Springhead Primary School

SPRINGHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 6 th July 2001

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SPRINGHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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SPRINGHEAD PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Springhead Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Forty Steps Wolfreton Road Anlaby East Yorkshire

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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 Gravelle

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th January 1997 Springhead Primary School

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr G T Storer Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education English as an additional language Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? Standards – the school’s results and achievements What should the school do to improve further? How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr L Kuraishi Lay inspector Standards – pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mrs M Palmer Team inspector The Foundation Stage Mathematics Art Music Religious education How well are pupils taught?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs A Patterson Team inspector Special educational needs English Geography History How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd. 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Springhead Primary School

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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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Springhead Primary School is situated in a mixed residential area on the outskirts of Hull and serves the local community living on nearby private and local authority housing estates. With 160 pupils on the school roll, this school is smaller than other primary schools nationally. The school faces a variety of social and educational problems. There is some unemployment in the area and a few families experience hardship. Almost 7 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is below the national average. Pupils' attainments on entry to the reception class are broadly average, although a number of pupils face difficulties in their learning. There are 26 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs and six pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need. This is above average for a school of this size. Just over 4 per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language. This is higher than in

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

most schools nationally. The school also deals with a fairly high turnover of pupils; during the last school year 18 pupils (11.25 per cent) entered or left the school at times other than at the beginning of the reception year or the end of Year 6.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school. Pupils make good progress. By the age of 11, most pupils attain or exceed the nationally expected standard in English, mathematics and science. The quality of teaching is good overall and there are examples of very good teaching throughout the school. The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide good leadership. They receive sound support from the governing body and together they have improved aspects of leadership and management. They have a clear view of the way ahead and are committed to school improvement. The school manages its budget effectively and provides sound value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Teaching is consistently good. One in three lessons observed was very good or excellent. • The teaching of English, mathematics, science, history and art is particularly effective. • Standards are rising rapidly and almost all pupils attain or exceed the nationally expected levels by the time that they leave the school. • Pupils receive a rich and stimulating curriculum that promotes effective learning. • Pupils have very good attitudes to school. Most behave very well and work hard. • Procedures for promoting pupils’ personal development work well. Pupils get on very well with their teachers and with each other. Older pupils have a mature and responsible approach to learning. • The school makes very good arrangements for pupils with special educational needs who receive effective support and make good progress. • The school works in effective partnership with parents and the information provided for parents is

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

particularly good. • Management is very effective in ensuring that the school’s aims and values are reflected in all aspects of its work.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Attendance is well below the national average and the school is not doing enough to promote the regular attendance of all pupils. • The governing body’s procedures for ensuring the health and safety of staff and pupils are not rigorous enough. • The deputy headteacher, subject co-ordinators and staff are not sufficiently involved in monitoring standards and quality. 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 has been very successful in raising standards and improving the quality of education that it provides for its pupils. The overall quality of teaching and learning is much better than it was at the time of the previous inspection. There are improved curriculum arrangements for children in the Foundation Springhead Primary School Stage 1 that ensure that these children make better progress. By the time pupils leave school, standards in English, mathematics, science, art, history and religious education are considerably higher than they were. The school is more successful in promoting pupils’ personal (including spiritual, moral, social and cultural) development and as a result, their attitudes to their work and behaviour in and around school are much better than they were. Curriculum planning is better. Pupils gain knowledge, understanding and skills more systematically and teachers use assessment information more effectively to plan for pupils of

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

differing abilities. Provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved. The school’s co- ordinator manages and monitors the arrangements more thoroughly and the governing body oversees these arrangements more effectively. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and governing body have improved aspects of leadership and management. They have a clearer view of the way ahead, financial planning is better than it was and they have been very successful in meeting improvement targets. The school has improved its partnership with parents by providing them with more information about their children’s education. The school provides better value for money.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11-year-olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. compared with Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1998 1999 2000 2000 English C E D D well above average above average A B Mathematics D B E E average below average C D Science D D D D well below average E

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STANDARDS

When children enter the reception class, their attainments are about average and, by the end of the Foundation Stage, most attain standards normally expected of 5-year-olds. In the 2000 national tests, results for 7-year-olds were well below the national average and the average for similar schools. At age 11, the 2000 results were below average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. Taken together, these results were also well below the average for similar schools. However, these results are not consistent with inspection evidence or with the more recent (unpublished) 2 national curriculum test results for 2001. Pupils’ current work and the most recent test results suggest that standards have improved at ages 7 and 11. By the end of Year 2, the proportion of pupils attaining or exceeding the expected level 3 in English and science has improved, but is still below schools nationally. In mathematics,

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STANDARDS

the improvement has been greater. This year’s mathematics results are above the 2000 average for schools nationally and for similar schools. By the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils attaining or exceeding the nationally expected standard in English, mathematics and science has also moved ahead of the 2000 average. Evidence from the work of pupils presently in Years 2 and 6 suggests that they make satisfactory gains in English, mathematics and science in infant classes and good progress in junior classes. Pupils’ progress to Year 2 is satisfactory despite below average standards in English and science because in the current Year 2 class almost 30 per cent of pupils have special educational needs and, whilst all make satisfactory progress, some do not attain the nationally expected standard. Many pupils in Year 6 have performed better than their Year 2 results suggested and more pupils are attaining the above

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STANDARDS

average Level 5 than in previous years. Standards in religious education are in line with those set out in the local authority’s guidance. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in all other subjects except history and art, where standards are above the expected level by the time pupils leave the school.

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STANDARDS

The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and ends at the end of the reception class year. It is a distinct stage, preparing children for later schooling, and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy, mathematical development and personal and social development, but also include knowledge and understanding of the world, and physical and creative development. The 2001 tests have been marked. Schools and parents have received the results but statistical comparisons with other schools are not yet available. The nationally expected level is Level 2 for a pupil aged seven 7 and Level 4 for a pupil aged 11. If a pupil is attaining Level 3 at the age of seven 7 or Level 5 at the age of 11, he or she is reaching standards above those expected for a child of his or her age. Springhead Primary School

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Very good: pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school; most work hard and make a real effort to improve. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good: pupils behave well in lessons and there is no evidence of bullying or of any other unpleasant behaviour in the playground. Personal development and relationships Very good: pupils treat each other with respect and this contributes to the very pleasant and harmonious atmosphere in and around school. Attendance Unsatisfactory: pupils' attendance has declined and is well below the national average.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good. There is good teaching throughout the school and frequent examples of very good and at times excellent teaching in infant and junior classes. During the inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 98 per cent of lessons and one lesson in three was very good or excellent. Only one lesson was unsatisfactory. The teaching of the basic skills in English and mathematics is good, particularly in junior classes, where teachers have particular expertise in these subjects. There are, however, occasional weaknesses in teachers' subject knowledge and understanding, for example in some aspects of physical education. When the teacher gives too little attention to the systematic development of skills, pupils’ learning is unsatisfactory. Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ attitudes and behaviour and of their capacity to cope with challenging work. As a result, most pupils are attentive, join in well and

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

persevere with their work. A consistent strength of teaching is teachers’ effective management of their pupils. Teachers provide a good variety of stimulating activities that ensure that pupils are interested, concentrate well and become increasingly independent. This improves the quality of their learning. Teachers use regular assessments in English and mathematics to provide work for pupils that is matched to their particular needs. However, in other subjects, the planning for pupils of all levels of attainment is often on the basis of broad target levels from the National Curriculum and not on what pupils know, understand and can do. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is effective. These pupils make good progress and achieve satisfactory standards in their work in both key stages. Work for higher attaining pupils is set at a sufficiently challenging level to allow them to attain above average standards in English,

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

mathematics and science, and increasingly in other subjects, most notably in history and art.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Good: the school teaches all subjects of the National Curriculum and enriches pupils’ experiences with a good range of stimulating projects, educational visits and visitors. However, there are fewer activities outside lessons than in many schools. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good: pupils with special educational needs receive good support and many go on to overcome their difficulties and to achieve nationally expected standards by the time that they leave the school. Provision for pupils’ personal (spiritual, moral, social and cultural) development Good: spiritual and moral development are particular strengths, although pupils learn less about the richness and diversity of other cultures.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils This is a caring school. Teachers use their in-depth knowledge of the pupils effectively to support academic and personal development. Springhead Primary School

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good: clear educational priorities have resulted in good whole-school improvements in the quality of education provided.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory: the governing body plays an active role in the drive to raise standards. However, procedures for ensuring the health and safety of staff and pupils are not rigorous enough. The school’s evaluation of its performance Unsatisfactory: the deputy headteacher and subject co-ordinators are not sufficiently involved in monitoring standards and quality. The strategic use of resources Good: the governing body uses the school's budget and other grants effectively, according to principles of best value and in the interests of the pupils.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Parents are comfortable in approaching staff with questions or problems. • Their children like school. • The school is helping their children to become mature and responsible. • Pupils’ behaviour is good. • Their children make good progress at school. • Teaching is good. • The school expects pupils to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is well led and managed. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The work that their children are expected to do at home. • The school’s partnership with parents. • Information about how their children are getting on.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

There were 54 questionnaires (34 per cent) returned and 17 parents attended the meeting for parents. Parents’ responses overwhelmingly supported the school and the quality of education provided for their children. A small number of parents expressed concerns. The inspection endorses the positive views, but also finds evidence to support some of their concerns. There are some inconsistencies in teachers’ use of homework. However, homework generally relates well to the work pupils are doing and so contributes appropriately to their attainment. The pupils’ annual progress reports contain a good evaluation of their learning. They give parents clear information about pupils' strengths and weaknesses. The school has worked hard to improve its partnership with parents. Information for parents is particularly good. The range of activities that take place outside of lessons is narrower than in other schools of this size. However, those

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

activities that are provided, especially in music, are of good quality. Springhead Primary School

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Standards of attainment are improving throughout the school. Children and pupils of all abilities in all phases are making better progress than at the time of the previous inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. When children enter the reception classes, most are attaining standards that are average for children of this age. By the time that they reach the end of the Foundation Stage, most reach the nationally identified Early Learning Goals 4 for their age. Children's attainments are broadly average in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. They do not achieve all of the goals for physical development because they do not receive a daily programme of physical activity and structured play using large apparatus that fosters the development of physical skills. Children achieve above average standards in their personal and social development. In relation to their average attainment on entry, children in the reception classes make satisfactory gains in all areas of learning and make good progress in their personal development. This is a considerable improvement since the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

previous inspection when children’s progress was found to be unsatisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In the 2000 tests, results for 7-year-olds were below the national average in writing and well below average in reading, mathematics and science. The 2000 results were well below the average for similar schools in all core subjects 5 . However, these results are not consistent with inspection evidence or with the more recent (unpublished) national curriculum test results for 2001. Pupils’ current work and the most recent test results suggest that standards have improved at age 7. By the end of Year 2, the proportion of pupils attaining or exceeding the nationally expected level in English and science has improved, but is still below other schools. In mathematics, the improvement has been greater. This year’s mathematics results are above the 2000 average for schools nationally and for similar schools. Pupils’ progress to Year 2 is satisfactory despite below average standards in English and science. This is because, in the current Year 2 class,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

almost 30 percent of pupils have special educational needs. Pupils are learning well and making sound progress in English and science and good progress in mathematics. Fewer pupils than in previous years are attaining standards that are below national expectations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The 2000 test results for pupils aged 11 were below the national average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. Taken together, these results were also well below the average for similar schools. However, pupils’ current work and the most recent test results suggest that standards have also improved at age 11. By the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils attaining or exceeding the nationally expected standard in English, mathematics and science has now moved ahead of the 2000 average. This is a substantial improvement on results in recent years. Evidence from the work of pupils presently in Year 6 suggests that they make good progress in junior classes. Many pupils in Year 6 have performed better than their Year 2 results suggested and more pupils are attaining the above average Level 5 than in previous years. The school did not meet its target for raising attainment in 2000, but has exceeded targets for 2001.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Early learning Learning goals Goals – these are expected standards for most children to reach by the end of the fF oundation sS tage. They refer mainlyrefer mainly to achievements children make in connection with the six areas of learning. Core subjects – reading, writing (English), mathematics and science. Religious eE ducation and information and communication technology (ICT) are also part of the core curriculum but are not included in National Curriculum tests. Springhead Primary School 5. Standards in religious education are in line with those set out in the local authority’s guidance for pupils at the end of both key stages. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in information and communication technology and in all other subjects. Standards in history and art are higher than those normally found in infant and junior classes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Very effective links with other subjects allow pupils to practise and consolidate the skills of literacy and numeracy effectively. There are no significant differences in the attainments of pupils of different gender, background or ability. The number of pupils with special educational needs is below average for a school of this size. Despite sound levels of achievement, some face quite profound difficulties that result in below average standards by the time they leave school and this affects overall standards as reflected by test results. Nevertheless, pupils with special educational needs make sound progress in most subject areas. Where pupils have statements of special educational need, the good support, closely focused on the individual, results in at least satisfactory progress across a wide range of areas. Work for more able pupils is sufficiently challenging to enable them to achieve above average standards. All pupils make good progress in their personal and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

