The Edward Betham Church of England Primary School

EDWARD BETHAM C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 6 th July 2000

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EDWARD BETHAM C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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EDWARD BETHAM C OF E 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. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Oldfield Lane South Greenford Middlesex

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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: Rev N Richardson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 21 st April 1997 Edward Betham CE Primary School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr D Clegg Registered inspector Mathematics The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Teaching and learning Ms M Eminton Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development Pupils’ welfare, health and safety Partnership with parents and carers Ms G Carter Team inspector English History Special educational needs Ms D Cinamon Team inspector Art Music Under-fives Equality of opportunity Mr P Stevens Team inspector Science Information technology Design and technology Geography Ms L Flowers Team inspector Physical education Quality and range of opportunities for learning Leadership and management

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Wessex Education 1 Albert Road Dorchester Dorset DT1 1SE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Edward Betham CE Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Edward Betham is a much larger than average primary school having 407 pupils on roll aged four to eleven years. The pupils are organised into 14 classes with an average size of 29. The school also has a 25 place nursery that 50 children attend part-time. The school is on a split site with the nursery and Key Stage 1 classes on one side of a road and Key Stage 2 on the other.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves a mixed community of pupils, 25 per cent are Afro-Caribbean, ten per cent Indian and ten per cent are Black African. There are also two refugee children from Kosovo. There are 108 pupils for whom English is an additional language; the four main other languages are Arabic, Gujerati, Punjabi and Armenian.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There is a below average number of pupils with special educational needs with 77 on the register, 27 on stages 3-5 including five with statements of special educational needs. The majority of children with special needs have learning or emotional and behavioural difficulties.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The attainment of children on entry to school is above the national average .

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school that achieves higher than average results in English, mathematics and science that overall compare favourably with similar schools. The quality of teaching is good and the school benefits from very good leadership and management. Given the good standards, the very good leadership and taking account of low costs, the school gives very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Achieves above average standards in English and mathematics • Provides good quality teaching • Makes very good provision for special educational needs • Benefits from very good leadership and management • Makes very good links with parents • Makes very good provision for pupils’ cultural development

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards of attainment in information technology • The progress that children make in the nursery

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

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 made very good improvement since the last inspection in April 1997. Standards have improved in literacy and mathematics at both key stages and in science at Key Stage 2. The school has also successfully addressed the issues identified in the last inspection. The quality of teaching has improved significantly and good assessment procedures are now fully in place. Leadership is strong and well established since the last inspection. Standards in design and technology have improved. The school development plan is a well thought out programme for school improvement. The health and safety concerns have been very effectively addressed and the new policy is fully in place. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The standards attained by seven-year-olds are well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics and are well above those of similar schools. These good standards have been maintained over a number of years. There has been sustained improvement in standards in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2.

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STANDARDS

The work seen largely reflects the school’s test results, although the standards in writing at the end of Key Stage 2 are not as good as those in reading. In science at Key Stage 1 the work seen is closer to the national average. In history, geography, design and technology, art, physical education and music standards are in line with expectations, although the quality of singing is high. Standards in information technology are below what they should be at the ends of both key stages.

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STANDARDS

The school has set realistic but challenging targets for attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 and the indications from the Year 2000 test results indicate that the school has reached its targets in English and mathematics.

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STANDARDS

The standards reached by the under-fives by the time they begin the National Curriculum are above average, although children could achieve higher standards in the nursery.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have positive attitudes to school and are keen to learn.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Most pupils are well behaved although a small number are easily distracted and lose concentration.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development is good, the older pupils are mature and sensible and well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Most pupils apply themselves well, although a small minority could work harder in some lessons. The school is particularly successful at ensuring that pupils have a very positive attitude to each other whatever their background or culture. The school operates as a very harmonious community. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 8

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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

Lessons seen overall Satisfactory Good Good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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 and enables most pupils to make good progress, especially in learning basic skills in English and mathematics. Almost ninty-nine per cent of teaching is satisfactory or better and seventeen per cent is very good or better, about one per cent of teaching is unsatisfactory. The teaching of literacy is good while the teaching of numeracy is consistently satisfactory or better. Lessons are well planned and teachers generally have high expectations, although in the nursery expectations are not always high enough and there is not enough direct teaching; this reduces the progress that children could make. Lessons are generally successful because teachers’ own subject knowledge is good and homework is well used to support work in school. Overall, lessons meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is generally broad and balanced and meets the needs of all pupils other than in information technology.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is very good, pupils are well supported and well taught. Procedures for monitoring their progress are very secure.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development and very good provision for their cultural development through consistent celebrations of the varied backgrounds of the pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides a good level of care for all pupils. Teachers know pupils well and take time and trouble to monitor and ensure their welfare and their progress in learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is very successful in working in partnership with parents. They are kept very well informed about what is happening in school and how their children are progressing. All the subjects of the National Curriculum are taught but pupils do not get enough opportunity to learn information technology. Procedures for child protection are very good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher works closely with the deputy head and other key members of staff to give a strong, clear sense of purpose and direction.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is fully involved in the life of the school. They effectively support and guide the school’s activities. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 9 The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has a very good view of its strengths and weaknesses.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Performance information is well used to guide improvements. The resources are effectively and efficiently managed and focused on areas needing help and improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There are sufficient teachers to teach the curriculum and they are well supported by a team of effective classroom assistants. Resources are generally adequate, although there are not enough resources for information technology. The accommodation is adequate but some areas need re-decorating.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The leadership and management are strengths of the school; everyone shares the desire and determination to seek constant improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The governors allocate resources in a thoughtful and careful manner to make sure they get the best value for money.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Children enjoy coming to school • The teaching is good • The school is very approachable • There is a good partnership with parents • Pupils’ personal development is good. • The amount of homework that pupils get.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The parents are entirely justified in having the positive views about the school that they have expressed. Overall the inspection found that homework is well used to support lessons. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests seven-year-old and eleven-year-old pupils attained standards generally above the national average and above those of similar schools. In reading, writing and mathematics seven-year-olds attained standards well above the national average and well above those of similar schools. Eleven-year-olds attained standards in English and mathematics that were above the national average and above those of similar schools. Girls attain higher standards than the boys although the boys attain good standards in comparison with boys nationally. In science the standards were well above both the national average and similar schools.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Over the past three years seven-year-olds have consistently attained well above average standards while eleven-year-olds have steadily improved their standards in each of the three subjects. The improvement in the results for eleven-year-olds has been steady and sustained. The proportion of pupils, both at seven and eleven, who attain the higher levels in the National Curriculum tests is above average.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The standards of work seen in the inspection confirm that pupils are generally achieving above average standards. The work of seven-year-olds in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics is above average, although in science standards are more in line with the average than the results suggest. By the age of eleven standards in speaking and listening, reading, mathematics and science are above average but writing is similar to the average. The standards for seven-year-olds represent good levels of attainment that have been sustained over a number of years. The current standards for eleven-year-olds show an improved level of attainment and are more in line with what can be expected than those found in the last inspection. Although the standards in writing are too low, there are examples of high quality work from eleven-year-olds and there are also clear signs of improving standards in the

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The school’s results and achievements

