Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School

TROTTS HILL PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 – 19 September 2001

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TROTTS HILL PRIMARY AND NURSERY SCHOOL

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

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TROTTS HILL PRIMARY AND NURSERY 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. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Nursery, infant and junior school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wisden Road Stevenage Herts

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr J Seymour

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 June 1997 Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 4

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Team members

23036 Jennifer Nicholson Registered inspector 9577 Elaine Parrish Lay inspector 18889 Alan Perks Team inspector

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Team members

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 15

Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School is a popular and oversubscribed school located on the outskirts of Stevenage. It serves a large council estate. Most pupils come from the immediate neighbourhood. Pupils come from a variety of social and economic backgrounds, including some from disadvantaged backgrounds. The school roll has increased since the last inspection. Two hundred and twenty four pupils attend the school, including forty-four children under 6 years old in the Foundation Stage, in the nursery and reception classes. Children are admitted to the nursery class in the September or January following their third birthday and attend for mornings only. They generally transfer to the reception class one year later, attending full-time. Overall, there are similar numbers of boys and girls in the school, although in some classes this is not the case, as in Years 2 and 3 where girls predominate, and in the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

reception class and Year 6 where there are more boys. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is currently eighteen per cent, which is broadly in line with the national average, but numbers fluctuate and the percentage is sometimes higher. Also, not all families take up their entitlement. Eight per cent of pupils come from minority ethnic groups, higher than in most schools. The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language is high at 7 per cent, although few are at the early stages. About one third of pupils, above the national average, are identified as having special educational needs, mainly for learning difficulties and / or emotional and behavioural problems, and mostly at stages requiring additional support. No pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need, below the national average, although one is awaited. The attainment of most children when they enter the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

nursery class is broadly as expected for their age, although there is a wide variation. About one quarter have limited experience of language, books and early writing skills. The school has recently received an Award for Excellence from the DfEE for improvements in national test results.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school where pupils behave very well and are keen and eager to learn. Standards are good in art and design across the school and in Years 3 to 6 in design and technology and music. Good teaching provides a stimulating and purposeful working environment, enabling pupils to learn well and with evident enthusiasm. Very good leadership and management and a strong commitment to improvement underpin this successful and effective school. Everybody’s contribution is valued; pupils’ well-being and their achievements are paramount. The school offers good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards are good in art and design across the school and in design and technology and music in Years 3 to 6. • Teaching and learning are good. • The school is very well led and managed. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. They behave very well and enjoy very good relationships with each other and with staff. • Pupils are very well cared for and provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The school provides very well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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What could be improved

• Standards in writing by Year 6 are below expectations overall. • Lesson time for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is shorter than the nationally recommended minimum. 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

Improvement since the last inspection in June 1997 has been good. Teaching has improved appreciably. There is no longer any unsatisfactory teaching and most is good or better. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 7 Standards have improved in many subjects, including in particular, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2; also in design and technology and music in Years 3 to 6, which were previously below expectations and are now above. Standards have also improved across the school in information and communication technology. They are raised to expected levels in geography and in the investigative aspects of science. Strengths identified at the time of the last inspection have been maintained well. All the key issues from the previous inspection have been addressed successfully. However, despite exemplary systems for monitoring attendance introduced by the school, a small group of pupils still does not attend regularly.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The headteacher, staff and governors have a very clear view of the future priorities for school improvement and are very well placed to continue to improve. Challenging but realistic targets are set.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

1998 1999 2000 2000 Key English A A D B In the highest 5% nationally well above average A* A

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schools

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

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schools

Results for eleven-year-olds in 2000 were above national averages for mathematics and science. In these subjects, above average proportions of pupils gained high scores. In English, although more pupils than nationally gained the expected Level 4, few gained highly. Consequently, the overall outcome for English fell below the national average. Comparisons with the results in 2000 of similar schools are good for English and very good for mathematics and science. Results for eleven-year-olds in the 2001 national assessments were lower than 2000 results, particularly for English. Results since the last inspection show, an upward trend overall, representing good achievement. Dips in the last two years, in English in particular, reflect the high levels of pupils with special educational needs in these year groups; at least one quarter.

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schools

Although results for seven-year-olds in national testing have been below average overall since the last inspection, scores show an upward trend. In 2001, most pupils gained the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics, representing good achievement from some low starting points on entry to the nursery.