social development. This progress is an important factor that allows most pupils to adopt helpful patterns of behaviour and response and enables teachers to establish conditions in which profitable learning can take place.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupils' attitudes, values, personal development and relationships are very strong throughout the school. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when inappropriate behaviour in the early years and disruptive behaviour among older pupils' resulted in arguments and harassment.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils' very good attitudes to school improve the quality of their learning and the standards they achieve. Nearly all parents state that their children like school and that they talk very positively about their friends and teachers. In the reception class, children are happy to come to school. Staff take great care to plan activities that help new children to settle quickly. The children listen to their teachers and follow instructions carefully. They are confident when trying out new activities and willingly volunteer to write the date on the white board at the start of the school day. They learn quickly to share with others and to take turns. Their teachers encourage them to appreciate each other's ideas and most respond willingly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. In Years 1 to 6, most pupils are enthusiastic about their school. Pupils become very interested and involved in school activities. Sometimes their excitement is apparent, for instance in a physical education lesson when nearly every pupil wanted to extend the lesson time in order to complete their activities. The older pupils are polite and friendly to visitors. They talk about their extra-curricular activities. Many name their favourite sports and talk about their activities during the residential trip. A good number belongs to school clubs and some have strong favourites, such as ‘Warblers’ or recorders club.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils' behaviour in the lessons and around the school is very good. This is significant improvement since the last inspection. They move around the school in an orderly fashion. Most respect their school and respond to the very attractive environment by taking care of resources and the school property. During assemblies, pupils enter the hall quietly. They sit sensibly and listen to the adults carefully. They enjoy their time together as a whole school. This was most apparent during the assembly led by the headteacher, when an enthusiastic pupil was loudly applauded by the whole school for her persistence in breaking the bundle of the demonstration sticks. At lunch times, boys and girls sit together. They chat sociably and eat their lunch sensibly. Behaviour in the playground is very good. Pupils enjoy their games under careful supervision by the mid-day staff. Pupils Springhead Primary School

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

are helpful to each other and play well together. There was no evidence of bullying during the inspection and there have been no exclusions during the last school year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The personal development of pupils is very good. From the time that they enter the school, staff treat pupils with care and respect and value the efforts that they make. This builds pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. As a result, pupils join in willingly and rise to the challenge to do their best. All pupils are fully included in the school’s programme of activities. All have the opportunity to succeed and make progress. This benefits all pupils and adds considerably to the personal development of pupils with special educational needs. Pupils respond well to those responsibilities that are provided for them within the school. Teachers expect pupils to be responsible for their work, so pupils record almost all work independently. The range of additional responsibilities that older pupils undertake is good. They take registers to the office, help in the school assemblies with setting up

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

music, arrange games equipment at playtime and tidy up after the lessons. Older pupils help younger pupils with choosing books and with a daily reading project in the library. By Year 6, most pupils have a mature approach to school life and contribute responsibly to the school as a community.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Relationships between pupils and with members of staff are friendly and very constructive. This helps everyone to cope with the many and varied day-to-day inconveniences that arise, such as the severe lack of space in some classrooms. Pupils respect the values and beliefs of others. They listen carefully to their teachers and other people, particularly in the assemblies and in the playground. They show good understanding that other people's beliefs may be different from their own. Pupils from other ethnic groups and those with physical difficulties or other special educational needs are well integrated in the school; they are fully accepted and work and play happily alongside other pupils.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The school has not maintained good levels of attendance reported in the last inspection. Overall, attendance is very variable. In the last reporting year, attendance was below the national average. There is no evidence of improvement in the current year and in some classes, attendance is only just over 90 per cent. This is unsatisfactory. Attendance registers are completed twice daily and the school secretary ensures their safekeeping. The majority of pupils arrive punctually and both morning and afternoon sessions start promptly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching is good and contributes strongly to pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning and to the standards that they achieve. This is a marked improvement since the last inspection in all phases of the school. In the current inspection, teaching was satisfactory or better in 98 per cent of lessons observed. Forty per cent of all lessons were good and a further 30 per cent were very good or excellent. There were frequent examples of good teaching throughout the school. There was very good and excellent teaching in both infant and junior classes, though most frequently in the upper juniors. There was only one lesson in which teaching was unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15. In the Foundation Stage, teaching is satisfactory overall, although almost half of the lessons observed in the reception class were good. The class teacher and nursery nurse work very well together to establish a welcoming and calm atmosphere in the reception class so that children feel secure and ready to learn. They carefully promote children’s personal development so that they learn to work and play happily together. The staff establish good classroom routines and the children are confident, demonstrating good levels of independence as they pursue their activities. However, staff do not use assessments to see what children are capable of doing. Although the teacher asks direct questions and checks children’s work to highlight what they know and understand, she Springhead Primary School does not always use this information well enough as a basis for future work. As a result, individuals’ tasks are not always closely related to what they need to learn next. Groups of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

children are often set work at a similar level. Consequently, some children may find tasks too difficult, whilst others are ready to tackle more challenging work. This inhibits their progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. From Years 1-6, the most successful teaching takes place when teachers give suitably demanding tasks to pupils of all abilities and expect them to work hard. This is a consistently strong feature of teaching throughout the school, but is particularly evident in upper Key Stage 2. For example, in a Years 5/6 mathematics lesson, the teacher set tasks such as calculating how many breaths pupils had taken in their entire lives. This task captured pupils’ imagination and motivated them and as a result they gave it their full concentration and effort. In consequence, they made very good progress in selecting methods by which to solve the problems and maintaining clarity by laying out their calculations logically. This lesson, as with other effective lessons, was followed up by homework tasks carefully planned for different ability groups within the class, to build on and extend their work in class.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The quality of teaching in literacy is good and is resulting in improved standards by the time pupils leave the school. Teachers share the aims of the lesson with pupils, who in return respond attentively and approach tasks very purposefully. Year 1 pupils practised their spelling skills with enthusiasm and sequenced the events correctly as they recalled and wrote about their recent harbour visit. Pupils learn particularly well when topics are introduced and developed with both energy and sensitivity. For example, through answering thought provoking questions, Years 5/6 pupils made excellent progress in their appreciation and use of imaginative language in poetry.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers have responded positively to the National Numeracy Strategy. Consistently effective teaching in mathematics is enabling pupils to learn well and attain good standards. The strong emphasis on mental work has improved pupils’ manipulation of numbers and rapid recall of number facts. Tasks are often presented as investigations and challenges; this successfully encourages pupils to play an active part in lessons. For example, Year 1 pupils learned to measure accurately the amount of liquid in a range of containers, when the task was presented as a treasure hunt around the classroom. Similarly, Year 2 pupils were keen to share their findings when adding series of consecutive numbers together and finding patterns in the answers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers make strong and effective links between different subjects. This gives added coherence to pupils’ work and improves the progress that they make. For example, the current topic on whaling in junior classes has brought together elements of history, geography, literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology and has resulted in high quality work from the pupils involved. Teachers use information and communication technology well to support learning in most subjects. For example, Year 3 pupils extend their problem solving skills well by working on a computer program based on Viking York and pupils in Years 5/6 use the computer to compose simple tunes as part of their work in music.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers throughout the school have good subject knowledge, which they use well to support pupils’ learning. They prepare thoroughly for lessons, sharing plans with support staff and ensuring that books and items to support teaching are ready in advance, so that lessons can proceed at a brisk pace. Teachers plan lively lesson introductions, which engage pupils’ interests well and promote their active involvement. For example, in a Year 3 art lesson, pupils were eager to commence work after their teacher showed them a piece of batik she had produced when she was at school. Similarly, in a Years 5/6 music lesson, pupils were keen to settle to their task based on simple rhythms, after hearing a tape made Springhead Primary School by the local secondary school pupils using different parts of their body to ‘play’ a familiar tune.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers select resources very well to engage pupils’ interest and promote their learning. For example, in a Year 3 history lesson, the teacher presented pupils with images of maritime Hull, which very successfully captured their imagination and promoted their enquiry skills. As a result, pupils correctly placed a range of photographs of vessels in chronological order. Similarly, in an art lesson, the oldest pupils were motivated by the good range of stimulating materials to successfully practise and extend their skills and techniques, including modelling and silk painting.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Very good relationships between teachers and pupils enable teachers to manage pupils well and successfully promote pupils’ co-operation and involvement in lessons. In almost all instances, teachers make clear their high expectations of pupils’ active participation and good behaviour. They know their pupils well and readily respond to their efforts with encouragement. They show the value they place on pupils’ work by carefully mounting and displaying it throughout the school. By these means, teachers throughout the school successfully foster pupils’ good attitudes and willingness to learn.

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pupils to share and discuss their concerns about their move to their next school in

25. Teachers assess pupils’ on-going work carefully through questioning, talking, observing and marking and generally use this information well when planning future work. However, although marking is thorough, it does not consistently identify clearly for pupils what they need to do to improve their work.

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pupils to share and discuss their concerns about their move to their next school in

26. Teachers and support staff work well to ensure that pupils with special educational needs receive the support that they need to succeed and make progress. Teachers ensure that classroom assistants are well briefed so that they can help all pupils to participate fully in lessons. Clear, precise explanations minimise potential learning difficulties and carefully targeted questioning allows teachers to assess pupils’ understanding. Pupils’ individual education plans are sufficiently clear and specific to guide teachers in matching tasks appropriately to their needs. The pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need receive effective support from class teachers and trained support assistants. With the full support of all members of the school community, staff are committed to ensuring that they play an active part in school life both inside and outside the classroom. Springhead Primary School

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PUPILS?

27. The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and has improved since the previous inspection. However, although children are provided with a range of activities that fully comply with the government’s guidance for children of this age, there is not enough emphasis on the provision for outdoor play.

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PUPILS?

28. The school provides a rich and varied range of worthwhile learning opportunities for its pupils. The range and quality of learning opportunities that the school offers contribute to pupils’ very positive attitudes and to their enjoyment of learning. The school teaches all subjects of the National Curriculum and the curriculum fully reflects the school’s aims and values. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. It meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. There are good arrangements for pupils’ personal, social and health education through a planned programme, where pupils have opportunities to develop confidence and greater self- esteem. The curriculum includes appropriate provision for sex education and drugs awareness. This also is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.15

PUPILS?

29. Teachers’ planning is better than it was at the time of the previous inspection. It is detailed and thorough and provides an effective framework for teaching and learning. The school has comprehensive curriculum plans in a two-year cycle in Key Stage 1 and a four-year cycle in Key Stage 2. The subject co-ordinators monitor this planning regularly to ensure that the content of each subject is covered systematically as pupils move through the school and to avoid unnecessary repetition. There are useful policies and schemes of work in place for all subjects. Teachers use these schemes to plan exactly what will be taught in each subject throughout the school. They effectively translate this into even more detailed short-term plans that identify what groups of pupils are expected to learn during each lesson. Throughout the school, teachers have worked hard to develop effective methods for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and this is well

p.15

PUPILS?

promoted in other subjects, such as science, history and geography. There has been a particular emphasis on the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills and on reading for enjoyment, particularly in Key Stage 2, and this has had a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. Effective links between the different subjects bring added meaning and purpose to pupils’ work and there are good opportunities for pupils to use information and communication technology as an aid to learning in most subjects, particularly in Key Stage 2.

p.15

PUPILS?

