The Hawthorns Primary School

THE HAWTHORNS PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 21 st May 2002

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THE HAWTHORNS PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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THE HAWTHORNS 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. The Hawthorns Primary School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Northway Woosehill Wokingham Berkshire Postcode: RG41 3PQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 The Hawthorns Primary School - 2

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The Hawthorns Primary School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Hawthorns Primary School is situated in Woosehill, Wokingham in Berkshire. It serves the surrounding area, which consists of mainly owner-occupied properties. The school is much bigger than other primary schools nationally and the number of pupils on roll has remained fairly steady over the past few years. There are currently 382 girls and boys in the school. Children are admitted to one of the two reception classes on a part-time basis in the term of their fifth birthday, and attainment on entry is above average overall. One per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and one per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language, which is similar to most other schools. The languages spoken at home by pupils, other than English, are Japanese, Panjabi, Gudjurathi, Vietnamese, Arabic and Mandarin. Less than one per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals, which is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

very low compared to the national average, and a lower than average figure of 10 per cent have been identified on the register of special educational needs. Three pupils have statements for their needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school, which has improved considerably since it was last inspected. It now has many features of excellence and is a highly effective learning environment in which pupils attain very good standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave at the end of Year 6. The teaching is very good overall and pupils make rapid progress in learning. The excellent leadership of the headteacher and very good management by the senior managers and an excellent governing body help to ensure that very good value for money is achieved.

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What the school does well

• The oldest pupils in the school achieve very good standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave Year 6. Standards are good in all other subjects of the curriculum. • Standards of behaviour are very good throughout the school. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and very good relationships with their peers. • The quality of teaching is very good overall. It is excellent in English in Year 6. • The curricular provision is excellent. It is supplemented with an exceptionally wide range of extra- curricular activities. • The school is led and managed exceedingly well by an outstanding headteacher, who is supported closely by the deputy, senior managers and an excellent governing body. • The excellent school improvement plan gives a very clear focus for future improvements. • The provision for increasing pupils’ moral and social development is very good. • The school takes very good care of its pupils and provides well for their personal, social and health

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What the school does well

education. The procedures for guiding, supporting and assessing pupils are very good.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ independence and initiative. • Teachers’ marking. • Information to parents. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1997. Since then, it has grown from strength to strength under new leadership and made considerable progress; for example, the leadership and management have improved significantly to a now excellent level. The development plan has been much improved and is an exceptionally useful management tool, providing clear strategic direction for future improvements. The Hawthorns Primary School - 5 Monitoring and assessment procedures have also been improved and are now used very well by teachers to guide teaching and learning. This has had a positive effect on the quality of teaching, which is now much better than it was four years ago. In addition, overall, standards of attainment have risen to the extent that pupils now attain very good standards by the time they leave at the end of Year 6 and the most capable pupils do very well indeed. The school has made improvements to its provision for

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

information and communication technology, including the installation of a new computer suite, and standards have risen. Overall, the school has improved rapidly and it now has very good capacity to improve further.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The above table shows that standards of attainment have been consistently well above the national averages in English, mathematics and science over the last two years by the end of Year 6. Trends show an overall steady picture, with the school’s results well above those of similar schools in English and mathematics, and above average in science. The inspection evidence concurs with these latest results and shows that, by the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6, pupils achieve very good standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. The school has set sufficiently high targets for the current cohort of pupils in these subjects and they are being promoted well. The oldest pupils in the school achieve good standards in all other subjects of the curriculum. At the end of Year 2, the standards attained in 2001 were well above the national average and the results of similar

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Key

schools in reading and writing, but in line with the national average in mathematics. 1 The inspection evidence shows that pupils in Year 2 currently achieve good standards generally. The youngest children in the Foundation Stage are supported well to help them make very good progress in their learning and they exceed the Early Learning Goals in their personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development. 2

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Key

By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are expected to attain Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve Level 3 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are expected to attain Level 4 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who attain Level 5 are therefore attaining above nationally expected levels.

