Mellers Primary School

MELLERS 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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MELLERS 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. Mellers 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: Norton Street Radford Nottingham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1997 Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 4

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Team members

16500 Mr T Richardson Registered inspector 9282 Ms C Lorenz Lay inspector 15409 Mr D Whalley Team inspector

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Team members

Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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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 Mellers 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a Community, Nursery and Primary school for boys and girls aged 3 – 11 years. It is just below the average size for primary schools and has 144 pupils on roll, including 25 full time equivalent children who attend the nursery part-time. The average class size is small (18.8 pupils per class), there is an equal number of boys and girls and there is a good ratio of adults to pupils. The majority of pupils are from ethnic backgrounds other than white European and there is a very high number of pupils (53) with English as an additional language. The numbers of pupils eligible for free school meals (70) and with special educational needs (45) are well above the average for most primary schools. A large number of pupils enter and leave the school other than at the usual times of admission and transfer, and a significant proportion of teaching posts are currently filled with temporary or supply teachers. The

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

attainment levels of children on entry to the nursery are well below the expectations for their age and most pupils come from homes with socio-economic circumstances that are well below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Mellers Nursery and Primary School is a good school that is successful in helping pupils to achieve well over their time in school. Very strong leadership from the headteacher sets clear expectations and provides a ‘tradition’ in the school for pupils to behave well and staff to work as a team. There is a consistent and satisfactory quality of teaching, governors are effective in their support and the school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Has very strong leadership from the headteacher that is successful in setting a consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and pupils new to the school become part of this culture and do well as a result. • Enables pupils to achieve well over their time in school, as a result of the consistent quality of education they receive in most classes, the small class sizes and the pupils’ very good behaviour. • Promotes strong teamwork between teachers, and other adults employed by the school that leads to a friendly atmosphere that supports children and pupils in their learning. • Provides very effective behaviour management systems that help the pupils to develop very positive attitudes to their learning. • Provides good levels of support for pupils with special educational needs that help them to make good progress.

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What could be improved

• There is insufficient emphasis on the development of speaking and listening skills in all subjects, particularly in Key Stage 1, and for pupils with English as an additional language. • Assessment is not yet used effectively to: a) show the achievement over time of pupils of differing ethnic groups and gender; b) show clearly what pupils have learnt and what they should work on next; and c) help all teachers to take the necessary action to rectify any weaknesses identified. • Communication with all parents is insufficiently effective, particularly for those parents with home languages other than English. As a result, they are not as involved as they could be in their children’s education. 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 March 1997. Since then it has made satisfactory improvement overall, with some areas of good improvement. The school has made good improvement in raising the pupils’ attainments in English, mathematics and science, and has been recognised by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector as one of the highest performing city primary schools in the country. This development has been assisted by the good improvement in the quality and function of the governing body. In other areas of development, such as the quality of teaching and the curriculum, the school has made satisfactory Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 7 progress. However, its rate of development has been slower than expected due to the energies of the headteacher being diverted into managing a high number of changes in teaching staff.

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

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Key

Pupils enter the nursery with levels of development well below the expectations for their age, particularly in their speaking and listening skills. They make good progress through the foundation stage of their education and enter Year 1 ready for school and used to classroom life. Pupils’ results in national tests at the age of seven are well below the national average, as many pupils are still struggling with their language development. By the age of eleven, most pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, attain results in national tests that almost match the national average. For example, in the Year 2000 tests, the pupils’ attainments were just below the national average in English and science, but well above the national average in mathematics. When compared against schools with similar numbers of free school meals, Mellers’ pupils did really well and

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Key

scored above average results in English and science and were in the top five per cent of these schools in mathematics. The small number of pupils taking the tests each year makes direct comparison difficult, but the school’s results, over time, are improving at a faster rate than the national average. The school has set ambitious targets for the 2001 national tests. Inspection evidence shows that the current pupils in Year 2 have attainments in reading, writing and mathematics that are well below national expectations. However, the pupils in Year 6 are attaining just below the national expectation in English and science and in-line with national expectations in mathematics. All these pupils have made good progress over their time in school and their current standards are a good achievement. Inspection findings show that pupils make more progress in Key Stage 2 than in Key Stage 1 and that the school

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Key

is not taking sufficient action to ensure that pupils from different ethnic minority backgrounds do equally as well. Also, the assessment carried out as children enter the nursery is carried out in English and is insufficiently accurate in measuring the ability of children with English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils value their teachers and come to regard their learning as fun.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils respond very well to the school’s behaviour policy and help each other to behave well. There is a ‘tradition’ of good behaviour that helps new pupils learn quickly to settle in and behave as well as the others. The consistent good behaviour in class helps all pupils to concentrate and spend more time on their learning. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 8 Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils form very good relationships with one another and the adults in school. There could be more opportunities for pupils to take initiative and have more say in how the school is developing.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance The school has less authorised absence than other schools. However, despite the best efforts of the school, there are unsatisfactory levels of unauthorised absence.