30. The school’s arrangements for pupils with special educational needs are very effective. Procedures for the early identification of pupils with special educational needs are thorough. Their individual work plans are detailed, regularly updated, fully evaluated and teachers ensure that work is closely matched to that of their class. These pupils have full access to the curriculum. All class assistants have undergone training in numeracy and they provide very good support to these pupils. This makes a very positive contribution to their progress.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The quality and range of extra-curricular activities are satisfactory. Pupils have opportunities to be involved in activities such as recorder and guitar groups, a lunchtime bookshop and occasional design and technology activities. However, there are few sporting activities and the inspection team acknowledges parents’ views that this could be improved. Pupils take part in Christmas productions and Years 5 and 6 pupils attend a residential visit to Kingwood Outdoor Centre. Educational visits to places of interest, such as museums in Hornsea and Hull, contribute positively to pupils’ educational experiences. Parents and other adults make a valuable contribution to these activities. Springhead Primary School 32. The school has established satisfactory links with the community. A satisfactory link has been established between Year 6 and the local secondary school at the end of the summer term. There are regular visitors to the school, such as a local historian, a

p.15

PUPILS?

trawlerman who has had experience of working in the Arctic and visiting music specialists. These experiences make a further positive contribution to pupils’ social, moral, cultural and personal development.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. The arrangements for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. The school offers a rich experience to all its pupils. This is a marked improvement since the previous inspection, when provision at that time was found to be unsatisfactory.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. Pupils’ spiritual development is very good and is a strength of the school. The quality of collective worship is good. Teachers leading assemblies successfully create an atmosphere of calm and reflection and develop spiritual aspects effectively. For instance, in an assembly with the theme of ‘Good Friends’, pupils were invited to watch a candle being lit and to think about their friends. On entering the hall, pupils are expected to sit silently and listen to the music chosen for the week and there are appropriate opportunities for pupils to join in prayers and hymns. Although there is no documented school policy for promoting spiritual development across the curriculum, this is implicit in the school’s ethos of valuing each individual. In practice, much of the spiritual dimension of pupils’ learning comes as a result of the rich and stimulating experiences that teachers provide. These bring joy and excitement to learning and give pupils deeper insights into aspects of human

p.16

PUPILS?

experience. Teachers clearly value pupils’ ideas and opinions during their lessons. For example, in the Years 5 and 6 class, pupils were asked to reflect on the meaning of poetry and to think of it as ‘a distilled drink’. Spiritual development is evident in the Year 2 lesson where pupils were amazed by their discoveries as they investigated old implements in their history lesson. Similarly, in their religious education lesson, pupils were encouraged to share their thoughts about the importance of baptism and pupils in Years 4 and 5 have thought carefully about the hardships at sea. Pupils are encouraged to record personal messages of thanks. For instance, Year 2 pupils have thanked God for flowers and animals and Year 1 pupils have written notes to each other to express their friendship. Sensitive displays around the school evoke a sense of awe and wonder, such as a Year 3 art display of a Japanese print-style in black and white and of ‘Me and my Feelings – I feel

p.16

PUPILS?

happy when’. The artwork of Years 5 and 6 is breathtaking. It is one example of the impressive way the school helps pupils develop an appreciation of things of beauty and insights into each other’s values and beliefs.

p.16

PUPILS?

35. Provision for pupils’ moral development is very good and is another strength of the school. All teachers and other adults working in the school set very good examples, and this makes pupils aware of the importance of rules which promote the values of honesty, justice and care for others. Pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong. There are class monitors and agreed rules for behaviour so that a clear understanding of what is right and wrong is thus translated into practice. Teachers take opportunities as they arise in lessons to raise moral issues and consider how these can be addressed.

p.16

PUPILS?

36. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. The personal, social and health programme has a special focus for pupils to develop confidence and greater self-esteem. Pupils have opportunities to take on a range of jobs to help them become more responsible. For example Year 6 pupils have a ‘young partner’ system where they share reading with pupils who need encouragement to improve their reading skills. They are encouraged to take this responsibility seriously and they conscientiously record their reading sessions with each of their partners. They share games at lunchtimes with younger pupils, take part in assemblies, school concerts and other events. Guitar, recorder and library clubs further extend their social development. Pupils’ social development is promoted well through a residential outdoor activity where they are taught Springhead Primary School the importance of team spirit and being able to trust each other. Most parents agree that

p.16

PUPILS?

the school helps their children to become mature and responsible. However, whilst pupils learn to contribute to the school as a community, wider aspects of citizenship receive little attention. In particular, the school is not currently doing enough to prepare pupils for life in a multi-cultural society.

p.17

PUPILS?

37. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils have experience of a range of famous classical and modern writers, such as T. S. Eliot and Sir Tom Courtenay. The rich variety of library books available to all pupils encourages them to develop an enthusiasm for reading. They learn about the work of famous artists such as Picasso and Van Gogh. There is a range of visits to the local community, which support the curriculum well. For example, pupils make visits within their immediate environment and to places of interest such as the Hornsea and Maritime Museums. There are a number of visitors to the school, including a historian, author and others who share assemblies. These all increase pupils’ awareness of their cultural heritage. However, provision for pupils’ multi-cultural development is not so effective. Pupils learn about ancient cultures, for example, of Greece and Sparta. In their music, they have opportunities to listen to classical and

p.17

PUPILS?

modern music and a selection from other countries, such as Africa and Latin America. However, their knowledge and understanding of the major world faiths is fragmented and they have little understanding of the richness and diversity of other cultures

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The school has a warm, caring atmosphere where most teachers and support staff know the pupils well. As a result, most pupils establish happy, confident and trustful relationships with adults and with classmates. In the reception class, good attention is paid to helping children settle quickly into the school. There is a very effective induction procedure for new pupils. Parents attend a meeting prior to admission and receive a starter pack, which contains useful information on typical class activities to practise with their children. The teacher satisfactorily carries out the national tests to assess children's knowledge and understanding when they start school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school complies fully with the locally agreed child protection procedures. These provide clear instructions about actions to be taken and how cases will be followed up by other local authority agencies. Teaching, support and mid-day staff have received formal in-service training on child protection procedures and know what action to take if the need arises. In the absence of the headteacher, there are suitable arrangements for the acting headteacher to be the designated member of the staff responsible for child protection. This ensures satisfactory continuity of care. There are satisfactory arrangements for first aid and staff know what to do in case of an emergency or if a pupil becomes ill whilst at school. Most parents feel that their children are safe and secure in the school.

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

secretary. Springhead Primary School 41. The school takes some steps to monitor and improve pupils’ attendance. However, current procedures are unsatisfactory because they are not rigorous enough to bring about the required improvements. The school prospectus is weak on the subject of attendance. Attendance and absence statistics are reported. However, the current prospectus does not present national comparative data, nor does it set out the parents’ responsibilities, their entitlements in respect of leave for holidays or the school’s expectations and procedures for dealing with attendance issues. As a result, there is little support from some parents who, for example, take their children on extended holidays during term-time. There is no attendance policy to deal with such parents or with those who regularly withdraw pupils for religious observation. Current monitoring is not searching enough to give a full picture of

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

attendance or absence patterns and the reasons that lie behind them. It is, therefore, difficult for the school to target its efforts effectively and to act on the specific causes of pupils’ absence rather than the general symptoms of low attendance. The school is not doing enough to make attendance a high profile issue for all pupils and their families or to make all pupils really want to be in school every single day. As a result, some pupils and their parents have a casual approach to attendance that can reduce pupils’ attainment and progress.

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

42. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour and for eliminating oppressive behaviour are very effective. A system of mutually agreed simple school rules supports the very good behaviour seen in the school. These form part of the whole-school behaviour policy. All pupils know that staff expect good behaviour and require them to work and play harmoniously. The behaviour policy makes clear the school's intolerance of bad behaviour and teaching and non-teaching staff apply the school’s agreed procedures consistently. This is an improvement since the last inspection. A system of incentives is effective and parents and children understand the hierarchy of rewards and sanctions for inappropriate behaviour. Staff celebrate achievement through informal and formal praise and recognition in the school assembly. This is effective in encouraging good behaviour. Most parents confirm that the children's behaviour is good and has improved since the last

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

inspection. Inspection findings support this view.

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

43. Teachers monitor pupils’ personal development informally and this is largely based upon their close knowledge of pupils’ individual circumstances. Relationships are very good and teachers are sensitive to pupils’ ‘ups and downs’. The high quality personal support helps to ensure that pupils enjoy their time at school and maintain a positive frame of mind. Pupils use their time at school productively and caring teachers constantly encourage them to work hard and do their best. These factors have a positive influence on the progress that pupils make and on the standard of their work.

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

44. The school has satisfactory procedures in place to assess pupils’ attainment and progress and it now has a comprehensive and helpful policy to support teachers’ planning for assessment. This was an issue in the previous inspection that has now been largely resolved. As a result, the school has made great strides in improving pupils’ attainment and progress, particularly by the end of Year 6. These procedures include a range of tests and assessments, which provide comprehensive information about pupils’ achievements in English and mathematics. The school knows what pupils achieve in national tests and carries out further optional tests at the end of Years 3, 4 and 5. There are termly tests for English and mathematics and all teachers carefully record the results of these. Teachers’ termly plans highlight suitable opportunities for assessment. All pupils have writing and spelling targets to identify areas for improvement so that they make better progress in their

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

writing. As they move through the school, older pupils complete these as a self- assessment exercise. In most other subjects, pupils’ achievement is assessed at the end of each topic. Each pupil has a record of work, which contains selected examples of work from each year. There are, however, still weaknesses in the current arrangements. Staff in the reception class do not carry out enough assessments to keep up with children’s Springhead Primary School rapid personal and academic development. Arrangements in science and in other subjects are informal. Some teachers carry out thorough assessments and record pupils’ attainments in detail, but inconsistencies in the quality of this work mean that some teachers do not have the information needed to plan pupils learning at an individual level in some subjects.

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

45. Teachers make satisfactory use of the assessment information that they have. For example, the results of the national tests are analysed carefully to look for trends or areas of weakness in teaching and learning. Pupils in Year 2 who need extra support to reach the expected level for their age in the national tests are given additional support. Results of termly tests are used by teachers to set achievable targets for each pupil. Teachers track pupils’ progress on an individual basis in literacy and numeracy. Teachers’ medium term plans are used as a means to predict how standards may be further improved. They monitor pupils’ writing targets carefully and use the outcomes to set further targets to improve their progress. Teachers make good use of pupils’ records of work to provide a clear overview of each pupil’s progress through the year and to provide detailed information in their annual report to parents. Teachers maintain checklists for individual

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

pieces of work, which are accurately matched to the National Curriculum levels. In subjects other than literacy and numeracy, teachers use informal assessments to guide their planning. However, this form of assessment is still at the early stages of development. It is often based on a general evaluation of the lesson rather than on what individual pupils know, understand and can do. The quality of teachers’ marking is not consistent throughout the school. Where it is at its best, pupils are always informed of what they do well and what they need to do next to improve their work. These teachers then know clearly what they need to plan for their next lessons in order to raise standards further. This is not yet the case throughout the school.

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evacuation drills take place regularly and are properly recorded by the school

46. Procedures for assessing the progress of pupils with special educational needs are very good and are fully in line with the recommendations of the Code of Practice 6 . The co- ordinator for special educational needs and the governor who oversees this area work closely with class teachers and monitor the writing of individual education plans for pupils. Targets are very precise and so enable an effective assessment of pupils’ progress to take place. The school makes good use of outside agencies in the assessment of pupils’ special educational needs. As a result, these pupils make good progress within the targets set for them. The school makes good efforts to involve parents in the assessment and review of their children’s progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents and carers are generally happy with the quality of education provided and the standards achieved by the school. Most parents who responded to the questionnaire or who were interviewed during the inspection agreed that their children like coming to school. Almost 20 per cent of parents who replied expressed concern over aspects of the school’s partnership with parents. These concerns centred mainly on the information that parents receive about their children’s progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. The evidence gathered during the inspection, through examination of the school practices and meetings with parents in school, does not fully support these views. The annual reports to parents are satisfactory and contain suitable information on pupils’ attitudes and progress. In core subjects, recent reports are beginning to indicate how pupils might improve their performance. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. However, they do not give a clear view of the National Curriculum levels pupils have

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Code of Practice – this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Springhead Primary School achieved and parents would appreciate this information. The school has the same number of parents’ evenings as other schools and teachers make every effort to be available at times to suit parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Other information provided for parents has also improved. The school's current prospectus contains clear details on the school’s routines, policies and practices. Information sheets and newsletters keep parents well informed about forthcoming events in school and about the content of the curriculum, so that those who cannot get into school regularly are nonetheless able to support their children in the home. In addition, the school holds meetings to inform parents about changes to the curriculum or to teaching methods, but these are not always well attended. There are, however, some shortcomings in the school’s information for parents. The current prospectus does not include national rates of attendance for the year and governor's annual report to parents for the year 1999/2000 does not fully meet statutory requirements. For example, it does not contain information on admission arrangements for disabled pupils or the steps taken to prevent