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schools

Inspection evidence confirms good standards in art and design across the school, and in design and technology and music in Years 3 to 6. Standards in all other subjects are satisfactory apart from writing by Year 6, which is below expectations overall, reflecting the very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs - forty-five per cent in this year group. By the end of the Foundation Stage, most children in the reception class are likely to achieve the early learning goals in all areas of learning and to exceed them in personal, social and emotional development.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils arrive promptly in the mornings and sustain good levels of concentration throughout the day. They enjoy school because of the stimulating lessons and the caring attitude of the staff. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 8 Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The behaviour of almost all pupils is very good, in lessons and around the school. This helps them to concentrate on their learning. There were no incidences of bullying or harassment observed during the inspection. Personal development and relationships Relationships are very good throughout the school. All pupils get on well with each other. They work and play happily together, showing care and consideration for each other, regardless of gender, race, religion or difference in age. Older pupils take on suitable responsibilities, including helping to look after younger ones at lunchtimes. Attendance Broadly in line; excellent attendance procedures are effective in

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Aspect Comment

promoting good attendance and punctuality for the majority of pupils. However, there is a small core of pupils for whom, despite the school’s best efforts, this is not so.

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching 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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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching and learning are good. During the inspection, teaching was good in almost eight lessons out of ten with no unsatisfactory teaching observed. Sometimes teaching is very good when lessons are particularly dynamic and motivating, and teachers demonstrate a high level of subject expertise. Teaching in Years 3 to 6 is consistently good or better. The teaching of English and mathematics is consistently good. Teachers draw very effectively on national strategies for literacy and numeracy and also other sources to encourage good learning and improving standards. Teachers make good use of information gained from assessments in these subjects. Work is suited to the differing learning needs and pupils themselves are aware of what they need to do to improve. In other subjects, however, shortcomings sometimes occur when pupils are given the same tasks with not enough account taken of their differing

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Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

starting points. Teaching strengths are evident in the high expectations, for pupils’ achievements overall and for their behaviour, and as a result, pupils are keen to learn, behave very well and work hard. Good questioning techniques encourage pupils to think and make connections between different aspects of their learning. Good planning ensures that lessons are well structured and move at a brisk and purposeful pace. Staff work together well as a team. Good use of support staff promotes learning for individual pupils and small groups. The needs of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language are met well, enabling them to learn effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall; a wide range of good quality experiences, available to all pupils, provides a stimulating learning environment, enriched by good provision of extra-curricular activities. The broad, well- balanced, relevant curriculum now meets all statutory requirements, although lesson time each week for seven to eleven year olds is less than the nationally recommended minimum. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is sound. Provision for pupils with special Provision is good and well managed. Good teaching and small group and individual support enables pupils with special Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 9 educational needs educational needs to make good headway towards their targets. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good; these pupils are supported well in class and also by an external specialist.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall; the school rightly takes pride in providing meaningful opportunities for pupils to be still and reflect as during assemblies and in personal, social and health education lessons. Teachers and other staff successfully promote a clear moral code and provide very good role models for pupils. They provide many opportunities across the curriculum to raise pupils’ cultural awareness. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good child protection procedures are in place and pupils know that they can talk to staff about anything that worries them. All adults who work in the school have pupils’ best interests at heart. All staff apply consistently the very good policies for behaviour management. Good arrangements are in place to assess pupils’ academic and personal development. In English and mathematics, assessment and recording procedures are very

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Aspect Comment

good. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good; the headteacher provides very strong leadership and efficient management. She has a very clear view of the future work of the school and works very hard and with success to improve provision. She is supported effectively by a committed team of teachers and other staff who work well together for the benefit of all pupils. Senior managers and subject co-ordinators make very good contributions to school development and are fully involved in monitoring work in their areas. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good; governors are actively involved with the work of the school. They are well informed and effectively organised to enable them to influence its future direction. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good; the school places a strong emphasis on analysing performance data. Information is used effectively to improve future

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Aspect Comment

planning and provision. The strategic use of resources Good; the wide range of good quality resources are used well. The school works effectively to make sure that it obtains best value from its resources.