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Key

2 ON EARLY LEARNING GOALS : From September 2000, QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) have introduced a set of ‘Early Learning Goals for children’s learning’. These goals are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the end of the reception year in the areas of learning: language, literacy and communication; mathematics; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development; physical development and personal, social and emotional development. The Hawthorns Primary School - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are eager to come to school and show good attitudes to learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave well in lessons and at play.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils relate very well to each other. They are tolerant and play happily together, but would benefit from more opportunities to increase their independence. Attendance Very good. Pupils are very keen to attend school and do so punctually.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils are generally enthusiastic, hard working and co-operative. Relationships are very good.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall and sometimes excellent. In the 34 lessons observed, teaching was good, or better, in eight out of every ten lessons. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection and accounts for the very good learning taking place and the high standards achieved by pupils. Overall, the teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is very good indeed. Teachers are conscientious and they work hard for the benefit of all their pupils. They plan their lessons very carefully, with clear objectives for what pupils are to learn, including those who have special educational needs or are of higher capabilities. These objectives are made very clear to the pupils at the start of the lessons and reinforced throughout. Teachers use resources imaginatively to motivate and interest pupils. Support staff are deployed very well; they liaise in excellent teamwork with class

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

teachers and are well informed about the teaching and learning objectives for the lesson. Teachers draw well on a wide range of contexts and resources to help pupils learn, including computers, and they make very good references to pupils’ previous learning and excellent use of cross-curricular links.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Excellent. The school provides an exceedingly rich curriculum that includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, as well as the areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. This aspect is efficiently managed and pupils progress very well because the school responds to the new Code of Practice. 3 Pupils are supported carefully and their individual education plans have clear targets for learning. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The procedures for supporting these pupils are clear and pupils are identified quickly.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. Pupils are provided with very good opportunities for developing their moral and social awareness. Their cultural development is promoted well and spiritual development is sound.

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Aspect Comment

3 Code of Practice – this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. The Hawthorns Primary School - 7 How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school takes care of its pupils within a supportive learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well in partnership with parents. The excellent curriculum is enriched significantly by an exceptionally wide range of extra-curricular activities and very good care is taken to ensure the welfare and child protection of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The outstanding leadership provided by the headteacher gives very clear educational direction for the school and he is supported very well by a conscientious deputy headteacher, senior management team and subject co-ordinators.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governors are knowledgeable and involved closely with the work of the school. They act as good critical friends and provide very clear strategic management.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school regularly evaluates pupils’ achievements. It has very clear procedures for monitoring and evaluating teaching.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The school’s finances and resources for learning are used well to promote learning.

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Aspect Comment

The exemplary leadership of the headteacher and the hard work of the highly committed members of staff are key factors in the standards achieved by pupils and the considerable improvements over the past four years. The accommodation is very good and the school applies best value principles very well in the purchase and use of resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teachers have high expectations of pupils. • Too much homework.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the positive views of the parents. Children enjoy coming to school and are keen to do so. The quality of teaching is very good overall and teachers expect their pupils to achieve well. The inspection evidence does not agree with parents’ comments regarding homework, but finds that the amount of homework given to pupils is appropriate to their age and ability. However, the inspectors judge that parents would benefit from more information on topics such as homework, anti- bullying procedures and the provision for pupils with special educational needs. The Hawthorns Primary School - 8

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils attain very good standards by the time they leave the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Standards have risen since the last inspection and are now well above the national expectations by the end of Year 6 in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. Children enter the reception class with better skills than those of most four-year-olds in many other schools. They make very good progress and exceed the Early Learning Goals in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Children listen very well to adults and to each other, sharing toys and games most willingly. They speak clearly and write well, spelling words such as, ‘birthday’ correctly and many read non-fiction books confidently. They enjoy singing songs about, ‘ Five Little Speckled Frogs’ and, ‘Ten Green Bottles’ , but many count well beyond ten and all children know the names of two-dimensional shapes such as