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents’ support for their children's education at home and in the school is good. More parents help in school than in most schools. A significant number of parents give regular support in classrooms; for example, hearing pupils read or providing ‘an extra pair of hands’ during practical activities such as design and technology, other project work or educational visits. The impact of their support is very positive. The increased number of adults means that the pupils can be taught in smaller groups. By narrowing the ability range in each group, it becomes possible for staff to match the instruction very closely to the ability and level of confidence of the pupils. This has a direct impact on the progress they make. Opportunities are also available for parents to be involved in the Friends of School Association and the school's governing body. The governing body is currently supported by

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

the full compliment of parent governors. Most parents support the school by getting involved in their children’s homework assignments. A few parents express concerns over homework. Inspectors do not share parent’s concerns; homework generally relates well to the work pupils are doing and so contributes appropriately to their attainment.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The quality of leadership and management is good. The headteacher and deputy headteacher manage the school effectively. The leadership provided by the headteacher is good. She has a clear view of what the school needs to do to improve the quality of pupils’ education and the standards that they attain. She has already begun to introduce suitable measures to do this. For example, arrangements for tracking pupils’ progress are more thorough than at the time of the previous inspection. As a result pupils' attainments in the national tests at the end of Year 6 have improved.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school’s aims clearly stress the importance that it places on good relationships, firm discipline based on sound moral values and on all pupils having equal opportunities in everything that it offers to them. The headteacher has generated a strong team spirit amongst the staff. Staff have a firm commitment to supporting each other and to helping the school to improve. There is a consistency of approach that ensures that the school’s fundamental aims and values are reflected in most important areas of the school’s work. This results in a well-ordered and pleasant learning environment, within which pupils are confident and well behaved.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Few management responsibilities are given to staff. The deputy headteacher is a very effective leader of the teaching team. In her role as ‘leading professional’, she presents a clear model of high quality teaching that is an example to other staff. She has considerable expertise, particularly in the teaching of English, and sets high standards for Springhead Primary School herself and for colleagues. Since joining the school, she has been influential in improving the teaching of English throughout the school, improving pupils’ attitudes and behaviour, co-ordinating arrangements for pupils with special educational needs and raising standards of attainment by the end of Key Stage 2. However, whilst focusing very successfully on work in the classroom, the deputy headteacher has been less involved in the overall management of the school and this has restricted the development of an effective senior management team. Other teachers have taken on the responsibility for

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

managing a subject throughout the school. They are enthusiastic and are developing an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in their subjects, but they have not all been able to complete this picture by seeing other teachers at work. This reduces their effectiveness as subject managers.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governing body is fulfilling most of its responsibilities and making sure that the school provides all that it should for the pupils. There have been improvements in this area since the last inspection. The governing body is now well informed. Governors have a clearer picture of what goes on in the school. They work well together through their committees. For example, governors have gained a good understanding of the school’s financial dealings as a result of the work of an effective finance committee. Individual governors oversee work in literacy and numeracy and the governor responsible for monitoring special educational needs is closely involved in all stages of the process.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. There is, however, one important weakness in the governors’ overseeing of the work of the school. The governing body has not agreed a comprehensive health and safety policy that gives details of all agreed procedures for teaching and non-teaching staff. Governors do not carry out regular health and safety visits that monitor the extent of staff compliance with agreed procedures and identify and evaluate potential health and safety risks on the school premises. They do not ensure that staff and governors receive periodic health and safety training. Whilst the inspection did not note any evidence of concern about the safety, care and protection of pupils, this is, nevertheless, unsatisfactory as it is the responsibility of the governing body to make sure that there are secure procedures for carrying out health and safety policy.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Since the last inspection, there has been some improvement in the way the school monitors, evaluates and develops its teaching. Teachers and governors compare the achievements of pupils at Springhead Primary School with those of pupils nationally and in similar schools. The headteacher looks for differences in the attainments of different groups of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils from year to year and staff analyse pupils’ answers to specific questions in order to identify strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. This has resulted in measures to improve pupils’ writing. The school also tracks the progress of pupils in other year groups and uses the information to set targets, to identify pupils needing additional support or to establish ability groups for some lessons in junior classes. The weakness in the school’s monitoring and evaluation procedures is that there is no regular programme of classroom observations by the headteacher or other staff. There

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

have been occasional observations as part of the introduction of the school’s literacy and numeracy strategies and these have helped co-ordinators to support their colleagues and bring about greater consistency throughout the school. However, most staff have not received training in this aspect of monitoring and there are no arrangements to allow subject co-ordinators to see for themselves just exactly needs to be done. This is unsatisfactory.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school identifies suitable priorities. They are clearly set out in its improvement plan, together with specific targets and suitable action plans to help it to achieve its intentions. There is a continuing focus on what the school plans to do to improve the areas of weakness that were pointed out in the previous inspection. In addition, the school has thoughtfully identified other issues, including improving the quality of teaching and using Springhead Primary School assessment data more effectively, on which it wishes to concentrate its efforts. Financial planning effectively links spending with priorities in the school's development plan. This is an improvement since the 1997 inspection. The headteacher and governing body systematically and thoroughly review progress towards improvement targets and amend the plan, where necessary, to ensure that adequate time and funding is available for staff

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Careful financial planning effectively supports the school’s educational aims and priorities. This planning is appropriately forward-looking and governors are already considering initiatives that extend beyond the current year. This ensures that the school meets its ongoing financial commitments and targets available funds on identified areas for development that are carefully linked with its drive to raise pupils' attainment and improve the quality of education provided. For example, the school’s budget surplus is part of a planned programme to allocate money to reducing the headteacher’s teaching commitment, in order to improve aspects of school management. The governing body, in close collaboration with the headteacher and school secretary, manages the school’s delegated budget efficiently. The use of the school’s budget is carefully planned and regularly monitored by the peripatetic bursar. The school uses specific grant funding, such

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

as the Standards Fund, appropriately. The school applies the principles of best value for money well. It uses data to compare its performance with that of similar schools and strives to improve the performance of all of its pupils. It is careful to ensure that services provided by outside bodies are economic and effective. The school provides sound value for money.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The number of teachers and support staff effectively meets the demands of the curriculum and enables the school to give sound support to pupils with special educational needs. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. In some classes, pupils are taught by more than one teacher. There are suitable arrangements to ensure communication between job-share partners and to safeguard the quality of pupils’ education. There is a satisfactory balance between the number of experienced teachers and those who have been more recently trained. The school secretary supports the smooth day-to-day running of the school effectively. The school has made suitable arrangements to manage the performance of teachers and these are beginning to contribute to improvements in teaching and learning. Arrangements for supporting teachers who are new to the school are helpful for newly qualified teachers. They receive

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the support of an experienced mentor and the school provides time for them to attend meetings, undertake additional training and observe good practice. Together, these arrangements help newly qualified teachers consolidate their teaching skills and overcome difficulties that arise.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The quality of accommodation is satisfactory. The building is attractive, welcoming and cleaned to a high standard by the site manager and his staff. Displays in classrooms and corridors are of good quality. They celebrate a wide variety of pupils’ work and help build pupils’ self-esteem. The classrooms vary considerably in size and are not always put to their best use. There are 40 pupils in the school’s smallest teaching area and, whilst skilful teaching minimises any disadvantage to their learning, conditions are not suited to active learning and are cramped and unpleasant, particularly during spells of hot weather. The grounds are spacious and provide good facilities for physical education and for play during periods of fine weather. Pupils’ toilets are still in need of refurbishment. This was noted at the time of the previous inspection, but the necessary work has not been carried out.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The resources in the school are good. Most subjects have a good range of books, artefacts, materials and other apparatus that allow teachers to plan a good range of stimulating and enjoyable activities. For example, the good range and quality of reading books adds to pupils’ enjoyment of reading and is helping to raise standards and the very Springhead Primary School good range of historical artefacts helps pupils to improve their skills in historical enquiry. Similarly, the availability of apparatus and materials for marbling and silk painting raises standards of attainment in art. The school’s use of a residential trip and other educational visits adds to the quality of resources. The school’s current stock of computers is largely out of date as is some of the software currently in use. However, the school has received its additional funding and more modern equipment and programs are now ‘on order’ for the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

new school year. There is an adequate supply of reference books that includes resources based on other cultures. This allows teachers to include this aspect in a range of subjects, such as English, music, art and history. However, there is scope for this provision to be extended. Springhead Primary School

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

62. In order to extend the school’s current achievements, the governors, headteacher and staff should jointly:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. improve the overall attendance rate and the measures that the school takes to monitor and raise attendance by: i) giving parents clearer information about the importance of regular attendance and about the school’s expectations and their rights and responsibilities in this regard; ii) monitoring attendance more rigorously and taking a stronger position on all incidents of regular or unexplained absence; iii) using the outcomes of monitoring to target any specific causes of poor attendance; iv) raising the profile of attendance in the minds of the pupils so that they take pride in coming to school every day; (paragraphs 13 and 41)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. strengthen the governing body’s procedures for ensuring the health and safety of staff and pupils by: i) ensuring that the school has a comprehensive health and safety policy that gives details of all agreed procedures for teaching and non-teaching staff; ii) carrying out regular health and safety visits that monitor the extent of staff compliance with agreed procedures and identify and evaluate potential health and safety risks on the school premises; iii) ensuring that staff and governors receive periodic health and safety training; (paragraphs 40 and 55)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. improve the management of the curriculum and the monitoring of standards and quality by: i) improving assessment procedures to include more regular assessments in the Foundation Stage and by making the assessment of science and other subjects more consistent throughout the school; ii) agreeing and delegating management roles and responsibilities for the deputy headteacher, senior staff and curriculum co-ordinators; iii) ensuring that all staff with management responsibilities undertake training that enables them to observe and evaluate teaching and learning effectively; iv) establishing an on-going programme of classroom observations as part of the curriculum development process; v) using the outcomes of monitoring to inform staff development, curriculum and whole-school improvement initiatives. (paragraphs 44-45, 53, 56, 65, 82, 94, 109, 115, 121, 124 and 134)

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OTHER ISSUES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

i) Improve working conditions for pupils and staff by ensuring that the larger classes occupy the more spacious areas of the school (paragraph 60). ii) Carry out the refurbishment of pupils’ toilets recommended in the previous inspection report (paragraph 60). iii) Ensure that the school’s prospectus and governing body’s annual report to parents comply with statutory requirements for the information they contain (paragraph 49). Springhead Primary School

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 23

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

8 25 40 25 2 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 160

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 11

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 6

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 13

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 5

p.25

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Springhead Primary School

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 14 9 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Percentage of pupils School 74 (82) 74 (77) 78 (82) at NC Level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Boys Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

Percentage of pupils School 74 (77) 78 (82) 83 (82) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 7

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 Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 18 17 35

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 13 10 15 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 11 9 11

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 69 (60) 54 (71) 74 (69) at NC Level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 13 13 18 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 4 and above Girls 14 12 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 77 (51) 71 (46) 94 (66) at NC Level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Data about performance of boys and girls in Key Stage 1 has been omitted because the number of girls concerned is below ten 10 and the number of boys, though above ten10 , is low. Any comparisons based on such low numbers could be statistically unreliable. Springhead Primary School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 5 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y R – Y6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.6 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 301,909.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Expenditure per pupil 1,745.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 158 Balance brought forward from previous year 24,453.00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 32,844.00 Springhead Primary School

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 48 42 6 4 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 31 61 2 2 4

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 17 53 22 6 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 54 10 4 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 26 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 33 2 2 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 20 59 15 4 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 26 56 11 2 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 35 59 2 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 8 21 47 11 13 Springhead Primary School PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. The children in the current reception class joined the school in the September before their fifth birthday. The oldest children started full-time, with the younger ones on a part-time basis for the first few weeks. Parents visit school for a meeting with the reception class teacher and this enables links with home to begin to be established. The teacher assessed the children shortly after their arrival and their standards overall were in line with those expected for children of this age. However, a small number of pupils have immature speech and language skills.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, with good teaching in 43 per cent of observed lessons. This promotes children’s sound learning and, by the end of the reception class, children attain the Early Learning Goals for children in the Foundation Stage. In personal, social and emotional development and aspects of language and mathematical development, children's learning is particularly successful and children make good progress. The class teacher and nursery nurse are good at encouraging children with particular needs. For example, they carefully direct questions to a child with a specific speech difficulty and give him plenty of time to answer. This boosts his confidence and encourages him to participate in speaking and listening activities. These findings indicate a marked improvement since the last inspection, when teaching was unsatisfactory.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Long term planning incorporates all six areas of learning, although topics are organised under National Curriculum subject headings. This is also an improvement, as planning was found to be weak in the last inspection. However, daily activities are not consistently planned with enough attention to what individual children need to learn and this sometimes restricts their progress. Shortly after starting school and again at the end of their first year, the class teacher assesses children’s language, literacy and mathematical skills, using baseline assessment materials. However, she has not yet established clear systems for regularly assessing and recording each child’s attainment and progress and using this information to plan the next step of their learning.