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, with almost half of all lessons being of good quality. In the lessons seen, 92 per cent had teaching that was graded satisfactory or better, with 48 per cent being graded good or very good (8 per cent). Teachers, assistants and nursery nurses form a strong team and work together effectively to support the children in their learning. The small class sizes mean that pupils have a lot of adult support during the day and this helps all the pupils, especially those with special educational needs, to achieve well. The headteacher provides very good guidance for teachers that helps them to teach to a consistent standard and know what is expected of them in the classroom. This results, over time, in pupils receiving a consistent learning experience that builds into good achievement. At the time of the inspection, a significant proportion of teachers were temporary appointments, new to

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

the school, and were still adjusting their practice to meet the requirements of the headteacher. All teachers make good use of the behaviour policy and praise pupils for the positive things they do. This leads to pupils paying attention in class and wanting to learn more. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are taught effectively and teachers help pupils of all abilities to do the best they can. In some lessons seen, teachers used different methods well and this led pupils to learn more about numbers by being able to see them, talk about them and physically move them around. In a very good lesson seen, the teacher also gave different work to each group so that all the pupils found their work challenging and had to think harder as a result. The consistent approach of teachers, particularly with behaviour management, is recognised by pupils as ‘fair’ and leads the pupils, over time, to become good

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

learners. They like their lessons and enjoy putting in the effort because they receive valid praise for their success and this, in turn, makes them want to do more. Inspectors observed that the children currently in Key Stage 1 have had a number of different teachers and make progress at a satisfactory rate, but slower than in the Foundation Stage or in Key Stage 2. This also contributes to lower results in national tests at age seven. Most teachers have appropriate knowledge and understanding of how to teach basic skills. However, all teachers are insufficiently skilled in helping pupils to develop their speaking and listening abilities. Two lessons were unsatisfactory and these were for pupils in Year 1, where teachers’ expectations were unrealistic and opportunities were missed for pupils to show what they could do.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The National Curriculum and the strategies for literacy and numeracy are effectively in place. More attention could be given to developing literacy and numeracy in subjects other than English and mathematics. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 9 Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils benefit from the individual attention they receive and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory over time, because most pupils do well by age eleven. However, not enough use is made of home languages in assessing what pupils can do and in helping them to learn to speak, read and write in English. Teachers lack specialist skills in promoting English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision is made for personal development. Very good provision for social and moral development leads to pupils clearly knowing right from wrong and being confident with adults and one another. Satisfactory provision is made for spiritual and cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory overall. The school takes good care of the pupils. However, more can be done to show pupils and parents more clearly what has been learnt in all subjects and what the pupils should work on next. Parents have good views of the school but a significant proportion has concerns over the communication they receive. Inspection findings show that the information provided for parents, for example in the prospectus and annual reports is insufficiently clear and does not give sufficient indication of what the school does well or the progress pupils make. Insufficient emphasis is given to helping parents with English as an additional language take part in school life and more could be done to forge stronger links with the community.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very strong leadership from the headteacher provides a clear educational direction and an ethos that sustains the standards of the school despite the current lack of a deputy headteacher, a number of temporary teachers and changes in the numbers of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is of good quality and gives good support for the strategic development of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Governors are clear about what the school does well and appropriate priorities for development are included in the school improvement plan.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Spending is planned carefully and governors and headteacher apply the principles of ‘best value’ to all aspects of expenditure. The headteacher provides very clear guidelines for what teachers are expected to do to help the pupils with their learning, and these principles are seen in practice. She also plays an active part in promoting good behaviour and supporting teachers in their work. Teachers and pupils quickly understand how the school functions and know what is expected of them. As a result, pupils are enabled to keep their achievement high through times when there are a number of changes of teachers. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• children like school, have good attitudes to their work and make good progress • the school promotes good values and behaviour is good as a result • there is good teaching and high expectations for what children can do • parents are comfortable to approach the school with questions or a problem • the school is led and managed well • clearer and more effective communication between the school and parents • the quantity and quality of homework provided

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with all the positive views expressed by parents. They also agree that the school should improve the quality of communication with its parents. Insufficient evidence was seen of homework being set for inspectors to form an opinion. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 11

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

pupils new to the school become part of this culture and do well as a result.