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

squares, triangles and circles. They use computer programs with good confidence, especially when matching shapes and counting numbers. All children are very courteous to each other when balancing on the tricycles and taking turns on the trolleys outside. They are very tolerant of one another and children with special educational needs are integrated happily with their peers. Most children respond eagerly to the very wide range of imaginative play opportunities, such as mask- making, construction toys, painting and role-play in the ‘Travel Shop’ . The excellent teamwork amongst staff helps children to thrive in a very well organised, happy, caring environment.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. In English, pupils’ performance at the end of Year 6 in the 2001 National Curriculum tests was well above the national average. Their performance, in relation to that of pupils of similar background in other schools, was also well above average; 89 per cent attained the expected Level 4 and a significant proportion (53 per cent) attained the higher Level 5. These results exceeded the school’s targets for 2001. Pupils’ performance at the end of Year 2 was well above the national average in reading and above average in writing. It was well above that of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds. Trends show that the results for pupils in Year 6 have generally exceeded the expected levels well since 1998; pupils in Year 2 have done consistently well in reading and standards have risen steadily in writing. The inspection findings concur with these results and show that pupils are currently achieving well because basic literacy skills are taught very carefully

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

across the curriculum, with optimum use of computers to help them extend their learning. For example, the oldest pupils in the school strive to excel in lessons focusing on the use of persuasive text when considering topics such as ‘Safer Routes to School’ . As a result of the teachers’ very high expectations and excellent rapport with them, the pupils present well-balanced arguments, after interrogating survey data to help them express hypotheses, and write convincingly to state their points of view. Standards of handwriting and the presentation of work are very high and pupils show great confidence and maturity when speaking to others. Their completed work on biographical and autobiographical accounts, poetry and creative story writing is often of a high standard.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. In the 2001 national tests for mathematics, the results were well above the national average and those of similar schools at the end of Year 6. The school exceeded its targets well; 88 per cent attained the expected Level 4 and many (53 per cent) attained the higher Level 5. However, at the end of Year 2, the results were not as good as in preceding years; although 98 per cent attained Level 2, only 20 per cent attained the higher Level 3. This was average in relation to the national figures, but below the results of similar schools. The inspection findings show that the school has moved on well since 2001; standards have risen since last year because staff have analysed the test results very carefully and acted swiftly to improve pupils’ knowledge. Standards are currently The Hawthorns Primary School - 9 well above average for the pupils at the end of Year 6 and above average in Year 2. Basic numeracy skills are taught very well and used extensively across the curriculum and computers

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

are used well to support numeracy. By the time they reach the end of Year 6, pupils calculate percentages, interpret information and produce a good range of block graphs, pie charts and bar charts to represent their findings. They develop their skills very successfully because teachers use assessment information adeptly to help pupils increase their understanding in plenty of exciting practical activities. 4. In the science results for 2001 at the end of Year 6, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected level was well above the national average, and that of similar schools, with 97 per cent attaining Level 4 and 55 per cent attaining the higher Level 5. In Year 2, the teacher assessments indicated that standards were very high in relation to the national figures; 100 per cent attained Level 2 and 31 per cent attained the higher Level 3. The evidence gathered during the inspection largely concurs with these results and shows attainment to be well above average compared with

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

the nationally expected levels at the end of Year 6, and above average at the end of Year 2. Pupils make very good progress overall and literacy skills, as well as numeracy skills and computer technology, are used very well to help pupils increase their knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts. For example, pupils use the correct terminology to describe ‘opaque’ , ‘transparent’ and ‘translucent’ surfaces when investigating shadows, setting out their work neatly in tabular form. They are eager to record their findings about the harmful and beneficial effects of microbes, and they understand processes, such as photosynthesis in flowering plants.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Pupils achieve well in all other subjects of the curriculum, Standards are good in art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, music, physical education and religious education. Pupils’ learning is promoted very well generally and subjects are used extensively to link with topics. From the time children enter the reception class, they learn to build on their skills, maintaining progress very well as they move through the infant and junior classes. There is no significant variation between the progress of pupils with special educational needs or pupils who speak English as an additional language and those of other abilities, who do equally as well as their peers because teachers make very good efforts to raise the standards of all pupils.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching and learning is very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. The quality of teaching is very good overall in the reception classes, Years 1 and 2 and in Years 3 to 6. In the 34 lessons observed, the quality of teaching was judged to be very good in one fifth of lessons, and occasionally excellent. In well over eight out of ten lessons, teaching is good or better and never less than satisfactory. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection in 1997 when teaching was satisfactory overall. Additional support for pupils with special educational needs, for pupils for whom English is an additional language and for higher-attaining pupils is also very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. From the time of pupils’ entry to the school to the time they leave, the quality of learning is very good. This is due to a great extent to the scholarly teaching, especially in the core subjects and particularly in the Year 6 classes, where teaching is frequently excellent. Lessons are planned conscientiously, with clear objectives for what pupils are to learn. These objectives are made very clear to the pupils at the start of the lessons and reinforced throughout . Teachers’ plans take into account the differing needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and pupils of higher ability. Teachers and support staff work exceedingly well together as an excellent team. They have very high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. A very good example was observed in Year 2 in an art and design lesson, when the pupils were making moving models and drawing scenes relating to the topic work on Queen Elizabeth II and the Spanish Armada . The