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Personal, social and emotional development

66. Children attain standards of personal and social development that are above average for their age. They are happy, settled and well used to the classroom systems. Almost all are confident and show a good degree of independence in their response to activities and daily routines. Every morning when they arrive, children practise writing their names in their own workbooks, which they take out and put away themselves. They put on their aprons for art and craft activities without adult help and tidy up well at the end of sessions. They are very well motivated to learn, settling to tasks and concentrating well for extended periods of time. They are keen to bring items in from home for displays, such as the ‘shiny table’, and are very proud to receive a sticker for their effort. Almost all children are patient and take their turn, for example when waiting for their milk. They show consideration for

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Personal, social and emotional development

others and handle books and equipment carefully. When moving around school, when they go to the hall for assembly, for instance, they follow instructions and are very sensible and co-operative. Their behaviour is very good. Teaching is good and successfully promotes children’s personal, social and emotional development. The reception class teacher has a good understanding of how young children learn. Along with the nursery nurse, she establishes good relationships with the children along with clear expectations of good behaviour. They encourage children to carry out tasks independently and sensibly and consistently praise their efforts. This successfully builds their self-esteem, confidence Springhead Primary School and willingness to participate enthusiastically in activities. The reception class presents a calm, welcoming environment in which the children settle securely into school life.

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Communication, language and literacy

67. Children attain satisfactory standards of communication, language and literacy. They enjoy listening to stories and joining in with repeated phrases, as in The Very Hungry Caterpillar . Within the class group almost all children express themselves confidently and communicate their ideas simply. By the end of the reception year, they are familiar with handling books and considering the title page, author and illustrator. They recognise familiar words and are beginning to associate letters and sounds. Most are on the initial stages of reading and all enjoy sharing a book. All the children write their own names and some are beginning to write simple words and phrases independently. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Each day, children have planned opportunities to talk to adults and each other, for example completing the weather board. The nursery nurse uses this opportunity well to extend children’s vocabulary, as when they discussed the difference

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Communication, language and literacy

between, ‘breezy’ and ‘windy’. Similarly, children regularly bring things of interest from home to present to each other in ‘show and tell’ time. The class teacher and nursery nurse ask well-directed questions, which encourage children’s communication skills. A good range of resources, including dressing-up clothes and the ‘Sunflower Café’ role-play area, successfully provides opportunities for children to explore imaginative language. Teaching is effective. The teacher selects stimulating texts to share, which are linked to children’s topic work. These form the basis of a range of practical activities, such as cutting and sticking pictures of parts of the story in the correct sequence. These activities promote children’s story telling skills well. From their earliest days in reception, children’s interest in reading is encouraged by regularly taking home books to share with their parents. Children’s writing skills are promoted through a satisfactory range of activities,

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Communication, language and literacy

including practising letter shapes and patterns, making an illustrated book and ‘signing in’ each day. The class teacher maintains records of children’s progress in aspects of reading. However, she does not track achievements in communication, language and literacy thoroughly enough. Nor does she use assessment information directly to inform the planning of future work to ensure that it provides enough challenge to move children on in their learning.

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Mathematical development

68. Children develop sound mathematical understanding. They gain a good sense of number, order and sequence through daily counting routines. For example, they count and record the number of children present each day and count the number of straws needed for their milk at break time. They know the names of colours and two-dimensional shapes. They learn mathematical language well, through planned, topic-linked activities, such as sponge printing ‘long’ and ‘short’ caterpillars. By the end of reception, almost all children record numbers to 10. They count and recognise numbers beyond 10 and identify the missing number in a sequence. Children make good progress in adding ‘one more’, although lower attaining children need practical support to ensure accuracy. The quality of teaching is good, with lots of planned opportunities for children to develop their understanding of number. The class teacher regularly introduces number songs and rhymes, which

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Mathematical development

successfully reinforce children’s learning. The class teacher and nursery nurse direct questions well towards groups of children, to promote thinking and check understanding. However, there are not enough procedures in place to regularly assess and record children’s progress in order to provide detailed information on which to plan the next stage of their learning. Springhead Primary School

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

69. Children acquire a sound knowledge and understanding of their world through a good range of stimulating topics. They learn about the properties of sand and water by handling and working with them. They are very interested in learning about their environment. For example, they learn what plants need in order to grow, by growing them from seed. They use magnifying glasses to look closely at minibeasts’ homes, including the wormery in the classroom. They gain further knowledge and understanding of the living world through observing and handling the guinea pigs, which are usually in school, and the gosling that visits weekly. At the time of the inspection the computer had broken down and there were no plans to repair it, as new resources are awaited. During the inspection, no observations were made of children operating other forms of technology to support their learning, such as a tape recorder. The teaching of this area of learning is satisfactory and

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

often good. Interesting activities, such as baking, motivate children’s interests well. However, procedures are not in place for observing, recording and updating what children know and can do, to inform the planning of future work.

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Physical development

70. Children’s physical development is satisfactory. They move safely and confidently in and around the reception classroom. However, although there is a designated secure outdoor area, children do not have enough opportunities to use it for vigorous free play. Children enjoy regular opportunities to be active in physical education lessons. They move with control and co-ordination and make satisfactory progress in learning to control a ball with their feet. Children use large and small construction materials and demonstrate good manipulative skills. They also use simple tools, such as scissors, with dexterity. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Within the classroom, activities are planned which promote children’s physical development alongside other areas of learning. For example, when making cakes, children learn to mix all the ingredients by stirring steadily. However, although children have some opportunities to use the small courtyard adjacent to their

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Physical development

classroom, not enough use is made of their new, recently surfaced and enclosed play area and new outdoor equipment to extend their physical skills. For example, they have limited opportunities to ride their wheeled vehicles and develop skills, such as pedalling. Also, systems are not established for the assessment of children’s progress in the acquisition of skills in order to plan what they need to learn next.

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Creative development

71. Children develop satisfactory creative skills. They enjoy singing and joining in with action songs and number rhymes, often reinforcing their learning across other areas of learning. However, they do not have ready access to percussion instruments and this limits their opportunities for exploring and learning about sounds. Children draw using pencils and a satisfactory range of markers. They use paints in various ways, including fruit and vegetable prints. They also begin to demonstrate good observational skills in their paintings of leaves and flowers. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. In general, resources are very well prepared and encourage children to approach the engaging activities confidently. However, children were over-directed during art and craft activities observed during the inspection, so that they had few opportunities to try out and express their own ideas creatively. They did not have ready access to paints and modelling

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Creative development

materials. The teacher used the session at the end of the lesson effectively as pupils reinforced their learning by explaining what they had achieved to the rest of the class. Whilst planning gives a clear idea of activities to be carried out, it does not consistently specify what the children are to learn or how this is to be achieved. Springhead Primary School

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ENGLISH

72. Standards of attainment in English are rising. However, this is not the picture that emerges from test results over the four years to 2000. In the national tests for 2000, pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in reading was well below the national average and was below average in writing. In comparison with schools of a similar character, the school’s results were well below average in both reading and writing. Over the last four years, there has been a declining trend in the results in reading and in writing; the trend has fluctuated from year to year, but dipped markedly in 2000. In the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2000, pupils’ attainment was below the national average and the average for similar schools. Similarly, there has been an erratic trend over the last few years and although there was an improvement in 2000, the school’s results were still below national expectations. The findings of the inspection and the most recent

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ENGLISH

unpublished national test results present strong evidence of further improvements.

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ENGLISH

73. Pupils’ attainment in speaking is better and the level of their listening matches the level expected for their age. In Year 1, pupils listen carefully as they learn to spell words such as ‘paddle’, ‘beach’ and ‘harbour’. They brainstorm their ideas with confidence, offering appropriate words to make sentences about their recent visit to the seaside and they make good progress. By the end of Year 2, most pupils listen for longer periods as they learn about alliteration – words that have the same starting letter. They have regular opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. They confidently read their sentences aloud and, although a few are fidgety, most listen and share each other’s work . Overall, they make good progress, despite the fact that there is a large proportion of pupils who have special educational needs in this class.

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ENGLISH

74. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is above the level expected for their age and they make good progress. Class assistants provide valuable support for those pupils with special educational needs and, as a result, they too make good progress towards the targets set for them. In Year 3, pupils suggest ‘excellent’, ‘delightful’ and ‘brilliant’ as substitutes for ‘nice’. At the end of the lesson, they reflect on their work and enthusiastically discuss this with others. One pupil clearly explains that ‘average’ means ‘the middle – half way between big and small’. As a result of these experiences, pupils make good gains in their learning. In the Years 5 and 6 class, pupils extend their speaking and listening skills and many achieve high standards in this aspect of their work. They have established a very positive relationship with their teacher and she places great importance on giving her pupils many opportunities to articulate their thinking.

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ENGLISH

They have a very good range of vocabulary and, in discussions, they listen with concentration, question each other’s ideas and opinions and enjoy these moments. They listen avidly as their teacher reads some poems written in haiku style. When asked what poetry means to them, one pupil replies, “It’s a short way of expressing feelings in writing”. They read their own haiku poems with clear diction, expression and a good sense of the particular style. These rich experiences have a strong impact on speaking and listening skills so that, by the end of Year 6, these pupils are very confident speakers.

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ENGLISH

75. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment in reading is below the level expected for their age. This is largely because of the very high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. Nevertheless, all pupils make steady progress and the higher attaining pupils make good progress. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. All are interested in reading and regular homework routines are established to support it. Good communications exist between home and school through the use of reading diaries. In Year 1, pupils read accurately and can recognise when they have made an error. Higher attaining pupils read fluently and clearly show an understanding of the story. They know what the contents page offers and select books appropriate to their own ability. By the end of Year 2, most pupils talk about the plot and characters in their books, either in phrases or Springhead Primary School

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ENGLISH

short sentences to explain the meaning. Higher attaining pupils predict what may happen next and talk about the favourite part of their story. However, pupils with special educational needs still struggle to recognise common words such as ‘ears’, ‘this’ and ‘glad’, and are slow to build up words from individual sounds of letters. They are still hesitant readers. All pupils know how to locate a book in the library, by the colour coding system.

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ENGLISH

76. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in reading is above the level expected for their age and they make good progress. They are very confident readers. In Year 3, pupils are interested in reading and read simple texts competently. Higher attaining pupils read fluently and confidently recall the story. They use letter sounds effectively to build up words such as ‘responsibility’. They ably express opinions about the plot and characters of their books and understand the role of an author and how to use an index. In Year 4, pupils’ reading skills develop further and they read more accurately, although they have some difficulty with larger words. In Year 5, pupils continue to make good progress. They read a wide variety of books and thoughtfully express the meaning of the plot. They recall their preferred authors and can give reasons for this. By the end of Year 6, pupils are avid readers. They show a clear and mature understanding of their books and confidently

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ENGLISH

predict future outcomes. They identify the main features of the story and fully understand the role of an author, illustrator and publisher. They make very good use of the school library and recommend favourite books to their friends and other pupils in the school. They have opportunities to share their interest in reading with Year 3 pupils, read to them in the library or help them to choose appropriate books. As a result, all pupils make good gains in their learning. Pupils with special educational needs respond well to the levels of extra support provided and they also make good progress towards the targets set for them. There is a good selection of library books that are particularly recommended for them.

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ENGLISH

77. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment in writing is below the level expected for their age. This is not the result of shortcomings in teaching and learning, but again because of the high number of pupils with special educational needs. Nevertheless, pupils of all levels of attainment make satisfactory progress. In Year 1, most pupils write legibly as they learn to write in sentences. They know that stories need a beginning, middle and end, which they identify with words such as ‘first’, ‘then’ and ‘next’. For example, they learn to order the events of a school trip to the seaside. By the end of Year 2, most pupils include full stops and capital letters in their writing. They spell commonly used words correctly and use a story plan so that their ideas are written in the correct sequence. Higher attaining pupils communicate meaning well and they make good progress. They use imaginative phrases

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ENGLISH

such as, “suddenly a gust blew and he landed in the middle of nowhere”. However, the large proportion of pupils with special educational needs still requires additional support to develop the basic skills in writing. In both year groups, teachers provide all pupils with good opportunities to use and develop their basic skills of writing in other subjects, such as history and geography. For example, following a visit to the seaside, Year 1 pupils have compiled their own list of objects seen on the beach at Bridlington. Year 2 pupils have carefully modelled their poems on a known poem, Small Jelly Fish , using a similar form and length of line. This enriches the curriculum and adds to the progress that pupils make.