4. When children enter the reception year they are attaining above average standards especially in language skills. The majority of children have spent some time in the nursery class where they make satisfactory progress overall but the work they do could be at a higher level, particularly in number and in knowledge and understanding about the world.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The school is particularly successful at teaching literacy and numeracy and by the time pupils leave the school they are well equipped to take advantage of the next stage of education. The majority of pupils speak confidently, listen attentively and are happy to talk about what they are doing. They read fluently with understanding and enjoy a good range of books. They use their reading skills to find things out and produce their own research topics. Written work is well organised and grammatically accurate but the use of language is more limited than it should be and the standard of presentation is not as high as it should be. The school is working hard to further improve standards in writing. Most pupils have good numeracy skills; they know their tables and use the four operations to solve number problems. They have a good grasp of how numbers work and understand relationships between, for instance,

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The school’s results and achievements

6. By the time they leave the school most pupils have a good understanding of how to Edward Betham CE Primary School - 11 set up science investigations and experiments. They have also made good progress in widening their knowledge about all aspects of science.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Standards in other subjects are generally in line with expectations except in information technology where standards are below what is expected for both seven and eleven-year-olds. Skills in information technology are not well developed and there are limited opportunities to use information technology in other subjects. In history, geography, art, design and technology and physical education standards are similar to what is expected. In music, overall standards are in line with expectations although the quality of singing is above that usually found in primary schools.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the goals set for them. This is because the targets chosen are relevant and manageable and there is regular monitoring by the special needs team. The results achieved in national tests by pupils on the special needs register indicate that they are supported well and that they follow relevant programmes of work.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The positive attitudes, behaviour and personal development of the pupils make a significant contribution to their success. The great respect the pupils have for the feelings and values of others is excellent and impressive.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Most lessons are characterised by pupils’ enthusiasm and willingness to learn. They listen attentively, apply themselves to their tasks and respond eagerly to challenges. They enjoy coming to school and take pride in their achievements. This was clearly evident during a reception class lesson where children worked with great concentration and determination to draw the detail on an owl’s wing.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils contribute to the success of lessons by taking part in discussions and responding to questions. In a Year 1 lesson children sensibly suggested what might happen to materials that are heated and Year 5 worked hard to master the skills of long jump, distance throwing and running. This willingness to work hard and contribute makes a significant contribution to pupils’ success.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils with special educational needs also respond well and work hard. They are effectively helped by support staff and the special needs co-ordinator and even those pupils who struggle to concentrate often make good progress. The school has identified a small group of pupils with behaviour problems and strategies are being successfully used to improve their behaviour. There were three fixed term exclusions during the past year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Standards of behaviour are good and also make a significant contribution to the quality of learning. Pupils around the school are responsive to adults, follow instructions and generally do as they are asked. Children have a good sense of occasion and know when they need to be quiet and attentive, for instance during a Mass shared with parents and members of the community children were well-behaved and fully involved in the proceedings. Pupils do not feel that bullying is an issue as it rarely occurs but they say that if it does it is dealt with quickly and efficiently.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Relationships throughout the school are helpful and constructive. They are based on everyone treating others with respect. Pupils regularly help each other, for instance at lunchtime or in class when working together or sensibly sharing resources. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 12 15. The school is a well-integrated multi-racial community, where relationships are good and individuals from different ethnic backgrounds are treated with the utmost respect. Pupils show a high regard for different faiths and cultures and are keen to talk about what they know about different faiths and traditions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The school council has had an important role in the school in raising the self- confidence and sense of responsibility of its representatives. Drawn from across the age groups, these pupils meet every fortnight to discuss issues of concern and have been instrumental in instigating change. The Council has been responsible for highlighting a need for improved meals at lunchtime and for choosing a selection of board games to be used in the playground. Their visit to the local council chambers to see local democracy in action has added a vibrant perspective to their role and effectiveness. The Betham Bees (‘busy environmental energy savers’) also have a responsible role to play. Made up of volunteer pupils they do a good job in caring for the environment, watering the plants and winning awards with which to continue their improvements. Other pupils have responsibilities throughout the school, in setting up

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

the hall, circulating messages or in pairing with younger classes to help them with their work. These activities, together with participation in a wide range of activities after school and fund raising for charity, make a significant contribution to the pupils’ personal development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Attendance levels are good and have improved since the last inspection. They are now above the national average. Unauthorised absence is below the national average. Registration is prompt and efficient. Punctuality has improved since 1997 and is rigorously logged and analysed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. A good feature of the school is the quality of teaching that is consistently satisfactory and often good. Ninety-nine per cent of teaching is satisfactory or better and seventeen per cent is good, very good or excellent. The effective teaching helps all pupils to make good progress across most subjects. Teachers have good subject knowledge that enables them to teach confidently and make sure that pupils achieve good standards. Much of the teaching is challenging and most lessons are taught at a good pace so that learning moves on at a good rate. This is particularly evident in Key Stages 1 and 2. In the nursery some of the teaching lacks sufficient challenge and children could make better progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In almost all lessons teachers have a clear idea what pupils should be learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy where the national frameworks help teachers to plan what they are teaching. The teaching of literacy is particularly strong and the strategies that the school has recently put in place to improve writing are beginning to raise standards.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Consistently good or very good teaching in the reception classes gets pupils off to a good start especially in the basic skills. Teaching is sharp, focused and skilful. Questions are well used to draw children’s attention to important points when reading stories and other strategies such as using speech bubbles or ‘post its’ are used to highlight different types of writing to make sure that attention is given to what the lesson is about. In other lessons stories are successfully used to teach children early reading skills through paying attention to letters sounds, picture clues and rhyming words. The teachers use pictures, words and demonstrations to reinforce what the lesson is about and the variety of teaching methods enables all children to learn. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 13 21. Resources, including assistants and parent helpers, are well used to support groups of pupils and enable the teacher to make efficient use of their time. For instance, Year

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

2 history lessons are brought to life through the use of old photographs and posters that give children a good idea of how things have changed over time. In many of the infant lessons parent helpers give support to individual pupils and groups and reinforce the main teaching points and make sure that the children get the most from the activities. For instance, one parent helper working with a group of children playing dominoes, made sure that all of the children were involved in identifying the matching pairs and that children counted the dots as they went along.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers are very aware of the pupils’ range of abilities and they are good at planning work that meets different needs. They do this by having a variety of activities and by asking questions that vary in difficulty. In a Year 5 English lesson, even though the teacher was teaching the whole class, she skilfully asked a range of questions that made very different demands on individual pupils. This was followed by an activity that was similar for all pupils, but the worksheets were different so that the lower attaining pupils had much more guidance about what they had to do than the higher attainers. This kind of sensible and skilful teaching ensures that all pupils have the right to opportunities to learn.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Homework is well used throughout the school to extend the work being done in the classroom. Although a small sample of parents responding to the questionnaire who feel that pupils do not get the right amount of work, inspection evidence confirms that homework is a well-considered aspect of school life and is appropriately complementing school work. Homework diaries promote constructive home/school dialogue and parents spoken to during the inspection were clear that homework is a prominent and improving feature of their children’s education.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Occasionally in lessons pupils do not make as much progress as they should due to the amount of noise. The noise level causes some pupils to be easily distracted and lose concentration and results in a classroom atmosphere that is not helpful for learning. The time it takes the teacher to stop the class and regain a more acceptable level of noise interrupts the flow of the lesson and hinders progress. Learning is also slowed down in a small number of lessons because of the lack of direct teaching; this results in children doing activities on their own for too long and not being extended in the way they could be. This sometimes occurs in the nursery when the lack of direct teaching stops children getting the most out of some of the activities. It also occurs in other parts of the school when pupils are asked to work on their own for too long without sufficient direction and the pace of learning slows considerably.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Support for pupils on the special needs register is enhanced by educational support assistants working within the classroom or, when pupils require special provision, in short withdrawal sessions. Learning targets are very carefully defined and individual education plans are well used by all staff to make sure that pupils’ learning needs are met. Regular monitoring by the special needs co-ordinator ensures that targets are updated as necessary and, as a result, pupils make good progress.