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

teacher’s very high expectations of the pupils were transmitted to the whole class, with the result that pupils of all capabilities responded eagerly to the challenge and made very good progress.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Teachers of the youngest children in the school are very knowledgeable about the Early Learning Goals and very patient. They provide happy, stimulating and caring environments in the reception classes, where all adults value each and every child equally. Throughout the rest of the school, teachers demonstrate a very secure knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach. The Hawthorns Primary School - 10 Planning successfully incorporates the areas for learning, the National Curriculum programmes of study and the requirements of the agreed syllabus for religious education. All teachers in the infant and junior classes have implemented the recommended lesson formats for the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies exceedingly well. High standards of effort, accuracy and presentation are encouraged and pupils often respond with great interest and enthusiasm. Teachers draw well on a wide range of contexts and resources to help pupils learn.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

They make good reference to previous learning and excellent use of cross-curricular links, for example, in a history lesson where pupils in Year 4 were studying World War II. In this lesson, the teacher made very good references to other curriculum areas, reminding pupils of their earlier video observations of ‘ Goodnight, Mr Tom ’ for insights into children’s lives during the war. In Year 5, the teacher’s very good subject knowledge of information and communication technology and excellent use of resources led to a very high level of interest and motivation.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. In English, teachers have a very thorough knowledge of the literacy skills the pupils need. Work is planned very carefully to build on pupils’ skills and staff use skilful questioning techniques to develop pupils’ speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. All lessons have very clear learning objectives that are focused well because of the very good use of assessment information and very good coverage of the curriculum. The exemplary teaching at the upper end of the juniors is a credit to the school and presents an outstanding model of good practice for colleagues to follow. Literacy skills are very well taught across the curriculum; for example, all teachers focus on precise technical vocabulary in mathematical and scientific terminology, whilst very high standards of written presentation are expected in subjects such as geography and history.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. In mathematics, teachers use questioning well to assess and guide pupils’ learning. They give clear and supportive explanations, with a focus on technical vocabulary. Teachers put a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ ability to calculate mentally at the start of lessons and they sum up the learning at the end of lessons effectively with useful plenary activities. For example, the good investigations of number squares in Year 3 and data-handling activities in Year 2 helped pupils to achieve well because learning was reinforced constantly throughout the lessons. Very effective support is provided for higher-attaining pupils because classes are set according to pupils’ capabilities and the teaching is based on very good subject knowledge, step-by-step progression through the lessons and very good opportunities for pupils to use and apply their knowledge of number.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. Teaching in science is very good. The strong focus on scientific inquiry throughout the school enables pupils to make very good progress in learning. For example, the scholarly teaching in Year 6, observed during investigations of micro-organisms, was characterised by highly-skilled questioning and direct teaching of technical vocabulary. As a result of the teacher’s excellent relationships with pupils, very strong subject knowledge and well-judged references to prior experiments, the pupils’ attitudes were very good and their level of motivation was so high that learning continued through discussions, even after the lesson had ended. The school provides a very extensive curriculum that covers all the required elements of scientific learning, as well as good opportunities for pupils to use the school grounds to extend their knowledge. For example, ‘The Hawthorns Animal Survey’ undertaken by pupils in Year 2 shows good standards of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

investigative work, based on the classification of local creatures.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. Classroom management skills are very effective; teachers use a good range of management strategies and are successful in motivating pupils and encouraging good behaviour. Pupils are very well managed and high standards of behaviour prevail. Teachers are conscientious and they work hard for the benefit of all their pupils. They use resources imaginatively to motivate and interest pupils; for example, one Year 1 class made fruit salads, whilst others in the same year group composed natural pictures using rocks, grass and stones taken from the school grounds. Support staff are deployed very well; they work very closely with pupils, offering clear guidance and encouragement to them. Most lessons move along at a good pace and teachers change activities frequently to gain and maintain pupils’ interest and attention. The Hawthorns Primary School - 11 13. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. All teachers are aware of the