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

1. The headteacher continues to successfully lead and develop the school and is the driving force behind the pupils’ good results in national tests. She has a very strong vision for what pupils can achieve and conveys this with passion and enthusiasm to others. As a result, teachers and pupils are clear about what they are expected to do, and they all work hard to achieve this. The headteacher has written very clear guidelines for what teachers are expected to do to help the pupils with their learning, and these principles are seen in practice. For example, in every lesson: • teachers write on the board what they expect the pupils to learn; • classrooms are organised so that pupils can see and hear their teachers; • pupils’ work in each subject is displayed in a separate part of the classroom; • wall displays conform to an agreed standard and help to remind pupils about what they are learning; • books are marked to an agreed standard, and comments written that give

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

praise where it is due and point out clearly how improvements can be made.

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

2. This results in a consistent approach to teaching and learning in every classroom and demonstrates effectively the expectation that everyone in school will work to a high standard at all times. The headteacher adds to this by comparing pupils’ achievements to national standards, rather than with similar schools. This effectively puts across her expectation that being an inner city school is no justification for low achievement and that all pupils have the right to do as well as they can.

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

3. The headteacher has established very effective procedures for helping pupils to behave well. These have been operating in the school for some time and the principles are applied fairly and consistently in every class. As a result, the school has developed a ‘tradition’ of good behaviour that older pupils pass to their younger brothers and sisters so that pupils now enter the school knowing they are expected to behave properly. When pupils who are new to the school arrive, they soon adapt to this culture and quickly learn to settle down and get on with their learning. The headteacher plays an active part around the school in promoting good behaviour and in visiting classrooms to work with pupils, assist other teachers and to support staff in achieving a consistent approach to teaching, learning and behaviour management.

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

4. The result of this consistent approach is seen in the way that teachers who are new to the school understand quickly what is expected of them and have a strong framework that helps them to be more effective in their work. Pupils who are new to the school can quickly understand how the school functions and know what is expected of them. This enables the school to continue to provide pupils with the support they need to keep their achievement high even through times when there are a number of changes of teachers. The headteacher’s leadership is successful in keeping the school’s momentum for improvement going through difficult times. Currently, no one is fulfilling the role of deputy headteacher; there is a significant proportion of temporary teachers on the staff; and not all subjects are being coordinated as well as they have been. However, the school’s culture for working Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 12

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consistent expectation of academic achievement and good behaviour. Teachers and

together and keeping consistent standards is continuing to provide a quality of education that is, over time, successful in raising pupils’ achievements and raising standards faster than the national picture. This is a tribute to the hard work, enthusiasm and dedication of the headteacher.

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quality of education they receive in most classes, the small class sizes and the pupils’

5. Pupils enter the nursery with levels of development well below the expectations for their age, particularly in their speaking and listening skills. They make good progress through the Foundation Stage of their education and enter Year 1 ready for school and used to classroom life. Pupils’ results in national tests at the age of seven are well below the national average, as many pupils are still struggling with their language development. By the age of eleven, most pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, attain results in national tests that almost match the national average. For example, in the Year 2000 tests, the pupils’ attainments were just below the national average in English and science, but well above the national average in mathematics. When compared against schools with similar numbers of free school meals, Mellers’ pupils did really well and scored

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quality of education they receive in most classes, the small class sizes and the pupils’

above average results in English and science and were in the top five per cent of these schools in mathematics. The small number of pupils taking the tests each year makes direct comparison difficult, but the school’s results, over time, are improving at a faster rate than the national average. The school has set ambitious targets for the 2001 national tests. Inspection evidence shows that the current pupils in Year 2 have attainments in reading, writing and mathematics that are well below national expectations. However, the pupils in Year 6 are attaining just below the national expectation in English and science and in-line with national expectations in mathematics. All these pupils have made good progress over their time in school and their current standards are a good achievement.