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PUPILS?

26. The school offers the pupils in both key stages a broad and well-balanced curriculum that meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and those for religious education. The needs of all children are effectively addressed, including pupils identified as having special educational needs who receive good support and teaching Edward Betham CE Primary School - 14 that is carefully matched to their needs. The early years curriculum is broad and balanced, enabling children to reach the Desirable Learning Outcomes for children starting the National Curriculum . The school provides good, well organised provision for the teaching of English and mathematics, paying due regard to the two national strategies for literacy and numeracy. Good use of National Curriculum guidance ensures that generally the curriculum requirements for most subjects are met although there is not enough teaching of information technology. The curriculum

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PUPILS?

provides for personal, social and health education including sex education and drugs awareness. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of healthy living and safety and topics such as road safety and the dangers of talking to strangers are included in their lessons.

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PUPILS?

27. The learning targets set for individual children also effectively inform teachers’ short- term plans. Senior managers monitor what is taught, making sure that what pupils learn as they go through the school builds up on what has been learned earlier.

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PUPILS?

28. The school makes every effort to ensure that all children, including those with special needs and lower attaining pupils, have full access to the whole curriculum. Higher attaining pupils are stretched through teaching that enables them to reach their full potential. The school is looking at ways of helping all pupils to make better progress through a scheme called ‘Accelerated Learning’ and this is making a positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

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PUPILS?

29. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities run successfully through the enthusiasm and dedication of the staff, parents and volunteers. These activities include good provision for sports such as athletics and gymnastics as well as musical activities such as choir and recorders. The school makes good use of external facilities and services, for example, professional football players from a local club provide teaching and coaching sessions.

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PUPILS?

30. The curriculum is also enriched through visits to museums, residential trips and links with schools overseas. For example, a visit to the Museum of London added extra interest to the children’s study of London. The residential visits not only provide curriculum enrichment, but also opportunities for personal development. The school is outgoing in forging links with other schools, giving pupils opportunities to correspond with and meet children from other localities. The school has made positive links with a school in France and the visit from the French children gave the children a good opportunity to exchange views on school life in France and England.

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PUPILS?

31. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social, moral and spiritual development. The school council gives children the opportunity for the discussion of issues of concern to them and responsibility for making decisions and carrying out any actions. The children have adopted a ‘Millennium Charity’ and have raised a considerable sum of money for the Sickle Cell Society. Pupils are also involved in events at the local community centre. For example, they organised a Christmas concert and party for local senior citizens. Pupils are encouraged to think positively about each other and form constructive relationships. During a Year 2 personal, social and health education lesson pupils had to choose a ‘person of the week’ and say something constructive about the candidate. Everyone listened with understanding to the contributions of others, and accepted ideas different from their own. Pupils felt able to express their

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PUPILS?

32. Sensible school rules agreed by the children are displayed in classrooms and around the school. Within the classes, ‘circle time’ provides a valuable opportunity for each Edward Betham CE Primary School - 15 child to express thoughts and opinions and also to listen to others. In lessons, children are encouraged to evaluate their own and others’ work. They do this constructively and with confidence.

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PUPILS?

33. The children’s spiritual development is addressed well in the curriculum whereby children have opportunity to develop insight into the values and beliefs of others and to reflect on their own perceptions of the world. The acts of collective worship are well used to give the children opportunity to reflect, for example, on the fact that we are all different but, through working together, all have a positive role to play.

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PUPILS?

34. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good and a strong feature of the school. In celebration of the varied cultural backgrounds of the pupils, the school participated in the ‘Windrush Project’ whereby parents and grandparents were interviewed and came into school to work with the children. The resulting work was exhibited at the local town hall and the children participated in the Windrush Celebrations. The school also held a successful ‘International Evening’ to show parents and other members of the community what they had been doing.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Since the last inspection the school has continued to provide good standards of care for its pupils. The high quality of this support is having a positive effect on their progress and achievements.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Staff know the pupils well. Adults are responsive to their needs and provide good role models. Routines are well established and pupils have a clear idea of who to contact if a problem occurs. Parents are very satisfied that their children are well looked after.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported throughout the day and their progress is effectively monitored by well-trained support staff who are clearly briefed about how to help their pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties are helped to achieve clearly-defined targets, indicated in individual education plans, which are closely tracked by staff. Very good contact is made with a number of specialists, who visit the school to provide additional support. Children under five are also well supported in the secure setting of the nursery. The home and pre-school visits help to prepare them gradually for the more structured, practical side of school life.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The care shown to pupils throughout the day is good. Lunchtime staff form a well- informed and valued team. They ensure ongoing comfort and security for the pupils, who enjoy lunch in a supportive, friendly and well-supervised environment. Good arrangements are made to ensure that pupils are looked after at playtime and, at the end of the day, to unite young children with their parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Pupils with special medical needs are well treated. Medical arrangements are firmly established and several members of staff have been fully trained in first aid. Accidents are clearly documented and parents have indicated that they are confident that if an accident were to occur they would be contacted immediately.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Since the last inspection the school has made significant strides in improving the safety of the environment for the pupils. The school is now guided by a very comprehensive health and safety policy. The buildings on both sites are clean and tidy, and the governing body’s working party on health and safety has worked hard to ensure that inspections and risk assessments of the sites are regular and well organised. Child protection arrangements have also improved since the last Edward Betham CE Primary School - 16 inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. The school has very good procedures to monitor attendance and punctuality. Absence is very effectively followed up and contact with the education welfare officer is well established. By analysing data for each year group and tracking each child’s attendance record by computerised records, the school has a very clear picture of the very small number of families needing to be reminded about the importance to their child’s education of regular and uninterrupted learning.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Good behaviour is well promoted in the school by a shared behaviour management policy, agreed with parents and pupils. This policy provides an effective structure to promote good discipline and the emphasis on good behaviour provides positive messages for all pupils. Effective strategies are used to support those pupils who struggle to behave well at all times. Pupils are constantly reminded what kind of behaviour is expected of them. They are made aware that bullying and racism are not tolerated and that good work and behaviour are to be celebrated by everyone.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Assessment procedures are very well used to support learning. The school has highly organised systems and recording methods to chart a child’s achievements. These ensure that progress is continually assessed and tracked and that the staff have clear targets on which to base their planning. Pupils spoken to during the inspection were very aware of their individual targets for improvement. These, together with a range of measures used by the school (from early years development records to targets set for each class and each year group) combine to provide a very full picture of a child’s potential and achievements. Individual education plans (IEPs for pupils with special needs) are clear and focused, enabling teachers to meet the identified learning needs of each child. The IEPs are regularly reviewed and updated, providing a clear record of each child’s progress.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Staff have a good overview of the personal development of each child and keep a close eye on all factors which may have a bearing on the quality of learning. Parents are particularly appreciative of the care and sensitivity shown to pupils of all ages.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Since the last inspection the school has maintained a very good partnership with parents. The effectiveness of the links with parents and their significant involvement in the life of the school are strengths that have helped to raise standards and the quality of the pupils’ learning. Parents are fully supportive of the school and their commitment stems from a good understanding of the school and what is being taught there.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school has very good links with parents. They are kept informed by regular, informative bulletins, for instance about the curriculum being planned for each year group. The school handbook and prospectus are helpful and well presented. Overall, the information gives parents a very clear understanding of what their children are learning and the day-to-day life of the school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The involvement of parents in the everyday life of the school is making a positive contribution to learning. Regular helpers come in to the school and their assistance is both valued and encouraged. Parents, past parents and other members of the community help with cooking, reading, arts, crafts, swimming and school productions.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parent consultation evenings, held once a term, further consolidate parents’ involvement with their children’s learning. Parents are also invited to meetings to Edward Betham CE Primary School - 17 broaden their understanding about, for example, the teaching of numeracy and literacy. Levels of attendance at these meetings, at the school assemblies and Masses is high. A Mass held in the infant school, in the week of the inspection, was a friendly and strongly supported gathering, indicative of the close contact which parents have with the school. Contact with new parents is also good with the pre- school visits giving parents an early introduction to the routines that lie ahead.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The Edward Betham Friends’ Association is a committed group of parents, who have raised valuable funds for the school resources that play an important part in improving the quality of learning. They also help at a number of school events.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents are consulted widely for their opinions about, for example, the home/school agreement, behaviour management and homework. Consultation is seen in the school as an effective means of keeping parents informed while using their views to shape its future. As a result of consultation with parents, annual reports on pupils’ progress now give a clear indication of a child’s strengths and weaknesses and what is needed for improvement. They also contain targets for learning and additional information for parents whose child(ren) have taken the National Curriculum tests at the end of Years 2 and 6.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The statistically small sample of parents responding to the questionnaire have commented favourably on their links with the school. The concerns expressed by a small proportion about the school’s work with parents, the range of activities it provides and behaviour have not been borne out by the evidence of the inspection.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher, working closely with the deputy head, shares a clear vision of how the school will continue to develop and is firmly committed to promoting a strong ethos of teamwork. The commitment to ensuring that all children achieve to their maximum potential is shared by all staff. Key members of staff make an effective contribution to how the school is managed. They successfully lead teams of teachers and monitor and evaluate standards, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The headteacher and staff are well supported by active governors, parents and volunteer helpers.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Detailed analysis of the pupils’ performance in tests and other assessments is undertaken. The information is used to identify strengths and weaknesses and to make sure that the school’s energy is addressing the right priorities. The current work being undertaken to improve writing is a direct result of weaknesses identified through analysis of assessment results.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governing body is very active and positive in its support for the school and fully meets its statutory responsibilities. Governors have a very good understanding of the strengths, weaknesses and needs of the school and share the commitment to sustained improvement. They have a good understanding of the need to prioritise issues and actions and maintain a good overview of the school improvement plan. The governing body has been particularly successful in addressing issues concerning health and safety in the last inspection report. There is a comprehensive policy and risk assessments are regularly carried out and recorded. The governors take a keen interest in the achievements of the children, and in consultation with the headteacher, ensure that the school adopts strategies to promote optimum learning for all children. The governors have a strong commitment to promoting equality of opportunity for all.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

In developing the equal opportunities policy, teachers, parents, the school council and Edward Betham CE Primary School - 18 representatives of the local community were all consulted. The policy ensures that all members of the school feel valued and secure within the whole school and community environment.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. Financial planning is secure and the governing body is prudent in the allocation of funding, following the principles of best value. Spending decisions are driven by the priorities identified in the school improvement plan. The principles of best value are well understood and applied rigorously, for instance, at least three quotes are obtained and comparisons made before any financial commitments are made.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. All teaching and support staff are deployed effectively with support carefully targeted where it is needed. For example, additional classroom support is planned for where there is a large proportion of children with special educational needs. Funds to support special educational needs and those pupils for whom English is an additional language are well used and make a difference to how individual pupils achieve. The school is aware of the weaknesses in the provision for information technology and has already arranged for new equipment to be available early next year. The governors have been successful in applying for funding from different sources such as the Edward Betham Friends’ Association, the London Diocesan Board for Schools Millennium Project and funds awarded by various commercial concerns and local businesses. Funds obtained are well used to enhance the school environment by, for example, the provision of play equipment, seating in the playground and floral

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

displays. The accommodation and resources are generally adequate although some areas are in need of redecoration and there are not enough information technology resources Edward Betham CE Primary School - 19

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

57. To improve standards further the headteacher and governing body should:

p.19

Raise standards in information technology by:

§ making sure that all pupils are systematically taught the full range of skills, knowledge and understanding; § ensuring that all staff have sufficient confidence to teach the subject.

p.19

Improve the rate of progress that children make in the nursery by:

§ ensuring that teachers plan what children are going to learn through various activities offered; § providing more direct teaching to make sure that all children take full advantage of the learning opportunities presented by the range of activities.

p.19

Minor issues

Continue to improve the standards in writing especially at Key Stage 2, paying particular attention to written work in subjects other than English.

p.19

Minor issues

(Paragraphs: 3, 85, 92, 96, 101) Edward Betham CE Primary School - 20

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 33

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 407

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals - 58

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs - 5

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register - 77

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 108

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 26

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

p.20

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.20

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 21

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 25 29 54

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 22 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 28

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 93 91 98 at NC level 2 or above National 82 83 87

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 22 25 24 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 28 27

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 98 94 at NC level 2 or above National 82 86 87

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 24 31 55

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 17 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 27 25 31

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 76 76 95 at NC level 4 or above National 70 69 78

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 15 15 17 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 27 27 29

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 76 76 84 at NC level 4 or above National 68 69 75 Edward Betham CE Primary School - 22

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 79 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 34 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 25 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.6 Financial year 1999/2000

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.1

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 794,948

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Expenditure per pupil 1,736

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 124 Balance brought forward from previous year 14,187

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 50,744

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 35

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 23

p.22

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 41 48 8 2 2

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 35 49 10 2 5

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 26 52 14 8 0

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 54 11 1 0

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 38 1 2 1

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 37 4 1 2

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 42 41 14 3 1

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 49 39 5 4 4

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 48 4 5 1

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 49 14 4 10 Edward Betham CE Primary School - 24

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

58. Since the last inspection the provision for under-fives in the reception classes has improved, particularly in the quality of teaching which is consistently good or better. Most of the under-fives in reception are already working within the early stages of the National Curriculum.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