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improved

• Children enjoy coming to school. • Behaviour is good. • The school has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere; the headteacher and staff are very approachable and responsive to concerns and problems. • The teaching is good and children make good progress; they are expected to do their best. • The school is well led and managed. • Support for children with special educational needs is good. • Some parents have concerns about the amount of homework for older pupils. • Some parents consider that the school does not provide an interesting enough range of activities outside lessons, especially for older children. • There are some concerns about the Foundation Stage, knowing how the children are getting on, about behaviour management, and about early reading.

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improved

Inspectors endorse parents’ very positive views. The amount of homework for older pupils is judged to be appropriate. Inspectors consider that the school provides a good range of outside activities, especially for older pupils. The school recognises and understands parents’ concerns about the Foundation Stage. These reflect the unsettled period last year due to difficulties in recruiting a teacher for the nursery class. Staffing is now settled, however, and inspectors judged provision for the three to five year olds to be sound. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 11

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Standards are good in art and design across the school, and in design and technology

1. Art and design remains a strength of the school. Standards have been maintained well since the last inspection and three-dimensional work is now securely incorporated within the curriculum. Pupils’ fine line drawings from memory and from closely observed objects, such as seashells and plants, are good. Their landscapes show a good understanding of perspective and their paintings demonstrate confident brush techniques. They have a good knowledge of the work and styles of well-known artists. In discussion, pupils in Year 3 showed that they were clearly inspired by work on Henri Matisse. Pupils’ good work reflects teachers’ expertise and the comprehensive teaching of skills. Pupils are enthusiastic about their work and make good gains in their learning, as evident for example in sketchbooks, poetry illustrations and book cover designs. Teachers make good links with other subjects, such as science, geography

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Standards are good in art and design across the school, and in design and technology

and history, to support learning in art, but do not yet make enough use of information and communication technology.

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Standards are good in art and design across the school, and in design and technology

2. Since the last inspection, the school has made good improvements in design and technology, particularly in Years 3 to 6. Staff training and good use of expertise beyond the school have contributed well to the improved picture. Pupils are successfully developing skills required across a good range of activities, such as sewing, cutting, gluing, and constructing. They have a good understanding of the links between designing, making and evaluating, and produce some good quality products, for example felt slippers, cam-driven wheeled vehicles and pop-up books. However, the occasional use of common templates does not take enough account of pupils’ differing starting points, and restricts individuality in the basic design of products.

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Standards are good in art and design across the school, and in design and technology

3. The school has worked hard to achieve good improvements in music since the last inspection, through, for example, better subject management, and enhanced subject guidelines. Teachers’ subject expertise is improved and the requirements for National Curriculum in music are now fully met. Although it was not possible to observe the oldest pupils during a music lesson, in conversation with them, and by observing an extra-curricular recorder session, it was clear that they enjoy a wide range of musical experience. Pupils in Year 5 attain above expected levels through their confident and enthusiastic approach to learning. For example, they sang a three part round for the first time, with a good degree of success, sustaining their parts well. They sing a scale in tune, and demonstrate the difference between legato and staccato singing. Pupils in Year 4 listen attentively to a piece of music, identifying and clapping different rhythmic

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Standards are good in art and design across the school, and in design and technology

patterns, and pupils across the school sing a repertoire of songs tunefully and from memory. The school makes good provision, offered to all pupils in Years 3 to 6, for instrumental tuition, currently keyboard and recorder, and plans are in hand for stringed instrument tuition for Year 3. Music is used to good effect to enhance the life of the school, during assemblies, for example though the careful selection of recorded music and by contributions from recorder or other groups, or through performances from visiting instrumentalists.

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Teaching and learning are good

4. Teaching has improved well since the last inspection.

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Teaching and learning are good

5. As a result of the good teaching, pupils learn well overall. From some low starting points in early language and literacy, pupils are enabled to reach satisfactory standards across the breadth of the curriculum by the age of eleven. As a result of keen, enthusiastic and knowledgeable teaching, pupils attain well in art, design and Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 12 technology and music. Teaching is consistently good or better for pupils in Years 3 to 6 where lessons are particularly inspirational and dynamic. Teaching in literacy is good, but standards in writing by Year 6 are very wide and are below what is to be expected overall. This is due to the very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, about half, in the year group. Teaching in numeracy is good. Teaching in information and communication technology is improved through recently increased provision of good quality resources and staff training. There is a strong commitment to improve

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Teaching and learning are good

pupils’ skills in this area in lessons and through a daily lunchtime club. A good start is being made to this national initiative and pupils are making at least satisfactory progress. Teachers of the youngest children, in the nursery and reception classes, have a good understanding of how young children learn. They provide a wide range of active practical tasks and structured play activities. Overall, however, the emphasis lies more with adult directed activities and less on those that children select for themselves.