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quality of education they receive in most classes, the small class sizes and the pupils’

6. The reasons for this good achievement are that teachers have a consistent approach in every class and aspire to meet the expectations and quality standards provided by the headteacher. Class sizes are small and this means that pupils have more opportunities for individual attention and any difficulties that arise can be dealt with quickly. For example, in a mathematics lesson for Year 4, the teacher quickly identified that some pupils were having difficulty with one group of fractions and called the whole class together for a discussion. This led to all the pupils realising that two thirds is equivalent to four sixths and helped them move on to new learning. Another factor in the good achievement of pupils is the consistent implementation of the school’s behaviour policy that allows lessons to continue without interruption or distraction. For example, in a literacy lesson for Year 3 pupils, the teacher showed

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quality of education they receive in most classes, the small class sizes and the pupils’

very sensitive management that promoted a very positive atmosphere in the class. Pupils responded well to this, showed they respected their teacher, and wanted to work hard for her. The consistent approach of teachers, particularly with behaviour management, is recognised by pupils as ‘fair’ and leads the pupils, over time, to become good learners. They like their lessons and enjoy putting in the effort because they receive valid praise for their success and this, in turn, makes them want to do more. These factors are applied in every class from nursery to Year 6 and combine, over time, into a successful path of learning for every pupil that helps them to achieve well. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 13

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school that leads to a friendly atmosphere that supports children and pupils in their

7. Teachers, assistants and nursery nurses form a strong team and work together effectively to support the children and pupils in their learning. They routinely meet together and discuss the pupils, how well they are doing, and what they should be learning next. For example, in the nursery, the adults meet each week and discuss what each child has learnt. If any child is having any difficulty, they plan together how to help them overcome this in the activities they prepare for the coming week and in the way they will support the child in their play. Teachers in the school plan topics together so that they can share resources and swap ideas. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are taught effectively and teachers help pupils of all abilities to do the best they can. In a very good lesson seen for pupils in Year 6, the teacher gave different work to each group so that all the pupils found their work challenging and had

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school that leads to a friendly atmosphere that supports children and pupils in their

to think harder as a result. In addition, the assistant helped one pupil to keep concentrating whilst also helping the group to understand their number problems. Another pupil was working with a visiting teacher of the deaf and the teamwork between the adults involved enabled the pupils to extend their thinking and work at a brisk pace.

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school that leads to a friendly atmosphere that supports children and pupils in their

8. The current staffing situation means the school is functioning without a senior management team. However, the headteacher and staff work together as one team in deciding priorities for development and in implementing the action in the school improvement plan. As a result, teachers are aware of the school’s direction and support one another as much as they can. An example of this was seen at the close of the inspection when inspectors would usually provide verbal feedback to senior managers. The consensus in school was for feedback to be given to the team and the whole staff were involved in hearing the views of the inspectors.

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school that leads to a friendly atmosphere that supports children and pupils in their

9. Teamwork extends to other members of the school community as well. For example, governors have improved the quality of their work and show an appropriate interest in supporting the school in its development. They informed inspectors how much they feel part of a school team. This opinion was also expressed by the school secretary, meal time assistants, cleaners and the school caretaker. Everyone working in the school reported a friendly atmosphere and spirit of teamwork that helps them to enjoy their job and want to support the school.

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Provides very effective behaviour management systems that help the pupils to

develop very positive attitudes to their learning.

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Provides very effective behaviour management systems that help the pupils to

10. Every class has a wall chart where pupils record the positive rewards they receive during the day. For example, during a lesson, a teacher may see a pupil sitting and listening really well and say, “two ‘positives’ for sitting so well”. These are added to the pupil’s existing total and the record kept where all can see. When teachers comment in this way, it also has the effect of inspiring the other pupils to sit and listen well so that they may gain rewards. The school has a clear structure of providing specific rewards and ‘treats’ in exchange for set numbers of ‘positive’ points. In addition, whole classes can earn points and the whole class can be rewarded too. Whilst the emphasis is on rewarding pupils for what they do well, there are clear procedures for any pupils who misbehave and are awarded ‘negative’ points. These pupils have sanctions imposed, such as spending break-time silently in the hall, or working in

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Provides very effective behaviour management systems that help the pupils to

isolation from their classmates. This system is understood very clearly by all pupils and applied consistently by all adults. The effect is that pupils want to behave well, Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 14 they want their friends to behave well and they want pupils scoring ‘negative’ points to improve their behaviour. Discussions with pupils show that they value this system and regard their teachers as ‘fair’ in the way they award their positives and negatives.