59. Almost all children attend the nursery from the age of three. They make satisfactory progress in most aspects of their learning but low expectations of what they might achieve, particularly in mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world result in many not reaching the level of attainment that they should.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

60. There has been improvement in progression and continuity in children’s learning between the nursery and reception classes but a lack of regular direct teaching to clear learning objectives on a daily basis in the nursery means children do not learn as much as they could. The nursery is well supported by parent helpers.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

61. Provision for children’s personal and social skills is good. Children who are under five in the reception classes are co-operative, share materials and use resources sensibly. They take good account of what others do and say and are responsive to adults. The organisation of the learning environment in the nursery enables children to select activities and encourages independence and co-operation. Children are good at working out their own solutions and are learning to work together successfully. They concentrate well and are often engrossed in activities for a considerable period of time. While the children behave well, sometimes the noise level is too high for them to make the most of what they are doing.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

62. As a result of very effective teaching in the reception classes, good progress is made in language and literacy and standards are above average for this group of under- fives. There is plenty of encouragement for children to answer questions and explain their ideas. They learn to write using their awareness of sounds of letters and have acquired a good sight vocabulary that they use to read simple books. Nursery children are very articulate and keen to talk about things that interest them but teachers do not fully exploit the learning opportunities that arise. For instance, occasionally there are too many questions and not enough explanations, or questions do not take account of the different abilities of children. There is some effective teaching of literacy and all the children successfully write their names. In one successful lesson the teacher used a home made book of photographs of the children as a focus for talk and to help them

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

follow the direction of the print, pick out names they recognise and read together.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

63. The children in the reception classes are also achieving good standards in early number, they confidently count up to and beyond twenty and join in when other Year 1 children are counting in twos and fives. Children in the nursery reach average standards in mathematics but what children are able to do is not reliably assessed and many are capable of learning faster. There is insufficient teaching and teachers’ questions do not provide enough challenge, particularly for higher attaining children. Most count reliably up to twelve and recognise the numerals but none are asked to go further. Mathematical activities are sometimes put out without any instructions so children struggle to do them, or too often teachers supply answers instead of encouraging children how to work out their own answers through explanations. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 25 64. Reception teachers take every opportunity to promote the knowledge and

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

understanding of the under-fives in reception classes. Children learn about and use a wide variety of languages as the register is taken. As they stroked a guinea pig, they counted its toes, compared the number with their own, and as they talked with adults, they became aware of the similarities and differences between living things. They are beginning to understand the design process and how to assemble and strengthen materials. Nursery children have sound ideas about how the world works, for example one explains that the postcard that she has just made will be delivered by the postman once it has been posted in the post-box. In general, children’s understanding is not extended enough and discussion rarely takes them beyond what they already know. They know what magnets do and explain that they pick up metal and not plastic but there are no opportunities for children to learn about, for instance

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

65. Children make sound progress in creative development in the early years. Reception children confidently draw recognisable owls filling the space on the paper well and adding details to represent texture on the wings. They have good experiences of singing and percussion. The nursery nurse helps children to distinguish between various shades of colour and to print with tyres of all sizes to make comparisons between different patterns. They co-operate well in doing this potentially very messy activity and improve their printing techniques. Through musical activities children successfully increase their understanding of percussion instruments sounds and names.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

66. Provision for children’s physical development is satisfactory. Reception children have a small secure outside space that is well used. Nursery children have a large grassy area with playhouses, a caterpillar tunnel and second area for bikes and other wheeled toys where children have good skills in riding bikes. They use the grassy area well for playing with the large toys and inventing co-operative games. In a physical education lesson they hopped on one leg, jumped and followed instructions. They made good progress in learning the rules of games but had less opportunity to develop their skills in movement.

p.25

ENGLISH

67. Consistently satisfactory and often good teaching leads to most pupils achieving good standards. However, standards in writing for eleven-year-olds could be higher, despite some very high quality work produced by individual pupils.

p.25

ENGLISH

68. Children get a good start in the reception classes where teaching quickly gets them used to thinking and talking about words and how they are used and formed. For instance, in one lesson a reception teacher used clear layout and explanations to show young pupils how speech is indicated in books. She skilfully reinforced pupils’ learning by using both visual and auditory methods of teaching; this enabled all children to gain something from the lesson and make progress.

p.25

ENGLISH

69. By the age of seven children are articulate, confident speakers, choosing their words carefully to explain and expand what they want to say. They listen well to each other and to the teacher and enjoy discussing ideas and points of view about books and stories as well as about their own personal likes and dislikes. The majority read well, thinking carefully about what writers are trying to say and about the content of stories. Higher attaining children reflect on the meaning of individual words, asking adults for help if they are unsure, and showing good understanding of the humour of stories. Average pupils are keen on reading and use letter sounds and underlying meaning to Edward Betham CE Primary School - 26 check out whether they have got words right. Even lower attaining pupils are developing into keen readers, extending their skills in word recognition and sounding words out, and so laying the foundation for becoming good readers as they get older.

p.25

ENGLISH

70. Pupils make a good start on writing and by the age of seven many write at length, spelling simple words and some more complex ones correctly, or using their knowledge of letter sounds to make reasonable guesses about the spelling. The higher attaining pupils punctuate their work well, some writing dialogue with the correct use of speech marks, full stops and capital letters. They choose words well to create the best effect in their writing, and show that their vocabulary is wide-ranging and imaginative. Average and lower attaining pupils also write with a good understanding of spelling and punctuation rules, but their written work is shorter and words are not as carefully chosen. All pupils show that they can write in several different ways, such as stories, letters, conversations and poems.

p.26

ENGLISH

71. As they move through the school pupils continue to develop good skills in speaking and listening and by the age of eleven they discuss and debate confidently over a range of subjects. For instance, in a very sharp and challenging Year 6 lesson pupils were comparing poems on a similar theme. The teacher used her own knowledge and enthusiasm to motivate pupils to consider stylistic points, such as the use of imagery and language, at a very sophisticated level. As well as using their skills in English lessons pupils also use them to good effect in other lessons such as history or religious education. They listen politely to the views of others and confidently put forward or contest a point of view when required. Many are fluent and selective readers, with their own choice of preferred authors. They read non-fiction to find things out about topics such as space travel or history. The higher attaining readers

p.26

ENGLISH

discuss the plot, characters and style of the books they read and have well-developed views about hidden meanings or how stories might reasonably be expected to conclude. These pupils research their own topics, using both school and public libraries, as well as reading plenty of fiction books

p.26

ENGLISH

72. The standard of writing for eleven-year-olds could be better even though some pupils, especially, but not exclusively, the higher attainers, write creatively and imaginatively, choosing words for effect and using comparisons, metaphors and similes to enrich their written work. All pupils write in a wide range of styles and for a variety of purposes such as letters, factual accounts, persuasive articles, book reviews and poetry, usually spelling and punctuating with a reasonable degree of accuracy. In order to raise standards in writing further, the school needs to encourage more pupils to use words creatively, developing plot and structure effectively whilst at the same time continuing to consolidate their use of secretarial skills. Writing in English books is of a higher quality than that found in, for example, history or geography, where pupils make more mistakes in spelling and punctuation and do not always take as much

p.26

ENGLISH

care over the presentation of their work.