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

pupils on the register of special educational needs and all make reference to providing suitable activities to promote learning. Good attention is given to ensuring that the work set is appropriate and progressive. Teachers and support assistants show great patience and understanding and have high expectations of both the academic performance and the behaviour of pupils on the register of special educational needs. Pupils are given very good, skilled assistance from the well- qualified, experienced and committed support staff. The combined attention of teachers and support staff has a most positive impact upon the very good progress that the pupils make in their learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The leadership and management of the school are excellent.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14. The leadership and management of the school are very good, with excellent features. This represents a significant improvement since the previous inspection in 1997. The outstanding headteacher is a highly committed leading professional who has an excellent vision for raising standards and the future development of the school. He is very well supported by the deputy headteacher who is an excellent role model for colleagues. Management responsibilities are delegated very clearly to the subject co-ordinators, as well as to the senior management team. Since the last full inspection, the co-ordinators have been increasingly empowered to lead and manage their subject areas and to take responsibility for monitoring teaching and learning. Their subject reviews and input to the excellent school improvement plan demonstrate their high level of responsibility and accountability.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15. The excellent governing body contributes substantially to the effectiveness of the school. Governors share with the headteacher a clear vision for future developments. Reports, given by the headteacher and staff at governors’ meetings, keep them well informed about curriculum developments and help them to monitor the standards and quality of education the school achieves. School developments are discussed carefully and prioritised very well and many governors are actively involved with the life of the school, visiting frequently and helping staff in areas such as information and communication technology.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

16. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The co- ordinator is well qualified, very experienced, enthusiastic and diligent in her co-ordinating role. She ensures that all pupils have access to any necessary support and that their needs are met in lessons. The co-ordinator liaises very well with colleagues and is in regular contact with external agencies, such as the educational psychology service.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

17. Staffing in the school is very good. Teachers’ qualifications and experience broadly match the demands and range of the National Curriculum. Good use is made of senior and experienced staff to act as co-ordinators to manage subjects and aspects such as special educational needs. Responsibilities are matched well to the interests and specialisms of the staff. One of the many strengths of the school is the provision of a good number of very experienced and effective learning support assistants. They work in excellent partnership with the teachers and provide high quality assistance, particularly when supporting literacy and numeracy with less capable pupils and with pupils on the register of special educational needs. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are very good. Priorities reflect both the identified needs of the school and the personal needs of the staff. The school has clear procedures for the induction of newly qualified and newly

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

appointed staff with plenty of help and guidance provided by staff. The school secretaries carry out their administrative duties very effectively and are central to the efficient running of the school. The most helpful site supervisor maintains the school in very good order, and the cooks, midday supervisors and premises staff all perform their roles in a friendly, capable way and are all highly valued members of the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

18. The school’s very good accommodation and resources are well maintained. Very close liaison between the governors and the headteacher ensures that any concerns are dealt with quickly. The site and buildings are looked after very well and the school is an extremely clean and very attractive learning environment. The good resources help teachers to teach all subjects in the The Hawthorns Primary School - 12 National Curriculum and pupils have plenty of books in classrooms and in the well-stocked library from which to choose.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

19. Educational priorities are supported well through very careful financial planning. The school budgets systematically for expenditure and the pupils benefit from these wisely-targeted spending decisions. The school has identified relevant priorities for improvement and spending decisions clearly relate to its priorities. Systems for financial control are unobtrusive and efficient and the headteacher provides very useful, detailed, up-to-date analyses of the school budget for the governors and reports to them on a regular basis. The governing body and senior management team of the school are aware of the best value principles of comparison, challenge, consultation and competition and they apply these principles in their decision-making.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The headteacher and governing body actively consider alternative providers for school services, comparing charges and considering alternative solutions where practicable. The school consults well with local education authority financial and curriculum advisors, keeping them informed about changes to the school’s provision. The school provides very good value for money.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Pupils are not given enough opportunities to develop their independence.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

