures that there is good development between year groups and throughout each term. The resources available and the range of visits and visitors further pupils’ knowledge and understanding of religious education, especially the multi-faith elements. The celebration of a world which encompasses many diverse beliefs is managed very well and this impacts positively on attitudes. However, the monitoring of teaching and of pupils’ work is unsatisfactory. Because of time constraints and the focus on literacy and numeracy, there has been no time available for monitoring teaching. Another unsatisfactory aspect is the lack of Ravenstone Primary School - 45 monitoring of pupils’ work to ensure that there is appropriate curriculum coverage and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

commitment to high levels of attainment by more able pupils.

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