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ENGLISH

78. By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in writing is above the level expected for their age and they make good progress. In Year 3, pupils have opportunities to write in various forms. They have written letters, biographies and autobiographies and presented points of view. For example, in one piece of writing, a pupil included in his application for the post of ‘The Big Bad Wolf’, the qualification, “I have one medal for blowing the house down”. Another clearly presented a point of view for wearing school uniform. Their writing is descriptive and mostly spelt accurately. All mis-spellings are regularly corrected and work is neatly presented. In Years 4 and 5, pupils further develop their writing skills. Their Springhead Primary School handwriting is fluent and legibly formed. Regular spelling practice and use of dictionaries enable them to spell accurately. They use punctuation correctly. The variety of writing

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ENGLISH

illustrates lively and thoughtful ideas and these are sustained and interestingly developed. They understand when to adopt the appropriate style. For instance, in a letter of complaint, one pupil wrote, “I would appreciate an apology” and in a piece of persuasive writing, another chose thoughtfully, “In my opinion… .” In the Years 5 and 6 class, pupils’ writing is mature and of a high standard. They write confidently for different purposes, with good use of vocabulary, and construct sentences accurately. They employ speech and explanation marks accurately and their handwriting is clear, fluent and well presented. By the end of Year 6, the teacher makes such intellectual and creative demands on her pupils that they make very good progress in developing adventurous and sensitive ideas. They know how to choose words for effect. For instance, one pupil wrote in his haiku-style poem about a starfish, “Deep under the sea, the starfish lay harmlessly, like a small, blind

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ENGLISH

star”. They seek to produce work of a high standard and this is evident in their writing in other areas of the curriculum, such as history, geography and art. One outstanding example of this is a caption, which describes the colours of an art display. It reads, “Summer skies, summer sunshine, dappled shades, autumn leaves, cornflowers and forest greens”. They have opportunities to write for different audiences and examples of their confidence in writing in these various forms are found, for instance, in poems, posters and other examples of factual and descriptive writing. In particular, their letter writing illustrates how well they have encapsulated several of the different styles they have learned. For example, they employ the appropriate language and form to write letters of apology, complaint and appreciation. One fine example of this is their appreciative letters to Sir Tom Courtenay, author of Dear Tom . His handwritten reply is a well-earned

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ENGLISH

acknowledgement of their interest in his work.

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ENGLISH

79. These rich, real-life experiences provide an added dimension to pupils’ learning. Pupils enjoy their literacy lessons, have very good attitudes to their work and are eager to learn. They have established very good relationships with each other and with their teachers. As they grow older, pupils learn to work independently and are willing to share and discuss their work with each other and adults. This has a positive impact on their learning and progress.

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obvious enjoyment of her lessons. As a result, all pupils are eager to work,

including those with special educational needs, and they make good progress. Springhead Primary School

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Class assistants and other adults provide a valuable contribution to pupils’

progress as they work with groups of pupils throughout the school.

p.35

Class assistants and other adults provide a valuable contribution to pupils’

81. Subject management and organisation are very effective. The English curriculum provides rich and varied experiences for all its pupils. The co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. She has provided staff with a wealth of information to support each aspect of the curriculum. A notable feature of this is the detailed programme for the development of pupils’ speaking and listening skills, which is incorporated into the National Literacy Strategy. There is a high priority placed on improving pupils’ writing skills. This is evident in their planning books, which they use to draft and edit their written tasks. There are good procedures for assessment and these are used effectively to plan lessons for pupils of differing abilities. As they grow older, pupils have opportunities to set their own targets, which teachers monitor regularly. Although the co-ordinator regularly monitors

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Class assistants and other adults provide a valuable contribution to pupils’

planning and pupils’ books, she has not yet had the opportunity to visit classes to assess the quality of teaching. Class assistants provide very valuable support to teachers as they work with these pupils. This has a positive impact on their progress and attainment. There is a good range of resources and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. Good quality displays around the school illustrate the variety of experiences offered in many areas of the curriculum.

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MATHEMATICS

82. Standards in mathematics are rising throughout the school. In the 2000 statutory tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6, results were well below the national average and well below those of similar schools. These results followed the trend of overall decline in standards in mathematics in the school in recent years. However, this is not consistent with inspection findings, which show that standards have risen markedly and are now much higher at ages of 7 and 11. Almost all pupils are working at nationally expected levels, with more than one quarter of 7-year-olds and one third of 11-year-olds working at higher levels. These findings are in line with the unpublished results of the most recent statutory tests, which indicate very significant improvements in both the percentage of pupils attaining the nationally expected Level 4 and those attaining higher than average Level 5. These findings mark an improvement since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

83. These improvements result from the staff’s strong, shared commitment to raising standards, following a period of staff change and uncertainty. The subject co-ordinator is enthusiastic about promoting higher standards and has led the staff well in the introduction of improved policies and procedures. She and the local authority numeracy consultant have had the opportunity to monitor teaching, work alongside teachers and constructively discuss findings with colleagues. Classroom assistants have also received numeracy training. As a result, staff are more confident and teaching and learning have improved throughout the school. Also, initiatives such as celebrating National Maths Day in school promote teachers’ and pupils’ interest and demonstrate that mathematics can be fun. Teachers are sensitive to the needs of individual pupils and there are no significant variations in the progress of pupils of different ability, gender or background. The school

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MATHEMATICS

has started to group older pupils according to their mathematical abilities. This arrangement helps teachers to set work that closely matches pupils’ learning needs and so improves the progress that they make. Pupils with special educational needs receive effective support and make good progress. Additional emphasis is also being given to the identification and support of higher attaining pupils so that they too make the progress that they should.

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MATHEMATICS

84. Year 1 pupils enjoy mathematics and participate readily in a range of activities including number games and rhymes. They add, subtract and identify odd and even numbers within 20 and above. They extend their mathematical language well. For example, when Springhead Primary School weighing they accurately use the terms ‘empty’, ‘half full’, ‘nearly full’ and ‘full’. By 7 years old, lower attaining pupils understand the concept of tens and units to 100 and higher attaining pupils confidently sequence numbers within 1000. They are confident in addition and subtraction. They begin to grasp the principles of multiplication and have begun work on sharing. They are familiar with a range of two- and three-dimensional shapes, including pyramids and spheres, and recognise symmetrical shapes. They measure using non- standard and standard measures, such as millilitres. They collect information, such as the

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MATHEMATICS

colours of pupils’ bicycles, and present it in a range of ways, for example as a block graph or pictogram.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Pupils in Years 3-6 continue to make good progress in their learning and apply their understanding to solve a good range of increasingly demanding problems. For example, Year 3 pupils applied themselves well and extended their skills in measuring time in days, weeks and months, as they used calendars to answer challenging questions. Pupils in Year 4 develop their multiplication skills well and use their knowledge as a basis for division work. Their work on shape involves making three-dimensional models by linking edges. They collect, organise and interpret data using bar graphs and Venn and Carroll diagrams. In Years 5 and 6, pupils identify equivalent fractions and find percentages of numbers. They work on measuring and estimating units of length, use scale on a map and interpret co-ordinates. Lower attaining pupils confidently add and subtract numbers to two places of decimals. By the age of 11, most pupils have a range of strategies at their

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MATHEMATICS

command, which they use enthusiastically to solve interesting number problems. They understand written methods of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers beyond 1000 and work confidently and accurately with large numbers. For example, pupils decided on their own methods to calculate the number of heartbeats they had experienced in their lifetime. Some children chose to check their calculations carefully with a calculator. Pupils understand and use the language of probability correctly. They accurately calculate the area and perimeter of regular shapes. They present data on a range of charts and graphs, including frequency tables, tally charts, line and pie graphs. Teachers reinforce numeracy skills effectively through work in other subjects. In science, for example, Year 1 pupils learn to read metric units of measurement. Year 2 pupils record their geography findings in charts and diagrams and Years 5/6 pupils use

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MATHEMATICS

information and communication technology to reinforce their understanding of symmetry.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Throughout the school, the quality of teaching is good. Teachers plan carefully and often share lesson objectives with their pupils. In consequence, lessons have a sharp focus and teaching is clear and authoritative. Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. The National Numeracy Strategy has been successfully established and the school is introducing a commercial scheme of work as a further support to teachers. Teachers introduce lessons with lively mental agility work and pupils are well motivated by quick-fire question and answer sessions. As a result, pupils’ rapid recall of number facts is improving. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils. They manage whole-class sessions well and pupils’ behaviour is very good. Teachers and classroom assistants are responsive to pupils' individual needs and readily give explanations. This promotes pupils’ involvement and positive attitudes towards mathematics. Pupils’ work is often presented as a

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MATHEMATICS

‘challenge’, which engages their interest well. For example, Years 4/5 pupils were keen to come up with a pattern relating the properties of a two-dimensional shape with the number of lines of symmetry that could be found in it. In the most successful lessons, teachers encourage pupils to explain the methods they use in reaching conclusions and completing tasks. This successfully reinforces pupils’ learning, whilst enabling the teacher to assess their understanding. Teachers make clear their expectations of how pupils should lay out their work and almost all pupils respond with neat workbooks. Teachers successfully use the results of their observations, marking and regular assessments to ensure that tasks are usually well adapted for the different levels of attainment within the class. Also, teachers regularly restructure lesson plans to meet the learning needs of individual pupils, Springhead Primary School

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MATHEMATICS

on the basis of their assessment in a particular lesson. However, although teachers use marking well to inform their planning, they do not use it effectively enough in giving guidance to pupils about the strengths and weaknesses of their work or how they can improve it. Teachers bring pupils together at the end of lessons for a worthwhile recap of what has been achieved by individuals and groups of pupils. Teachers use this opportunity well to praise pupils’ efforts and boost their confidence.

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SCIENCE

87. Standards in science are rising. In the 2000 National Curriculum tests and assessments in science, pupils’ results were well below the national average and the average for similar schools at the age of 7 and below average at the age of 11. However, standards at the end of Year 6 have risen steadily over the last three years and inspection evidence and the results from more recent unpublished tests and assessments in 2001 show that pupils in the current Years 2 and 6 are again doing better this year.

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SCIENCE

88. In Year 2, the proportion of pupils on course to attain or exceed the nationally expected standard is about the same as last year. However, in the current Year 2 class there are more pupils who have difficulties with their learning or who are on the register of special educational need. These pupils have done well and some have achieved higher standards than might have been expected from their prior attainments. Despite below average results overall, all pupils in Key Stage 1 are making sound progress and achieving satisfactory standards by the end of Year 2.

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SCIENCE

89. In Year 6, standards have improved considerably. The proportion of pupils attaining or exceeding the nationally expected standard is much higher than it was in 2000 and more pupils than ever are attaining the above average Level 5. The results of the 2001 (unpublished) tests have moved ahead of the national average for the preceding year. Pupils in junior classes have made good progress. Pupils are achieving higher standards at the end of Year 6 than might have been expected on the basis Year 2 results. Factors contributing to this include: • a high proportion of good and very good teaching throughout Key Stage 2; • a suitable emphasis on teaching the skills of scientific investigation: • topics that are appealing to pupils yet challenging enough to bring the best out of more able pupils; • effective links with other subjects that allow teachers to reinforce pupils’ understanding of science; • pupils’ positive response during science lessons.

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SCIENCE

90. By the time that they leave the school, pupils have a good understanding of the principles of scientific investigation. They plan simple experiments that are reliable and fair. They know about life processes and living things, materials and their properties and physical processes. Most pupils know the correct names for the major organs in plants and human beings. They know the conditions that affect growth and development and understand why various environmental conditions give rise to different habitats and organisms. Pupils know about different materials; for example, that some are conductors and others are insulators. They apply this effectively in work on electricity, magnetism or temperature. Most pupils describe accurately how forces such as friction and gravity affect motion, with more able pupils understanding the concept of ‘balancing forces’ when talking about why vehicles move.