20. The pupils’ attitudes to school, their behaviour and relationships are all very good. Levels of attendance are also very good, with figures well above the national average. All of these features have improved since the last inspection. Children in the reception class enjoy coming to school and settle to work quickly when they arrive. Pupils in the infant and junior classes are involved enthusiastically in all aspects of school life. Parents maintain that their children are encouraged to work hard and that the school helps them to become mature and sensible. Evidence from the inspection supports parents’ views. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language have very good attitudes to work and concentrate well on the tasks with which they are provided. All pupils arrive at school punctually and lessons start on time. They work and play happily together and move around the school sensibly and politely. Pupils

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

have a good level of respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others and most understand the impact of their actions. However, although pupils are encouraged to become class helpers, there are only limited opportunities for them to show initiative and to take responsibility within the wider school community or for their own learning. This restricts the development of pupils’ personal independence.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The quality of teachers’ marking is inconsistent.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

21. The procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and the use of the assessment information to guide the curriculum are very good. These have been improved significantly since the last inspection. Pupils’ understanding is assessed constantly throughout lessons and any mistakes or misconceptions are recognised quickly by the staff and used constructively to aid learning. All teachers make good, day-to-day evaluations of pupils’ learning and amend their planning in the light of this information. Pupils with special educational needs are assessed quickly and they are supported very well in lessons. However, marking is not consistent throughout the school and this is an area for improvement. For example, the excellent marking of pupils’ work in English in one Year 6 class is not extended to other classes or across other subjects of the curriculum. Although marking is completed regularly by all teachers, it does not

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

contain enough helpful or evaluative comments to help pupils improve further.

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Not enough information is given to parents on a few aspects of the school’s

22. The school’s partnership with parents is very good. Parents have very positive views of what the The Hawthorns Primary School - 13 school provides and pupils achieve, and they believe that the school works closely with them. Parents appreciate that they can discuss issues informally with staff. A good number of parents help out in the classrooms and there is a very active parent-teacher association that organises social and fund raising events. Communication between the school and parents is good. Information is provided through regular newsletters, parents’ meetings and annual reports. Since the last inspection, the school has introduced an excellent ‘Teaching and Learning News’ to help parents become more informed about its work. The school prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents are very clear and informative and meet all statutory requirements. However, several parents who responded to the questionnaire or attended the parents’ meeting believed that

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Not enough information is given to parents on a few aspects of the school’s

there was a small amount of bullying amongst pupils and an overload of homework. A few parents were unsure about the school’s procedures for pupils with special educational needs and felt that they needed more information. The inspection evidence supports the positive views of parents, but does not entirely support their misgivings. No incidents of bullying were observed during the inspection and discussions with pupils indicate that relationships amongst them are very good. The amount of homework is appropriate to pupils’ ages and capabilities and the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. However, the inspectors do agree that parents would benefit from more detailed information about the school’s policies for homework and anti-bullying procedures and the provision for special educational needs.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

23. The headteacher, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) improve the opportunities for pupils to increase their independence and use initiative; (Paragraph 20) (2) extend the very good assessment practices to improve the quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ work; (Paragraph 21) and (3) provide parents with additional information about homework, the anti-bullying policy and the provision for special educational needs. (Paragraphs 20, 21 and 22) The Hawthorns Primary School - 14

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 382

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 10

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Attendance

% % The Hawthorns Primary School - 15 School data 3.9 School data 0.3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The Hawthorns Primary School - 16

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 28 31 59

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 28 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 30 30

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

Percentage of pupils School 97 (92) 98 (98) 98 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 28 28 28 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 30 30 31

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

Percentage of pupils School 98 (92) 98 (96) 100 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 32 32 64

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 28 29 32 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 27 30

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (97) 88 (93) 97 (97) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 28 26 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 24 27 26

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

Percentage of pupils School 81 (84) 83 (90) 89 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. The Hawthorns Primary School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 4 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17 Financial year 2001/2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 855,125

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 844,163

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 235 Expenditure per pupil 2,216

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 55,455

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 66,417

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6.1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.8

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0.0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. The Hawthorns Primary School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 44 8 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 36 55 4 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 27 51 20 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 52 15 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 54 37 6 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 42 1 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 39 42 13 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 59 35 4 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 44 47 6 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 45 7 1 10

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Other issues raised by parents

• Not enough information on anti-bullying procedures and special educational needs. • Too much homework.

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