p.26

ENGLISH

73. In English lessons throughout the school pupils with special educational needs make good progress because teachers plan carefully to meet their needs. They are also helped to achieve the targets in their individual education plans in highly structured withdrawal work carried out by teaching assistants.

p.26

ENGLISH

74. Teaching in English is always at least satisfactory and usually good or even very good. Teachers are generally enthusiastic and have good subject knowledge and this enables them to teach confidently and to motivate pupils. Many teachers are skilful questioners and subtly direct appropriate questions to pupils of varying abilities so all are able to answer and participate at their own level; again this helps all pupils to Edward Betham CE Primary School - 27 benefit from the lessons. The accelerated learning techniques of recapping, summarising and giving reminders about how much time they have left to complete their work all help children to learn more effectively and they are well used in most classrooms.

p.26

ENGLISH

75. Resources are attractive and motivating and meet the needs of all pupils. The subject is well led and managed by an effective co-ordinator who constantly analyses and evaluates the results of pupil assessments in order to refine the curriculum and raise standards. The current focus is the raising of standards in writing for the older pupils. Whilst reading records are adequate, a small number of lower attaining pupils do not have a well documented record indicating their progress.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

76. The good standards in mathematics are achieved through consistent teaching that is always satisfactory and often good or very good. The school has made use of the national framework for numeracy and most lessons follow the recommended pattern. In the lessons where this is done well, pupils make good progress, particularly in learning how to calculate fast and to use what they know to solve problems. Some good examples of this occurred in Year 6 where the teaching is sharp and purposeful and pupils are challenged to think hard. In one lesson pupils learned about different number systems and how they operate. They had to think carefully about how the metric system worked and apply the same principles to a new situation. As a result of the skilful introduction, clear explanation and the demonstrations on the whiteboard, by the end of the lesson, most pupils understood how different systems worked and

p.27

MATHEMATICS

were writing the same values in different ways according to which system they were using.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

77. Children get off to a good start in reception where consistently good teaching makes sure that they develop a good mathematical base. This is successfully built on and by the time they are seven most children have learn about place value and recognise patterns that help them to solve problems. For instance, in Year 2 the majority of pupils know about odd and even numbers and about simple fractions and use addition and subtraction to solve problems. Teaching helps them to learn about place value and many children work with four-figure numbers adding and taking away tens and hundreds. In the most successful lessons teachers make sure that there is a good balance between asking questions and direct teaching. Questions are well used to assess what children can already do and help the teacher to extend pupils’ understanding. For instance, in several lessons, children were asked to explain how they had arrived at a particular answer; through the pupils’ responses teachers gained

p.27

MATHEMATICS

a good insight into their pupils’ level of understanding and, in one such instance, saw the need to teach a faster calculating method. The emphasis upon teaching how to work things out mentally is helping pupils; both the younger ones and the older ones use counting on or back, or rounding up or down to calculate. A good feature of many lessons is the use made of assistants or parent helpers particularly in helping those pupils who struggle to understand what is being taught or do not learn as fast as others and children with special needs. The assistants sit with them, use practical equipment and generally spend time explaining and showing them what to do.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

78. Occasionally at the start of lessons, the teacher asks too many questions and there is not enough teaching. Whilst this helps the teacher to know what pupils understand it does not always help pupils to make the progress they could. Lesson planning is good and this is resulting in teachers having high expectations of what pupils will achieve. The pupils respond very positively and they are generally eager to take part in lessons; Edward Betham CE Primary School - 28 most children shoot their hands up to answer questions and solve problems. As they move through the school they steadily widen their understanding, getting to grips with place value and beginning to work with fractions and decimals, often through solving money problems. The progress that some children make is particularly good and they reach standards above those normally expected for their age. In a small number of lessons the noise level is too high and this results in the pace of the learning slowing

p.27

MATHEMATICS

down as some children become distracted. Whilst they are quickly brought back to concentrating on their work, it is an unnecessary distraction.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

79. The older pupils particularly show a good deal of determination and perseverance in working out difficult problems that involve several number operations. This was very evident is a lesson where pupils had to find the value of A or B using information that required them to think logically and use all four number operations. They stuck to the task, co-operating and collaborating and successfully solved the problems.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

80. By the time pupils leave the school they are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. The majority of them have a good understanding of place value, rapidly recall their tables and work very comfortably with high numbers using all four number operations. They use what they know to solve problems and, for instance, understand the relationship between fractions, decimals and percentages. They are also familiar with aspects of mathematics such as probability, the features of shapes and how to calculate area and volume using formulae.

p.28

MATHEMATICS

81. The subject is managed satisfactorily and the implementation of the national strategy has been beneficial. Teachers’ are positive about what they are doing and there is a good ethos for learning. The curriculum is a good one and includes all aspects of the National Curriculum. The recently purchased resources have also helped teachers to plan lessons. The extra support given to the school for mathematics has been allocated sensibly and enabled the teaching groups in Year 6 to be reduced in size.

p.28

SCIENCE

82. The current standards reached by seven-year-olds are generally below the levels indicated by the teacher assessments for the previous year. By the age of seven most pupils have a sound knowledge and understanding of plants’ needs and can distinguish between natural and man-made materials. Some are aware of the different methods by which seeds are dispersed and confidently use scientific words such as transparent and opaque.

p.28

SCIENCE

83. The progress made during Key Stage 2 is good and by the time they leave the school most pupils attain above average standards. Most pupils understand the relationships between living things and their environment, and how they adapt to it. They know about the workings of the human body, partly through activities such as monitoring pulse rate using information technology. Pupils understand how materials behave when changed through heating and cooling, use appropriate words such as ‘condensation’ and can explain that balanced forces are at work when boats float. Their knowledge of the effects of the movements of the earth, moon and sun is particularly impressive. Pupils know how to set up an experiment in order to make its findings valid, but do not have the habit of presenting detailed and well-organised reports. This is a weakness in what are otherwise high standards.

p.28

SCIENCE

84. The subject is well taught with most teaching being good or better. Teachers use their own good subject knowledge in well-planned introductions, ensuring that pupils learn correct scientific words. These introductions interest pupils and enable them to learn Edward Betham CE Primary School - 29 efficiently, often going over previous work to ensure that children have understood what they have learned. Teachers prepare pupils thoroughly to learn new ideas by undertaking activities in a logical sequence. Their demonstrations, accompanied by well-focused questions, help pupils to concentrate. Teachers conclude lessons with discussions that enable pupils to consolidate their learning. In most lessons, teachers expect and gain full participation in both discussions and activities and set work that challenge pupils’ thinking.

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SCIENCE

85. Teaching techniques that encourage prediction, targeting questions to different pupils and setting challenging tasks all help pupils to progress. Understanding is further reinforced where teachers discuss why an experiment was not successful. Where necessary, teachers are most careful about matters of health and safety. Standards of behaviour are good. Most pupils attend to teachers’ introductions. They settle down quickly and sensibly to group work and collaborate well. This is most marked where teachers have a good rapport with their class. Occasionally pupils are rather noisy, which lessens concentration and progress. Presentation of work is not as good as it should be and some marking could be sharper by including more helpful comments about how work could be improved. Homework is well used to extend work in lessons; a good recent example of effective homework was the work that linked science with

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SCIENCE

design and technology when pupils made moon buggies. During lessons pupils with special needs are well supported.