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SCIENCE

91. The teaching and learning of science are good. Teachers have good levels of knowledge and understanding or, if this is lacking, prepare carefully for the work to be covered. As a result, they use scientific vocabulary confidently and explain the underlying ideas in a way that pupils can understand. This gives a clarity and authority to their teaching that adds Springhead Primary School considerably to the quality of Year 6 pupils’ learning when they consider the importance of ‘variables’ when planning and conducting an investigation. Appealing topics, such as the current Year 2 growth and development project, enthuse the pupils. Regular ‘visits’ by a baby gosling motivate pupils effectively by engaging their interest and enthusiasm. Group work and individual research assignments involve pupils in their learning and increase the progress that they make. More able pupils respond particularly well to teachers’ high

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SCIENCE

expectations and produce a very good standard of work. There is evidence that teachers plan investigative and experimental work. For example, pupils’ files contain accounts of investigations into magnetism, patterns of magnetic attraction, the strength of magnets, and material that will ‘block’ the force of magnets. There are also records of similar investigations into forces, such as gravity, upthrust and friction, and into aspects of the growth and development of plants, animals and humans. In doing this work, pupils make predictions, take measurements, record results and draw simple conclusions. Older pupils benefit from opportunities to plan and conduct their own experiments that are reliable and fair. This make pupils more responsible for their own work and so contributes to their personal development as well as to their scientific understanding.

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SCIENCE

92. Pupils are enthusiastic about their work in science. Pupils in infant classes are attentive. They are beginning to think scientifically. They make careful observations, notice change and try to explain what they have seen in the light of their scientific understanding. This is improving the quality of their learning and the progress that they make. Older pupils rise to the challenge of demanding tasks. They work collaboratively and confidently explain what they are doing and why. Throughout the school, pupils record most of their work independently. This not only makes pupils think very carefully about what they have been doing, but also adds to their developing literary skills.

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SCIENCE

93. The management of the subject is sound. The co-ordinator is introducing national guidelines alongside the school’s existing scheme of work. There are good links between science and other subjects, such as information and communication technology, mathematics and design and technology. For example, pupils apply their understanding of electricity when designing battery-powered vehicles. This reinforces pupils’ understanding and gives rise to some very interesting projects. There are, however, no whole-school procedures for teachers to assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding at the end of each topic. Most teachers carry out informal assessments that help highlight areas of weakness and allow them to plan the content of future teaching accordingly, but the assessment and recording of pupils’ skills in science is inconsistent and remains an area of weakness in the current curricular arrangements.

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ART AND DESIGN

94. Standards in art are above nationally expected levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. This marks an improvement since the last inspection. Around the school, pupils’ carefully mounted and displayed work shows a good range of two- and three-dimensional work. By the age of 11, pupils are familiar with a wide range of materials, tools and techniques used in art, craft and design. They also learn about and appreciate the work of other artists and craftspeople.

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ART AND DESIGN

95. Younger pupils use paint confidently and show an awareness of shading and texture in their pencil drawings and leaf rubbings. By the end of Year 2, pupils are alert to patterns around them. They study William Morris prints, make printing blocks and print their own wrapping paper. Year 3 pupils concentrate very well and make good progress in learning to print their design onto cloth, using the techniques of batik. In Year 4, pupils consolidate and extend their pencil skills well. For example, they respond to carefully selected pieces of music with equally carefully executed pencil sketches of flowing, dripping and pouring water. In Years 5 and 6, pupils try out a range of pencils to achieve different effects; for Springhead Primary School example, in their still life sketches of household items or drawings of three-dimensional shapes. They have ample opportunities to explore their ideas and develop their own

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ART AND DESIGN

designs. They extend their skills well, designing and producing an exciting range of work with hessian, sculptures and silk prints. Teachers respond very positively to all pupils' ideas and efforts. This successfully promotes pupils’ confidence and readiness to apply themselves well to art projects. They enjoy art and are very keen to discuss their current and previous work.

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ART AND DESIGN

96. The quality of teaching is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection, when teaching was satisfactory. Teachers are enthusiastic about the subject and have good subject knowledge and understanding. They approach topics with confidence, plan well and prepare materials and equipment carefully in advance. They take time to introduce topics thoroughly and in a lively way. This successfully engages pupils’ interest and promotes their understanding. As a result, pupils make good progress in learning and standards are good. In order to broaden pupils’ awareness and understanding of aspects of art, teachers introduce pupils to a range of artists as they move through the school, including Turner, Monet, Van Gogh, Mondrian and Picasso. Occasionally, pupils also have experience of non-western art, as when Year 3 examined traditional Japanese prints. They experimented with different brushes and black paints and inks before producing work

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ART AND DESIGN

in a similar style. Teachers often plan art projects, which link with work in other subjects. This adds relevance to the work and promotes learning well. For example, junior pupils visited an art gallery and studied paintings of maritime fishing as a development of their work in history and geography.

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ART AND DESIGN

97. Pupils' learning in art makes a valuable contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils’ growing appreciation of the beauty of the natural world, as seen Years 5/6’s studies of an amaryllis, supports their spiritual development well. Similarly, their knowledge and understanding of the work of artists and craftspeople promotes their cultural development. Visitors to school add to teachers’ and pupils’ interest and awareness. Most notably, a textile artist worked with the school to produce their Millennium Wallhangings, to which each pupil contributed their own embroidered square. Pupils are very proud of this work, which hangs on display in school.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. Timetable arrangements for the week of the inspection meant that only one lesson of design and technology could be inspected. This lesson, along with teachers planning, discussions with teachers and pupils and pupils completed work, indicates that pupils in infant and junior classes are on course to attain standards in line with expectations for their age by the time that they leave the school. Most pupils make satisfactory gains in knowledge, understanding and skills as they move through the school. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, when standards in junior classes were below national expectations and pupils’ progress was unsatisfactory. There was insufficient evidence to make judgements about the progress of pupils with special educational needs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. The revision of the content of the curriculum in line with national guidelines and the introduction of improved planning guidelines have moved the school forwards and are central to the raising of standards. Teachers choose topics that allow pupils to learn, use and develop skills in a more logical order. This improves the quality of pupils’ learning and promotes sound progress over time. Planning for topics is more thorough and includes balanced coverage of all elements. Pupils in infant classes are investigating the properties of different materials, producing simple, but appropriate design drawings and learning how to use different tools and techniques for making things. The ‘puppet’ project illustrates this: pupils’ finished puppets are original, finished to a good standard and many bear a striking resemblance to their design drawings. Springhead Primary School 100. The work of older pupils now also has many good features. For example, the Key Stage 2

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

‘musical instrument’ project covers four year groups and allows teachers to plan and teach skills that are suitably matched to pupils’ age and ability. It begins with a very effective investigation of different tuned and untuned instruments, during which pupils try to find out what makes different instruments work and how they might employ similar principles in their own models. Finished products will range from simple shakers and scrapers to ‘Andean’ wind-pipes and tuned chime bars. This is a challenging yet enjoyable experience for many pupils that gives rise to high levels of interest and involvement and so promotes effective learning. Pupils’ designs are more detailed. Designs for Christmas cards show not only what the card will look like, but also how the linkages will make the moving parts work. Pupils evaluate their work. One pupil described this as “finding better ways to make things work” when describing the making of an electrically powered vehicle, and pupils in

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Year 3 designed and made a board game and evaluated how well it worked.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Long term planning for the subject is coherent. It is closely linked to other areas of the curriculum and presents pupils with a good range and balance of activities over time. The links with other subjects are particularly effective. For example, pupils use their scientific knowledge to build electrical circuits to power their vehicles and to make the ‘horn’ work. Similarly, they put their understanding of sound to good use in designing musical instruments. This approach strengthens pupils’ learning in both subjects.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. There is not enough evidence against which to make judgements about the overall quality of teaching or about pupils’ attitudes to design and technology. In the one lesson that was inspected, teaching, learning and pupils’ attitudes were good. The teacher had planned and prepared the lesson thoroughly. This allowed a complex lesson to proceed smoothly. The lesson was very appealing to the pupils, because it was ‘hands on’ and interactive. As a result, pupils were very enthusiastic and interested, maintained concentration and effort throughout the lesson and so made good progress. The untuned instruments that they made were original and well made.

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GEOGRAPHY

103. Standards are satisfactory by the end of Year 2 and Year 6 and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make steady progress. These judgements are similar to the previous inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. In Year 1, pupils gain a suitable understanding of their immediate surroundings. For example, they draw simple maps of their classroom and routes from home to school. Following a visit to Bridlington, they make lists of what they saw and, using their experiences, create a three-dimensional plan of the seaside with sand and shells. By the end of Year 2, pupils talk about the things they saw at Bridlington and know that a cobble is a type of boat. Higher attaining pupils recognise similarities and differences between their own town and Bridlington. They record their observations in a variety of ways, such as lists, pictures or diagrams. They confidently use library books to find information about their tasks. As a result, they make steady gains in their learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. Pupils continue to make sound progress as they move through the school. Teachers promote the development of mapping skills and the appropriate use of geographical vocabulary through the topics they cover. For example, in the Years 4 and 5 class, pupils study the journey of the River Hull from its source to its mouth and use an Ordinance Survey map to identify main features. In the Years 5 and 6 class, pupils learn about the importance of the whaling industry in Hull. By the end of Year 6, pupils know how to use grid references and demonstrate knowledge and understanding of seas around the British Isles. They offer views about environmental change and the effects of the weather in a Springhead Primary School forest or town. They have compiled a concise written guide of places to see from High Eske to Top Hill.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. As only two lessons were observed, no overall judgement can be made about the quality of teaching. However, positive features of these lessons are: • good subject knowledge; • realistic expectations of attitudes, behaviour and use of time; • clear planning; • valuable support provided by class assistants as they work with pupils with special educational needs.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work and are eager to learn. They are mostly very well behaved and work well with each other. This has a positive impact on their learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. The curriculum is carefully planned. The subject is taught in a four-year cycle and the scheme of work has been successfully adapted by the recently appointed co-ordinator. It now provides clear identification of the skills to be taught and built upon as pupils move through the school. A good range of educational visits and visitors enhances the curriculum and there are also very good links with other subjects, such as history and literacy. Resources are good and teachers use them well. The co-ordinator informally monitors teachers’ plans, but has not yet had the opportunity to visit classes to assess the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work, but do not always provide constructive comments to support pupils’ understanding of what they have achieved or what they need to do to improve further. Formal assessment of pupils’ work is in its early stages, but the co-ordinator is aware of the need to develop this further.

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HISTORY

109. By the ages of 7 and 11, pupils attain standards in history that are above what is normally expected for pupils at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. The school provides a rich and stimulating curriculum in history and as a result, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in the acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills. This is a strength of the school and is an improvement since the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

110. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 develop a good sense of the passing of time when they compare old and new means of transport. For example, they have had the opportunity to examine some old bicycles and toys at first hand, and draw comparisons between them and their own models. They understand how to sequence events in their lives and compare the age of a variety of houses. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand about the past and the changes that the passage of time has brought into their own lives. They know how to find out about the past and are beginning to interpret sources of historical information. For example, pupils were observed looking at an interesting range of old objects, which they had to examine, describe and identify. As they handled them and discussed their likely uses, they developed their speaking and listening skills as they interacted with each other and their teacher. They enjoyed using magnifying glasses to closely scrutinise their

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HISTORY

objects and made very good sketches of what they saw. For example, one Year 2 pupil reported to the class as he tried to describe an old carriage lamp, “I thought the candle would light when I opened the cover but now I know I need to light it!” Another used some oil he found in an old tyre pump to rub into his sketch to make it look more authentic.

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HISTORY

111. Pupils build on this good start as they move through the school. They improve their understanding of the passing of time and develop a sense of chronology through using timelines. For example, in an excellent lesson in Year 3, pupils gained knowledge about different periods of time. They worked collaboratively as they arranged old photographs in Springhead Primary School chronological order, based on their topic of Hull. They were encouraged to look at similarities and differences and to ‘read the picture’. This challenging task gave pupils a clearer understanding of the concept of changes that occur over time. Pupils know the role of an archaeologist and the purpose of archives. In Years 4 and 5, pupils further develop their research skills as they select information from a variety of sources. They used maps, books and information and communication technology to provide them with an understanding of the consequence of events and changes in the world around them in

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HISTORY

their topic on whaling in Hull. By the end of Year 6, pupils produce work from selected and organised information, such as the local census, to illustrate their understanding of the main characteristics of the past and the present. For instance, they have compared ancient and modern maps of Hull and used these to create a timeline. They have traced the growth and decline of the whaling industry and understand and clearly explain the reasons for changes in the industry.

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HISTORY

112. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work. They show a keen interest in their work and are really curious to know about the past. They rise to the challenge of intellectually demanding activities and so make good progress. They enjoy their lessons and are very well behaved.