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Teaching and learning are good

6. Teachers provide lessons that are interesting, imaginative and motivating, and their lively brisk approach ensures that they engage pupils’ attention effectively. Pupils are keen to stay on task, concentrate well and try hard. Good lesson planning ensures that pupils acquire skills and knowledge steadily as they move through the school. Teachers use questioning skills to good effect to encourage pupils to make links with other learning, as for example in Year 6 when making connections between aspects of life in Ancient Greece with the topography of the region. Teachers’ expectations for what pupils can achieve are high, as when singing a three part round in music in Year 5.

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Teaching and learning are good

7. Other strengths in the teaching lie in the positive way that teachers manage pupils and value their contributions. Pupils behave well and are keen to offer suggestions. Teachers make good use of support staff, because they are fully aware of what pupils are expected to gain from activities and effective in helping to move the learning on. Even at this early stage in the term, teachers are getting to know their classes well through good observation and other assessments. Information gained is used to good effect in literacy and numeracy. Shortcomings occur, however, in other subjects, such as science and design technology when pupils are given the same task although they may have different starting points.

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The school is very well led and managed

8. The way the school is led and managed is a significant strength. The headteacher provides a very clear view of the educational direction of the school. She gives a very strong lead to teachers and other staff who work together effectively for the benefit of all pupils. Committed teamwork by all members of the school community contributes well to the smooth running and success of this school. Senior and subject managers contribute very effectively towards school development. They are fully involved in monitoring the work in their areas across the school. Due to recruitment difficulties in the nursery, leadership of the Foundation Stage, the reception and nursery classes, is currently under the wing of Key Stage 1, pending reorganisation. Governors are well informed and provide active support. They fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

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The school is very well led and managed

9. The school is justly proud of its improvements since the last inspection. It is also very aware of what it needs to do to get even better, through careful analysis of performance and other data, and the full involvement of staff and governors. Planning for school development is thus very good, with clearly identified, relevant priorities and detailed plans of action. Financial planning is clearly linked to planning for improvement, as in the provision of extra support for Years 1 and 2 to effectively raise standards in literacy and numeracy.

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The school is very well led and managed

10. The rigorous and wide-ranging monitoring programme, which includes senior staff, co- ordinators and governors, contributes positively to maintaining the good quality of teaching. Systems have developed well since the last inspection and there is now no Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 13 unsatisfactory teaching. The headteacher is confident and knowledgeable about teaching and learning in each class. Teachers receive written feedback about the quality of their work and targets for further development. The school is well placed to improve further through the positive commitment of staff to examine and develop their work.

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The school is very well led and managed

11. The school makes good use of support staff and other resources. Extra funding is used well, for example to provide equipment to support learning in information and communication technology, or to improve the working environment for staff. Accommodation is used well overall. The school works hard to overcome its limitations in terms of space. Difficulties remain however: for example the reception class and Year 2 class can only be accessed by going through the Year 1 classroom, the two classes in the Foundation Stage, are not adjacent, and the headteacher and deputy headteacher need to share an office.

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The school provides very well overall for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

12. As reported at the last inspection, this area is a considerable strength. The school has a very positive ethos and promotes pupils’ social and moral development very well. It is a friendly and harmonious place. Staff treat pupils with the utmost respect and courtesy and provide very good role models. From the earliest years, staff encourage very good relationships and enable pupils to get on well with each other. Staff are consistent in applying agreed positive behaviour strategies, and pupils are well aware of the guidelines. Rules are negotiated, and pupils welcome teachers’ firm and fair control in securing an orderly learning environment.