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Provides very effective behaviour management systems that help the pupils to

11. This system was seen to work very well in lessons. For example, in a geography lesson for Year 5 pupils, the teacher used it to keep good discipline. As a result, the pupils concentrated well and persevered with making their graphs of farming activities. The class had a calm and purposeful atmosphere and this helped them to learn more. Another example was seen in a physical education lesson for Year 2 pupils. Pupils were excited at being able to use plastic hockey sticks to control a small ball. The teacher praised pupils who were resisting the temptation to hit balls around and rewarded their efforts with ‘positive’ points. This led to the whole class quickly focusing on improving their skills so they controlled the way they passed the ball to one another in pairs.

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Provides very effective behaviour management systems that help the pupils to

12. The outcome of this behaviour management system is very good behaviour in lessons and around the school. It also extends into the playground and meal time assistants continue with a very good system they have devised, where certificates are awarded for consistent good behaviour. As a result, pupils enjoy having lessons that are free from disruption and they are keen to learn. They develop very good attitudes to their school and their learning. For example, in discussion with inspectors, pupils stated that: • “We are taught to have respect and we know the rules; • we look after each other, and the school; • we look after new pupils and show them how to behave; • we don’t laugh when pupils are naughty because after a while they calm down and start to get good; • we like learning, and our teachers make it fun”.

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Provides good levels of support for pupils with special educational needs that help

13. The school has a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. In addition to general learning difficulties some pupils have specific needs related to, for example, a degree of autism, emotional and behavioural difficulties and hearing loss. The school does well, over time, to help these pupils successfully be included in lessons and to raise their levels of achievement so that a significant number attain Level 4 (the national expectation) in national tests at the age of eleven. Some of these pupils entered the nursery with levels of development that were well below the expectation for their age. To attain Levels 3 or 4 by the age of eleven in English, mathematics and science shows that these pupils have made good or very good progress over their time in school.

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Provides good levels of support for pupils with special educational needs that help

14. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they are supported well in class by their teachers, assistants and one another. There are small numbers of pupils in each class and this allows teachers to give more time to helping groups and individuals. For example, in a literacy lesson for Year 2 pupils, the teacher could give more attention to helping a group of pupils with their reading, whilst at the same time showing a sensitivity to their individual learning needs. Classroom assistants also give good support and are deployed effectively by class teachers so that pupils are supported well by the ‘team’ approach within the class. Where appropriate, teachers make good use of external specialists, for example a visiting teacher of the deaf from the local education authority, to give direct additional support for some pupils. In addition, teachers help pupils to support one another and

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Provides good levels of support for pupils with special educational needs that help

Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 15 encourage them to understand the different learning needs within the class. For example, when one pupil received a new hearing aid the whole class were shown how it worked and were encouraged to be sensitive to the needs of others. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 16

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all subjects, particularly in Key Stage 1, and for pupils with English as an additional

15. A large proportion of pupils enter the nursery with significant delay in their language development and are unable to express themselves clearly. Also, the school has a large proportion of pupils with English as an additional language. The results of national tests show each year that seven year olds attain results in reading, writing and mathematics that are well below the average for their age. Inspection findings show that pupils make satisfactory progress during Key Stage 1 compared to the good progress they make in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 2. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have had a number of different teachers and, whilst this contributes to their slower rate of progress, the main reason is that pupils still have difficulty with their speaking and listening skills. Most pupils use a limited vocabulary and have difficulty in finding alternative words such as ‘enormous’ instead of ‘big’. They also have limited

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all subjects, particularly in Key Stage 1, and for pupils with English as an additional

experience of developing and sharing new ideas through conversation and in practising how to use longer and more complex sentences. This stops pupils from answering the questions in national tests as well as they might.

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all subjects, particularly in Key Stage 1, and for pupils with English as an additional

16. Teachers, including those for pupils with English as an additional language, do not give sufficient emphasis to developing these skills in lessons. For example, in a literacy lesson for Year 2 pupils, one of the teachers taking the lesson asked questions in such a way that pupils gave increasingly short answers in response and were stopped from practising their speaking skills. In another lesson for Year 1 pupils, the teacher missed opportunities to allow pupils to offer their own ideas and to correct their grammar and vocabulary. Pupils with English as an additional language do not have enough opportunity to use their home language, particularly when they are in the early stages of English acquisition. The school could do more to promote speaking and listening skills and to teach English more effectively before children reach the age of seven, to help them to achieve more by the time they leave the school.