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HISTORY

113. The quality of teaching is very good overall, with one excellent lesson observed in Year 3. All teachers have very good subject knowledge and high expectations of their pupils. In the Years 4 and 5 class, pupils were able to brainstorm their ideas and collate these on a ‘concept map’ before developing these notes into a piece of informative writing. Teachers use resources, such as letters, maps and information and communication technology, to stimulate and sustain pupils’ interest and excitement in their work. For instance, in the Year 2 class, one pupil exclaimed as he opened an old lamp, “Look, look! There’s real soot inside!” Teachers plan their lessons well for pupils of differing abilities and use skilful questioning to ensure that they have a clear perception of pupils’ knowledge and understanding of their work. In the Years 5 and 6 class, the teacher motivates her pupils very effectively. They are very keen and proud to share their thoughts, ideas and opinions

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HISTORY

with each other and make constructive comments about their work. They are mature and confident speakers and can recall the key aspects of their work by making reference to their findings. This is having a very strong impact on their learning. Class assistants and other adults who work in classes provide valuable support to teachers and this improves pupils’ progress.

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HISTORY

114. The curriculum provides a rich experience for all pupils. The experienced co-ordinator has adapted a commercial scheme of work to more accurately match the needs of the school. This is detailed and informative and clearly outlines the skills that pupils should be taught throughout the school. This is another improvement since the previous inspection. However, although the co-ordinator monitors pupils’ work she does not yet have the opportunity to visit classes. Literacy makes a very strong contribution to the subject and there are very good links with geography and art. For example, in the Years 4 and 5 class, the teacher used an old painting of a trawler in a stormy sea to illustrate how fishermen caught and killed whales. This use of imagery made a strong contribution to pupils’ understanding of the conditions of working at sea. Resources are good and good use is made of the local museum service. There are opportunities for visits to places of interest,

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HISTORY

such as the Hornsea Museum and the Transport Museum. The school welcomes parents and visitors, such as a wartime evacuee and a collector of old bicycles. All of these experiences provide an added dimension to pupils’ progress and to their spiritual, social, cultural and personal development. Springhead Primary School

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

115. Most pupils in both infant and junior classes are making satisfactory progress and attaining nationally expected standards by the time that they leave the school. Evidence from the pupil interviews suggests that pupils with special educational needs also make sound progress.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

116. The ICT co-ordinator and staff have been struggling to maintain a satisfactory level of provision and to maintain pupils’ regular use of computers in their learning across the curriculum. This is because much of the schools ICT equipment is old and falling into disrepair. However, things are about to change. The school has received additional funding and new computers and software are ‘on order’ for the new school year. Necessary work ahead of the installation has already begun and training for staff is booked.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

117. Despite very real difficulties, staff have successfully maintained satisfactory standards. Teachers keep accurate records, detailing pupils’ use of computers and the skills they have acquired. They use these records effectively to ensure that all pupils have equal access and the opportunity to use computers regularly. They also use them to make sure that no pupils are missed when new skills are being taught. Teachers have devised efficient teaching methods that involve pupils passing on their skills to others under the supervision of the teacher or other adult. This arrangement works well as it adds to pupils’ personal development and ensures that new skills are disseminated more quickly than if the teacher had to work with each individual pupil.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

118. The school has enough hardware and software to cover all strands of the ICT curriculum, although at present control technology is under-represented. This should improve when the new resources begin to be used. The strength of the current arrangements is the extent to which the use of ICT is integrated into the curriculum as a whole. For example, using a suitable program to reinforce lower attaining pupils’ understanding of symmetry gives pupils’ work in ICT a real purpose and adds considerably to the quality of pupils’ learning in both ICT and in mathematics.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

119. During a structured interview, pupils in Year 6 spoke about and demonstrated their ICT skills very confidently and competently. Pupils have sufficient understanding to use computers independently. They switch on, open programs, retrieve saved work, enter data, save and print their work. They do this efficiently and accurately, whilst describing what they are doing in correct technical terms. Pupils have good word-processing skills. They type with reasonable accuracy then edit and improve their work effectively. They know how to change the appearance of their work and how to combine pictures and text. There are frequent examples of the effective use of ICT for information handling. For example, pupils use spreadsheets to enter data about people’s physical characteristics then use the program to display the data in the form of a graph. They also record their observations in science and produce graphic evidence of which plant won the growth race.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

Pupils use simulations and database programs as part of their research work in geography and history, for example examining aerial photographs of the area in which they live. They also have experience of the creative potential of ICT, using ‘Draw and Paint’ programs in art and composition programs in music.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

120. The co-ordinator for ICT has worked hard to keep the school’s current equipment in working order. She has identified suitable priorities for the further development of the subject. These include: • on-going training for staff alongside the introduction of national guidelines for the teaching of ICT; • the monitoring of teaching through classroom observation; Springhead Primary School • the introduction of procedures for assessing and recording pupils’ attainments in ICT.

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MUSIC

121. Standards in music are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils have regular opportunities to sing, play musical instruments, make simple compositions and listen to and appraise music. Teachers and support staff are committed to ensuring that pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in musical activities. This enables them to make as much progress as other pupils. These findings reflect those of the last inspection.

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MUSIC

122. Pupils know a wide range of songs and hymns. They sing tunefully and expressively in assembly and hymn practice. They follow instructions well, control their voices and sing with confidence. Teachers have recently adopted a commercial scheme to give structure to planning for the progressive development of pupils’ musical skills. This is beginning to have an effect. By the age of 7, pupils create and develop their musical ideas, using a good range of percussion instruments. They handle instruments with care and confidence. They understand that sounds can be represented by symbols and they produce simple compositions. Pupils in Year 3 develop their listening skills by participating in a good range of well-planned activities, including a ‘Steady Beat Quiz’. They also listened to The Carnival of the Animals and created and recorded their own musical patterns to represent the animals. Pupils enjoy these activities and concentrate well. By the age of 11, pupils

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MUSIC

perform from formal notation. They enjoy exploring ways in which sounds can be played in combination. For example, with the support of two pupils from the local secondary school, pupils in Years 5 and 6 worked in three groups to practise a familiar piece of music using their own body parts to beat the rhythm. At the end of the lesson they came together and performed the piece in the school hall and were very proud of the result.

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MUSIC

123. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan their lessons to include varied and interesting activities. This active involvement increases pupils' enjoyment of music and improves their learning. However, some teachers do not regularly assess pupils' progress and ensure that planned tasks closely match pupils' abilities. In the lessons observed, all pupils were given similar tasks, with no reference to their individual skills and experience. This limited the progress of more able pupils. A notable feature of teaching is the very good relationships teachers maintain with their pupils. Their ready praise and patience promotes pupils' confidence. Pupils are keen to take part in musical activities and they behave very well.

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MUSIC

124. Participation in musical events, such as the annual Carol Service in the church and Harvest Festival in school, and occasional visits from musical ensembles, contributes to pupils' musical development. Teachers also run extra-curricular activities, including choir, ‘warblers’, recorders and guitar, which reinforce and extend pupils’ musical skills. Junior pupils have opportunities for instrumental tuition, which promotes the learning of those involved. Teachers play a range of recorded music as pupils enter assembly and this promotes pupils’ awareness and listening skills. Overall, pupils’ learning in music makes a satisfactory contribution to their social and cultural development. However, there are few musical activities planned to extend pupils' multi-cultural knowledge and experience. Springhead Primary School

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. Pupils throughout the school reach the expected standards in the aspects of the physical education curriculum that were seen during the inspection. Inspection evidence and teachers’ planning for physical education indicate that most elements of the National Curriculum receive appropriate attention. Most pupils of all levels of attainment in both key stages make satisfactory progress in the areas covered. Pupils with physical and learning difficulties receive good support that enables them to take a full part in physical education lessons, experience success and make sound progress.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. Most pupils in the infant classes respond to their teachers’ instructions quickly. They work sensibly in pairs and in small groups, although some older infants are over ambitious and attempt movements that could be dangerous if not closely supervised. Pupils in Year 1 use small games equipment purposefully. They develop the skills, such as throwing, that are required to play simple games. They develop their hand and eye co-ordination appropriately so that they begin to throw a beanbag with increasing accuracy. They practise carefully and so improve levels of consistency and accuracy. By the end of Year 2, pupils link balancing and rolling actions to form simple gymnastic sequences. Most attain a satisfactory standard, although the work of some pupils lacks precision and control.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. Pupils in the junior classes learn to swim and many attain standards above those normally expected of pupils at the end of Year 6. They extend their games skills effectively so that many throw and catch a ball accurately and apply this to fielding in games, such as cricket. There are, however, few opportunities for pupils to extend their skills by participating in local competitive events. The school does not organise sporting activities outside lessons nor does it have links with local sports clubs that could help motivate pupils and expose them to high quality coaching.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

128. The teaching of physical education is sound. Teachers’ planning is satisfactory. It identifies appropriate objectives. When these are shared with pupils, for example in an effective games lesson in Years 5/6, they give a clear focus to teaching and learning that improves pupils’ progress. Most teachers have secure subject knowledge. They give clear explanations and monitor pupils’ response carefully. This ensures that all pupils are able to work confidently and to make appropriate progress. Teachers’ awareness of pupils is good and results in good individual and group coaching that helps pupils improve aspects of their technique. This worked to good effect in the Year 6 games lesson. However, ineffective monitoring of pupils’ work was a contributory factor to one unsatisfactory physical education lesson. The teacher did not place enough emphasis on precision, control and correct technique and this reduced the progress that pupils made

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

during the lesson. Teachers manage their pupils effectively. Most have successfully established positive patterns of behaviour and response and they use an appropriate balance of praise and challenge. This allows the lesson to flow and effectively maintains the pace of pupils’ learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. Pupils have good attitudes to their work in physical education. They are attentive to their teachers and follow instructions promptly and accurately. Older pupils are responsive to coaching and rise to the challenge to improve. They persevere in the face of difficulty; for example, maintaining a good work rate during outdoor games, despite the very high temperature. Most pupils work sensibly in pairs or groups, giving each other constructive help to succeed. This is particularly impressive when pupils work with and support those with special educational needs, enabling them to be fully involved and make good progress, as in a Year 1 small apparatus lesson. The quality of pupils’ learning is satisfactory. This results from pupils’ positive response and from the satisfactory range and variety of experiences that the school provides. Springhead Primary School

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

130. Pupils’ attainments are consistent with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support and participate and make progress in line with the others in their class. This marks an improvement since the last inspection, when standards were in line with expectations by the end of Year 2, but below expectations by the end of Year 6. Since the last inspection, the new locally agreed syllabus has been introduced and this forms the basis of teachers’ planning, which is now more consistent and more clearly focused.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

131. Younger pupils make sound progress in developing self-awareness through topics such as ‘Myself’. They are introduced to Bible stories and know of characters in the Old Testament, including Moses and Jonah. By the end of Year 2, pupils know major feasts of the Christian calendar, including Christmas and Easter. They know that Jesus was a special person, who looked after the sick and taught people. They are also introduced to other world faiths, including Buddhism. Year 2 pupils have considered promises made at a Christian christening. They have also learned about the promises Buddhists make in their daily lives.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. In Years 3 and 4, pupils think about the lives and works of special people, including Mother Teresa and St. Hilda of Whitby. They consider festivals and learn about the food that is associated with them. These include Christian festivals, such as Harvest, and those of other world faiths, including the Muslim festival of Eid and the Jewish feast of Passover. By the end of Year 6, pupils know that the Bible is a special book for Christians and know stories from both the Old and New Testaments. They are familiar with events in the life of Jesus and some of the stories he told. They also have a more detailed knowledge of aspects of major world religions, notably Hinduism. For example, pupils understand the significance of water in Hinduism and know of Hindu gods and festivals. The school has a good collection of items associated with major world faiths. Teachers use these well to engage pupils’ interests and promote knowledge and understanding. For example, in

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Years 5/6, pupils study carefully selected objects to enable them to learn about aspects of Hindu daily life and worship. Pupils also know about significant Christian and Hindu figures, including Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

133. During the inspection only one religious education lesson was observed. Evidence from this lesson, talking to pupils, examining work in books and school documentation, indicates that teachers' knowledge and understanding of the subject are sound. In the excellent lesson in Year 2, focusing on promises, the teacher asked very searching questions. This prompted pupils very successfully to think hard and resulted in thoughtful answers relating to their own experience. Throughout the school, pupils are interested in the subject. They readily talk about their current topics and their work is carefully completed and neatly presented. Some teachers are beginning to assess pupils' progress through topics as a basis for planning and preparation of further work. However, this is not yet fully developed in all classes. The local vicar visits school regularly to lead assembly and readily supports

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teachers in classrooms. For example, he recently talked to the younger children about special books and brought in a selection of bibles for them to look at. This supports and extends pupils’ learning well and contributes to their spiritual development.

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