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SCIENCE

86. The subject is well managed and the school has worked very hard to promote higher standards of attainment, especially through much improved teaching. Consequently, pupils’ learning has improved since the previous inspection. Teachers make sure they know how each pupil is progressing through tests at the end of each unit of work. The school provides a broad science curriculum, including sex and health education. The subject has a higher profile than in the last inspection, due partly to annual science weeks and visiting theatre groups, who provide interesting and exciting science presentations.

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ART

87. The majority of seven and eleven year-olds reach broadly average standards. Over a period of time pupils are taught a range of artistic techniques and to appreciate the work of artists. Since the previous inspection there has been improvement in pupils’ awareness of the art of different cultures.

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ART

88. Most of the teaching is good with pupils given appropriate guidance about how to use the various mediums and techniques selected for a particular lesson. Reception pupils learn about shades of colours and how to use mixed media to create pastel and printed pictures, they show good control of the mouse and selection of colour in their computer generated pictures. Pupils in a Year 1 class are experienced at making repeated patterns and use this well to create a variety of lively contrasting patterns whilst in another class they choose appropriate colours to express feelings. Year 2 pupils are successfully developing their observational skills.

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ART

89. Older pupils have a growing awareness of different artistic periods and the work of different artists. However, the purpose for studying the work of artists is not always clear to teachers and tasks often become merely copying exercises, which do not enable pupils to grasp different techniques and styles. For instance, the pastel pictures derived from Derain’s work, while pleasing, are not well suited to finding out about his style which is typified by the use of paint and brush strokes. Year 6 pupils have some understanding of the Art Deco period and have moved on to Pop Art, experimenting with different ways of representing a face. By the age of eleven, pupils Edward Betham CE Primary School - 30 draw objects such as shoes with well observed detail, line and shading to create a three dimensional effect but overall, throughout the school, there is not enough emphasis on first hand observation.

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ART

90. The school’s guidance for teaching the subject is due to be re-written which gives the opportunity to ensure there is better progression of skills and understanding from year to year. Currently there is an over-reliance on pastels and not enough chance for pupils to extend their creativity by selecting their own materials and approaches Three-dimensional art is under-represented. The subject co-ordinator intends to incorporate some useful practices such as sketch-books and portfolios of work and also to make links with local artists, currently not used as a resource.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. Only two lessons were observed during the inspection week. However, scrutiny of pupils’ work, together with photographic evidence, indicates that attainment for both seven and eleven year-olds is in line with national expectations. This represents improvement since the previous inspection. In Year 2, pupils design and make their own picnic bags and learn to report how they proceeded with the task and what they found easy or difficult. By the end of Key Stage 2, they have moved on to successfully construct buggies propelled by air from balloons. This makes good use of their scientific knowledge. They also make effective Anderson shelters to enhance their understanding in history. Pupils use their design and technology skills to develop their understanding of contours by making three-dimensional landscapes using information technology. The work done shows care and attention to detail. In some classes,

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

pupils show willingness to write detailed accounts of the stages in their work, such as when designing a sandwich in Year 3.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. It is not possible to make an overall judgement about teaching. However, teachers’ planning shows that pupils have regular opportunities to carry out design projects. Pupils in Year 1 learn to cut and stick in order to produce their own model playgrounds with swings and slides. As well as the sandwich project, pupils in Year 3 use their scientific knowledge to make successful torches with their own switches. They also learn to research and to give detailed accounts of how they design and make a photograph frame. However, pupils’ written work is often disappointing and not as well presented as is should be.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. Pupils’ thinking is well developed by their design and technology curriculum. The two lessons observed were good. In the one in Year 2, pupils used their scientific knowledge to consider which materials were needed to insulate their bags in order to keep objects cool and which would make it waterproof. In addition they developed their making skills by using various ways to join and fasten. In the other lesson, Year 3 pupils learned to carry out a sequence of tasks and to make modifications to their pizza designs, considering ingredients for their attractiveness as well as their nutritional benefits. Pupils in Year 4 are helped to make attractive bags and Tudor purses and those in Year 5 learn to consider what is needed for an adventure playground.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. The co-ordinator has worked hard to promote the improvements that have been made since the last inspection. All the many points for improvement have been addressed. In-service training has been given, there is a helpful scheme of work and teachers receive good advice from the co-ordinator. Consequently, teachers have more confidence in their ability to provide a wide variety of opportunities for their pupils. They Edward Betham CE Primary School - 31 have also raised their expectations, so that pupils learn to face challenges and to explain their plans and work accurately.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. Standards attained by seven-year-olds are in line with national expectations. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of the natural and man-made features of their locality and, for instance, can give several reasons why roads are built. They are aware of some of the adverse effects of extreme weather on people’s lives and can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city. They are beginning to take an interest in places other than London by looking at maps and globes.

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GEOGRAPHY

96. Eleven year-olds are also attaining average standards. They retain a great deal of their learning about rivers and correctly position many countries and continents on an atlas. Their knowledge of their locality has increased to the extent that they discuss the potential beneficial and adverse effects of transporting goods from one place to another. They hold strong views about some very local changes to the environment, but have not moved on to discuss the implications of other changes further afield. This prevents them from making detailed comparisons between contrasting localities. Pupils enjoy geography, especially when they use design and technology to make three-dimensional representations of landscape using their understanding of contours. In Year 3, pupils confidently discuss reasons behind the location of local amenities and they have good ideas for improvements that could be made to the

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GEOGRAPHY

locality. In Year 6, pupils hold very mature discussions about the advantages and disadvantages of constructing car-parks on green sites from which people would use public transport. Presentation of written work, however, is generally unsatisfactory, although some older pupils have produced good research work about Greece.

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GEOGRAPHY

97. No teaching of younger pupils was seen but all the teaching seen with the older pupils was good. However, expectations about the quality of written work are too low and pupils do too much copying. They learn more when, for example, they write letters to a minister about the benefits of a national park, or, as seen in one exercise book, excellent letters written as if from a rainforest. Teachers challenge pupils to think carefully when, for example, they consider the purposes of different types of maps, or they work out the best location for amenities in an imaginary village. This also enables pupils to apply what they have learnt to situations in real life. Teachers manage pupils well, successfully supporting those pupils who have special needs. Teachers target questions at individual pupils, valuing all contributions, even if they are sometimes unrealistic. Resources are thoroughly prepared and lessons well planned so that

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GEOGRAPHY

pupils concentrate on what they need to learn. Work in school is enhanced by good opportunities on field trips and a residential visit to the Isle of Wight.

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HISTORY

98. Achievement in history is in line with what might be expected for pupils age and stage. Younger children develop a sense of chronology by considering their own growth and development within their families. They extend their knowledge of past and present by, for instance, experiencing the hard work involved in running a Victorian kitchen. By the age of seven, pupils compare seaside holidays past and present, using phrases such as ‘in the past’, ‘a long time ago’ and showing that they have a sound grasp of how things have changed. They begin to develop good observational skills, looking carefully at pictures to see what they can learn about how the world used to be.