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a) show the achievement over time of pupils of differing ethnic groups and gender;

17. The school analyses the results of national tests and adds to this the information from optional tests that are done in class each year. This information is used effectively to look overall at how well pupils are doing in English, mathematics and science. However, not enough attention is given to the fine detail for example, of how well boys do when compared to girls or how well pupils from different ethnic backgrounds are achieving. Detailed analysis provided during the inspection showed that pupils from some ethnic minority groups are not doing as well as pupils from other groups. However, the school has not identified this as an area for action and has no specific procedures in place to help these pupils do better.

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b) show clearly what pupils have learnt and what they should work on next; and

18. When children are in the nursery, their teachers keep records that show what each child can do and also provide suggestions for what each child could work on next. This procedure does not carry on into school with the children as they enter Year 1. Parents stated at the meeting before the inspection that, although targets were set each year for their child, they did not know at the next meeting with teachers whether these targets had been met or not. Some pupils are clear about what they are working Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 17 on but others are not so certain. However, most of these ‘targets’ relate to English and mathematics and less emphasis is given to how pupils are making progress in other subjects. The annual reports to parents provide little information about what pupils have learnt each year rather than the topics they have covered. More can be done to assess pupils’ learning in every subject so that they, and their parents, can

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b) show clearly what pupils have learnt and what they should work on next; and

see how well they are doing and the progress they are making each year.

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b) show clearly what pupils have learnt and what they should work on next; and

c) help all teachers to take the necessary action to rectify any weaknesses identified.

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b) show clearly what pupils have learnt and what they should work on next; and

19. Teachers generally know their children well and build an understanding of how they are doing that helps to plan how to meet pupils’ needs in lessons. However, without the detailed analysis of school data, teachers are unaware whether boys, girls, or pupils from differing ethnic backgrounds need specific support. Also, without detailed information of what pupils know in each subject, teachers are unable to guarantee that pupils will continue to build on what they can already do. The school has a number of temporary and supply teachers and, as yet, has no procedures for making sure they are sufficiently aware of pupils’ existing knowledge to plan and deliver their lessons appropriately.

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as they could be in their children’s education

20. A number of parents, before the inspection, expressed concerns about the quality of communication between the school and themselves. Inspection evidence shows that printed information for parents is usually written in technical jargon and is quite difficult to understand. Governors have recently begun to try a different approach and their current annual report to parents is presented in an interesting and accessible style. Documents sent home are rarely translated into home languages and meetings with teachers can often depend on children interpreting for their parents. Discussion with parents shows that they have mixed ideas about the effectiveness of the school and whether or not they can approach teachers and the headteacher to talk about their children. Whilst the school works hard to be consistent in teaching, learning and behaviour, more can be done to ensure consistent levels of good communication with

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as they could be in their children’s education

parents. In particular, parents with English as an additional language ought to be equally as well informed as all other parents. Parents spoken to by inspectors would like to be more involved in their child’s education, for example, coming into school to help in class and having a clearer idea of how to help with any work sent home and this is also an area that the school should seek to improve. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 18

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

21. The governors, headteacher and staff should continue to improve the school and seek to raise standards further by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Providing more emphasis on the development of speaking and listening skills in all subjects, particularly in Key Stage 1, and for pupils with English as an additional language. (Paragraphs 15,16)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Using assessment more effectively to (Paragraphs 17,19): a) show the achievement over time of pupils of differing ethnic groups and gender; b) show clearly what pupils have learnt and what they should work on next; and c) help all teachers to take the necessary action to rectify any weaknesses identified.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Making sure the communication with all parents is sufficiently effective, particularly for those parents with home languages other than English, so that parents are increasingly involved in their children’s education (Paragraph 20). Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 19

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y7

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 119

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 70

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6 45

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 53

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 20 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 20

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 50 (70) 65 (70) 80 (87) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 50 (61) 70 (87) 75 (70) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 Year Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 17

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 71 (84) 94 (79) 94 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 53 (84) 71 (79) 53 (95) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 80 (75)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 21 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 19 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 1999/2000

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14.9

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y7 Total expenditure 397,900

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 2,211

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 113 Balance brought forward from previous year 3,400

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 49,400

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 59

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Mellers Primary and Nursery School - 22

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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. 55 40 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 25 70 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 20 35 20 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 60 20 10 10 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 85 15 0 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. 55 40 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 45 35 5 10 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 75 20 0 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 45 45 10 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 10 50 5 10 15

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Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

More than ninety per cent of parents agree that: their children like school; children make good progress; behaviour is good; teaching is good; the school is approachable; children are expected to work hard; and the school is well led and managed. A significant proportion of parents have concerns about the amount of homework set; and that they are not kept well enough informed about how their children are getting on at school.

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