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The school provides very well overall for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

13. The school takes very good care to foster pupils’ spiritual development. Quiet and reflection are central ingredients of daily acts of collective worship and in personal, social and health education lessons teachers sensitively encourage pupils to share thoughts and feelings. Pupils in Year 3 showed a good appreciation for silence, so that they could hear the birds sing, for example, or think about peace throughout the world. Considerable maturity and depth of feeling was evident in older pupils’ response to the tragedy in America. Pupils’ prayers for the people in New York reflected movingly their heartfelt wishes for peace in the world. The school provides well for pupils’ cultural development. Through subjects such as geography, history and religious education, pupils learn about other cultures today and in the past. Experience of the work of artists and musicians is ensured through relevant lessons and also from visits and

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The school provides very well overall for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

visitors, for example instrumental groups. The strong inclusive nature of the school ensures that all pupils can, and do, join in regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or ability.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. They behave very well and enjoy very

good relationships with each other and with staff.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. They behave very well and enjoy very

14. The way pupils are keen and enthusiastic about their work and value learning is a considerable strength. Pupils enjoy coming to school (some pupils in Year 3 say that they love it!) and most arrive promptly each morning. The youngest children in the nursery, although very new to school, are settling well and soon become busily and happily engaged in their activities, confidently moving about the classroom. Throughout the school, on account of the stimulating and well-ordered teaching, pupils are almost always very motivated and keen to make progress in their learning. The positive and effective way that pupils are managed ensures a constructive context for learning and enables pupils to make good gains. They show high levels of interest in their tasks, settle quickly, try hard and concentrate well. Their behaviour is very good in class and around the school. They are consistently polite and friendly, and treat

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Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work. They behave very well and enjoy very

displays and artefacts with care and respect. Those pupils with acknowledged behaviour difficulties are dealt with effectively and sensitively by teachers and other staff. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 14 15. Pupils relate very well to each other and with the adults with whom they work. They are encouraged positively by the consideration with which they are treated. They work well together, respecting each other’s contributions, and approach adults with confidence, enjoying conversing with them. They listen well to each other, for example in conversations over lunch. They are kind and sensitive to the feelings of others if they find aspects of their learning difficult. Older pupils enjoy helping younger ones, for example at lunchtimes and in the library.

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Pupils are very well cared for and provision for pupils with special educational needs is

16. Pupils are at the heart of this school and its strong ethos is based on very good care and concern for the well-being and high achievement of each one, and a respect for the contribution made by all members of the school community. Everybody matters. Despite the early stage in the school year, teachers are getting to know their new classes well, helped by comprehensive written and also oral records. Very good child protection procedures are in place. The school places a strong emphasis on the importance of listening to pupils. Because of the secure and trusting relationships, pupils feel confident to approach adults about worries or concerns. Excellent attendance procedures are in place which are effective for the majority of pupils. The school works very hard with a small core of pupils to promote their regular and punctual attendance. The one exclusion, occurring last year, reflects the school’s high degree of

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Pupils are very well cared for and provision for pupils with special educational needs is

care and concern. It was dealt with very sensitively and effectively and in close partnership with other agencies. 17. Performance data is used to very good effect. Results from national tests are carefully analysed to identify common areas of difficulty to guide curriculum planning and influence future staffing levels, as in Years 1 and 2 in particular. Very good assessment and recording procedures in English and mathematics effectively identify pupils’ next learning steps and make sure that pupils themselves know what they need to do to improve. Good assessment arrangements in other subjects ensure that overall pupils’ learning builds effectively on what has gone before. On occasion, however, not enough account is taken of previous knowledge and skills learned and pupils are given identical tasks, for example in science and design and technology, hindering good progress, of higher attaining pupils in particular.

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Pupils are very well cared for and provision for pupils with special educational needs is

18. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed. The Code of Practice is carefully followed and the co-ordinator is already beginning to work towards the new Code. Parents are fully involved and are appreciative of the school’s good work with their children. Learning programmes are clearly structured and include targets for mathematics as well as for literacy and behaviour. Specialised teaching is good, sometimes within the classroom setting and at other times in withdrawal groups. It is effective in enabling pupils with special educational needs to make good headway towards their targets. The good level of classroom assistance is also beneficial in ensuring that pupils with special educational needs develop their skills steadily. As a result of the intensive focused support, last year many of these pupils achieved expected levels in national testing. Sometimes the specialised teacher supports higher