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HISTORY

99. Older pupils acquire sound knowledge about the periods they are studying, show Edward Betham CE Primary School - 32 understanding of time and develop their historical skills by researching in books and museums and looking carefully at artefacts. They are aware of the importance of trying to look at primary sources, and ask pertinent questions of grandparents and neighbours when they try to find out more about life in England in the 1930s and the second World War.

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HISTORY

100. The limited amount of teaching observed was almost uniformly good. Teachers use a range of good resources such as objects, books and videos and give good opportunities for pupils to imagine what life was like in former times and what difficulties people might have faced. A good example of how pupils use their imagination was in a Year 4 lesson where they were thinking about what life might have been like aboard a Tudor explorer’s ship. Homework is well used, for example, Year 6 pupils found out their own information about the 1960s through discussions with family, friends and searching the Internet.

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HISTORY

101. The subject is well managed, there is a well structured scheme of work and good support for teachers needing advice. Resources are constantly improved and well organised, the range of materials, books and artefacts are a valuable school resource. Although pupils write fluently and confidently in their books, written work is not always presented as well as it might be and contains more spelling and punctuation errors than English work at equivalent levels.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

102. Standards attained by seven and eleven year-old are below expectations. This is mainly because pupils do not have enough opportunity to work in a sustained way with computers. There are missed opportunities to develop, use and refine information technology skills such as data handling, control technology and modelling in subjects such as science and geography.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

103. It is not possible to make a judgement on teaching. However, teacher confidence is beginning to increase due to the support of the enthusiastic co-ordinator and the guidance available in the recently introduced scheme of work. The current resources are inadequate with most classrooms only having one computer to about thirty pupils. This clearly limits the opportunities that pupils have to work on computers and consolidate their learning. While pupils experience all aspects of information technology, as they move through the school, they do not do so sufficiently frequently for skills to be maintained and developed. Experience is also patchy with some teachers being more committed to the subject than others. The largest gaps in pupils’ understanding and knowledge are in the areas of handling information, control technology, modelling and monitoring.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

104. Examples of satisfactory work including pupil designed items as diverse as tickets and pizzas. Some pupils were using an interactive atlas, others programming a floor robot and word-processing is occasionally used for some creative writing. Occasionally pupils use information technology to extend work in art and design technology. However, pupils arrive in Year 6 with very different information technology experiences; some recall using a video or digital camera or an adventure program, while others have no such recollection. The school is well aware of the weaknesses in the subject and has plans in place to address this. A new information technology suite is opening shortly and a programme of in-service training has been arranged for all the staff.

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MUSIC

Edward Betham CE Primary School - 33 105. Standards in music are broadly as expected by the ends of both key stages. Singing is good due to effective teaching by a number of committed staff and the influence of the choir, which helps to raise the overall standard at Key Stage 2. Key Stage 1 pupils also sing well in the school Mass where they perform with enjoyment and vigour, singing in tune with clear diction.

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MUSIC

106. Teaching is mostly good and sometimes very good. When teachers’ subject knowledge is secure expectations are high and pupils make good progress. Occasionally, weaker subject knowledge results in pupils finding it difficult to sing in tune. Younger pupils start with a very good experience in the reception class. Their ‘ear’ gets trained to listen carefully on a daily basis when teachers sing a response to the name called on the register and the child sings the phrase back. High quality teaching enables pupils to learn songs, appreciate pitch, reach high notes and clap in time while singing. They are helped to persevere when they have difficulties recognising high and low notes on instruments.

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MUSIC

107. In most instances, Key Stage 2 pupils have a good experience of using instruments either as accompaniments to singing or for composition. For example, a Year 4 class work well in groups to experiment with sound combinations using tuned and untuned percussion to produce a sound sequence to represent a story. At regular intervals pupils are invited to demonstrate their progress in the use of rhythm and beat, while self and peer evaluation improves their composition. There was a good level of challenge in a Year 6 lesson when pupils picked out rhythmic patterns to use as an ostinato to accompany a song. Pupils have a particularly well developed sense of rhythm which is evident when they joined the next class for a clapping and finger clicking rhythm round but have difficulty with pitch when notes are high. Unaccompanied part-singing is well done. As a result of good instruction for ‘Ar hyd y

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MUSIC

nôs’ (All through the night) pupils learned to sing in a more melodic style.

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MUSIC

108. New guidance for the teaching of music has just been completed. The co-ordinator has a clear sense of direction for the subject and the school is well placed to build on its strengths to ensure the curriculum is more fully covered. Currently musical appreciation is under-represented. The choir and recorder clubs make good contributions to music in the school. There has been improvement in community links since the previous inspection; the school has sung at a Salvation Army Concert, to pupils at a special school and was involved in the Millennium Meltdown with other schools in the borough.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109. Standards throughout the school are well in line with expectations. The children make good progress in practising and performing skills safely. The younger children were developing and refining skills in hand and eye co-ordination when passing balls to one another. Older children practised and used throwing and catching activities well in their games lessons, demonstrating their ability to throw accurately and powerfully, catch confidently, bowl accurately and bat powerfully. In all the lessons, the children listen to and carefully follow instructions. They co-operate well taking turns as appropriate. Older children have a mature level of sportsmanship. They are comfortable in evaluating their own performance and, when invited to, they observe each other’s performance and respond with constructive comments.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. The teaching is consistently satisfactory and often good. The teachers plan the lessons well, ensuring that the pupils build on and refine skills acquired earlier. Edward Betham CE Primary School - 34 Lessons are well paced and start with appropriate warm up activities, many of which are appealing to the children’s imagination. Young children, for example, were asked to be ‘jumping beans’ or ‘runner beans’ and not surprisingly they responded with great enjoyment. Progression is well planned into the lessons. For instance, in a Key Stage 1 lesson children were given opportunity to dance in time to music, they were then taught simple country dancing steps and sequences and then given the opportunity to work in small groups to devise their own dances. They responded well and clearly made good progress during the lesson. Pupils take full advantage of the opportunities to improve and refine movements and sequences of movement. They concentrate

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

hard and consequently acquire a good level of gymnastic skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111. All teachers pay careful attention to health and safety issues pertinent to physical education. Equipment and apparatus are checked for safety before the children have access to it. The walk to the school field is sensibly organised with additional adult support always present and provision for immediate first aid being made. All children are encouraged to develop a high level of independence. For example, young children are expected to change into their kits independently and quickly, while older children set up and dismantle apparatus sensibly and independently.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112. The subject is well managed by an enthusiastic and very competent co-ordinator who successfully advises and supports colleagues. The scheme of work covers all the National Curriculum requirements and is adequately resourced. The co-ordinator has clear plans of how the subject is to be developed further and in her overall planning is aware of the need to ensure that there is suitable provision for all children, including those with special educational needs. The co-ordinator is active in organising a range of extra-curricular activities that appeal to the interests of many pupils. The gymnastic club gives children further opportunities to improve on their personal skills and the sports clubs field teams that successively participate in competitive activities with other schools. The co-ordinator also forges strong links with neighbouring schools and associations and ensures that activities arranged by external agencies, such as

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

holiday activities, are made known to the children so that they may participate if they wish.

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