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Pupils are very well cared for and provision for pupils with special educational needs is

attaining pupils but such opportunities are limited by the part-time nature of her post. The school makes good use of specialist expertise from the local authority to support work with pupils with identified behavioural difficulties and as a result, classes proceed without disturbance. Specialist external support is also used to good effect in working with pupils with English as an additional language to enable them to make similar progress to their peers.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Standards in writing by Year 6 are below national expectations overall. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 15 19. Since the last inspection standards in English have risen overall with some year groups attaining levels well above what is to be expected in national testing as the standards table in Part A shows. However, year groups in the school vary and results fluctuate. At present in Year 6, just under half of pupils have identified special educational needs, almost all for learning difficulties but some with emotional and behavioural difficulties also. Because of the high level of support, including teaching expertise, these pupils are challenged well overall and are achieving at least in line with their targets, although most are not expected to reach national expectations by the end of Year 6. Their written text is simple and full stops are not always used correctly, cursive writing is not

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

fully established, and concentration levels are low. Much stimulus is needed to generate ideas.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

20. The range of attainment, however, is very wide in this year group, reflecting the broad range of attainment on entry to the school. About one fifth of pupils in Year 6 are working at higher levels than is to be expected. They are making a good start at understanding and writing formal text. Writing is beginning to be organised into paragraphs, with complex sentences, correctly punctuated, and language used for dramatic effect.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. Across the school the teaching of English is good, reflecting the positive impact of the National Literacy Strategy and close monitoring by the headteacher and the two subject co-ordinators. Teachers recognise that skills taught do not always transfer automatically into independent writing and so they reinforce regularly, through good questioning techniques and individual target setting, what pupils need to practise. Even at this early stage in the term, pupils across the school know their areas for development, particularly evident in Years 2 and 6. Teachers’ expectations for pupils’ achievement are high and work is usually pitched at challenging levels. However, the wide spread of attainment means that sometimes work is not demanding enough for the higher attaining pupils, or too complex for some groups of lower attaining pupils who are compliant because good behaviour strategies are in place. They listen

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

passively, and only becoming fully engaged when the teaching is particularly lively. Their needs are more closely met in small group work with specialised teaching, as a result of the additional support provided by the school. These occasions also enable the class teacher to work in a more focused way with other groups.

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Lesson time for pupils in Years 3 to 6 is shorter than the nationally recommended

22. Lesson time in Years 3 to 6 is shorter than the minimum, which is recommended nationally for these year groups. This means that overall these pupils are not having access to the same amount of teaching and learning time as their peers in most other schools. The shortfall imposes a limitation to the potential progress that they could be making.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. In order to build on the existing good, and many very good, features of the school, and raise standards further, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve standards in writing for eleven year olds, including those identified as having the potential to attain at higher levels, by finding ways, throughout Years 3 to 6 to:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• increase the support given to all groups of pupils; Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 16 • provide initial tasks more closely matched to pupils’ learning needs.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Review lesson time for pupils in Years 3 to 6. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 22 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellen t Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number 0 4 13 5 0 0 0 Percentag e 0 18 59 23 0 0 0

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 14.5 195 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 36 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 1 63

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3 21

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 18 School data 4.9 School data 0.9 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 19

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 17 14 31

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

level 2 and above Girls 12 13 11 Total 24 26 26 Percentage of pupils School 77 (65) 84 (69) 84 (65) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

level 2 and above Girls 13 12 11 Total 25 27 24 Percentage of pupils School 81 (88) 87 (96) 77 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 14 28

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

level 4 and above Girls 9 10 12 Total 23 24 26 Percentage of pupils School 82 (93) 86 (86) 93 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

level 4 and above Girls 8 10 12 Total 21 24 26 Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 20 Percentage of pupils School 75 (86) 86 (79) 93 (100) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Permanen t Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 5 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 4 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 1 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 181 White 1 0 Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.5 Financial year 2000/2001

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27: 1

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Average class size 29 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 462038 Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 459006

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 175.7 Expenditure per pupil 2087

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nursery

Balance brought forward from previous year Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) .5 Balance carried forward to next year Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30: 1

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nursery

Total number of education support staff Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 21 Total aggregate hours worked per week 29.25

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nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult 6: 1 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Trotts Hill Primary and Nursery School - 22

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongl y agree Tend to agree Tend to disagre e Strongl y disagre e Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 56 40 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 55 43 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 42 17 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 49 46 6 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 31 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 35 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 56 37 7 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 72 25 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 34 3 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 16 49 16 2 18

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